Naples-Style Slow-Simmered Onion and Beef Sauce

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A hallmark of Neapolitan cucina povera, this richly savory sauce relies on a generous amount of onions that slowly melt into a silky base around tender chunks of beef. Despite the name, no tomato goes into the pot – just patience, wine, and good beef broth. It is traditionally tossed with ziti or linguine and showered with Pecorino.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 780 kcalCalories
• 28 gFat
• 10 gSaturated Fat
• 82 gCarbs
• 6 gFiber
• 9 gSugar
• 44 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 880 mgPotassium
• 210 mgCalcium
• 5.5 mgIron
• 12 mgVitamin C
• 85 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 3 large yellow onions (about 2 lbs), halved and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 lbs beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch chunks
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 4 cups beef broth, plus more if needed
• 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
• 2 bay leaves

Aromatics and seasoning

• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

For serving

• 1 1/2 lbs dried ziti or linguine
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
• Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Pat the beef dry, season with salt and pepper, and brown in batches on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt to the same pot. Cook gently over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 25 to 30 minutes until completely soft, translucent, and reduced in volume.
3. Stir in the carrots, celery, garlic, and bay leaves and cook 5 minutes more until fragrant. Return the beef and any juices to the pot.
4. Pour in the white wine, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom. Simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the beef broth and Parmesan rind, ensuring the liquid nearly covers the meat. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on the lowest possible heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the beef shreds easily and the onions have melted into a glossy sauce. Stir occasionally and add a splash of broth if it reduces too much.
6. Remove the beef, pull it into coarse shreds with two forks, and return it to the sauce. Fish out the bay leaves and Parmesan rind, then stir in the basil. Taste and adjust salt.
7. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just shy of al dente, reserving 1 cup of starchy water before draining.
8. Add the pasta to the sauce along with a few splashes of pasta water. Toss vigorously over low heat for 1 minute so the sauce clings to every strand.
9. Serve in warm bowls, topped with Pecorino Romano, parsley, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Cook’s Notes

• Resist the urge to add tomato – traditional Genovese is a white (no-tomato) sauce, which is what makes it distinct from Bolognese.
• Slice the onions as evenly and thinly as possible so they melt uniformly into the sauce rather than forming stringy bits.
• This sauce tastes even better the next day; refrigerate overnight and reheat gently with a splash of broth before tossing with fresh pasta.
• Use a heavy Dutch oven or enameled cast-iron pot to maintain the gentle, even simmer the long cook requires.
• If the sauce looks thin at the end, remove the lid for the final 20 minutes to let it concentrate; if too thick, loosen with extra pasta water.

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