Published March 28, 2025. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This gourmet Pasta alla Genovese, or Genovese Sauce, is simmered with beef, pancetta, caramelized onions, and white wine before it’s tossed with al dente pasta. With layers of incredible and mouthwatering Italian flavors, I guarantee it will be ‘love at first bite’ with this elegant sauce.
If you’re a fan of pasta sauces from the heart and soul, such as Bolognese Sauce, then I know you’ll love this Genovese Sauce. I love making this flavor-rich Italian sugo on the weekends and enjoying it with garlic bread for an incredible Sunday family dinner. It is so meaty and luxurious, and this one feels like it came straight from Naples.
Genovese Sauce Recipe
Beef and onions have never been better in this recipe for Pasta alla Genovese. It’s a deeply layered and slow-cooked meat sauce primarily made with onions, beef, and white wine, served with pasta and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Despite having “Genovese” in its name (referring to someone from Genoa in the Liguria region of Italy), this meat sauce hails from Naples. It’s rumored that the original recipe was brought to Naples by Genovese immigrants or named after its inventor, a Naples chef. Regardless of its unclear history, this dish is an essential part of Naples’ history and one of the best dishes to come out of the region.
I know it looks and sounds similar, but do not get this recipe mixed up with pesto alla Genovese. This similar-sounding recipe is actually from Genoa but tosses cooked pasta in basil pesto (the signature sauce of Genoa) rather than a slow-cooked meat sauce.
As an Italian, spending hours creating incredible meat sauces is in my blood. Pasta alla Genovese takes around 5 hours to put together, but the time and patience it takes is well worth it. Carefully searing the meat, caramelizing the onions, and braising both in an intensely flavorful and meaty sauce before it’s tossed with al dente pasta eventually leaves you with a meal that feels like it was delivered straight from Italy.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Beef – I made this pasta sauce with beef shanks and chuck roast. These two lean and affordable cuts of meat tenderize and become mouthwatering when slow-cooked.
- Pancetta – Like a classic carbonara, I started this sauce by cooking diced pancetta in a hot, oiled Dutch oven until the fat rendered and the pieces were crispy.
- Onions – I julienned yellow onions and caramelized half of them to give the sauce a layer of savory sweetness. White onions also work here.
- Vegetables – Sautéed aromatics, like carrots and celery, lend savory and sweet undertones to the sauce. I also added cherry tomatoes for more texture and a pop of umami.
- Tomato Paste – A little tomato paste goes a long way here, acting as the sauce’s umami backbone.
- Herbs – I used fresh thyme and basil leaves.
- Wine – I recommend using a dry white wine you enjoy sipping on. Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc are both good options.
- Stock – My favorite is beef stock because it infuses terrific flavors into the sauce. However, water or vegetable stock also works well.
- Cheese – Grated Parmigiano Reggiano from the block is the best garnish for pasta alla Genovese. Pecorino Romano is another delicious option.
- Pasta – Stick with tradition and toss the sauce with cooked ziti or rigatoni pasta.
How to Make Pasta alla Genovese
Prepare and season the meat: I pat the beef dry with paper towels before seasoning it with salt and pepper.
Cook the pancetta: I add it to a large rondeau and cook it over low to medium heat until it’s crispy. Remove it and set it aside.
Sear the beef: Next, I turn up the heat to high and sear the seasoned meat in the now-empty pot until it’s well-browned on both sides. Remove it from the pot and set it aside.
Caramelize the onions: I added half to the empty pot and seasoned them with salt. Over medium heat, I sautéed the onions, then cooked them on low heat until caramelized.
Add the vegetables: Once the onions are done, I stir the carrots and celery into the pot and let them soften. Then, I stir in the tomato paste and let it cook for a few minutes or until it’s fragrant.
Add the rest: I add the beef, pancetta, thyme, basil, tomatoes, and wine to the pot and simmer and reduce. Once only ½ cup of liquid is left in the pot, I add the remaining onions and beef stock. I then season everything with salt and pepper.
Let it simmer: I cover the pot and cook on low heat for 3 hours, stirring every 30 to 45 minutes. Afterward, I remove the lid and let the sauce cook uncovered for another hour. If the stock is starting to evaporate, I’ll add another splash or two.
Shred the beef: I use a wooden spoon to shred the meat in the pot and incorporate it into the sauce.
Cook the pasta: When the sauce is almost finished, I cook the pasta in boiling water until it’s almost tender, about 75% of the recommended cook time. I reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining the rest.
Toss with the sauce: I transfer the cooked pasta and reserved pasta water to a large pan. Then, I add a generous amount of Genovese sauce, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and the remaining basil leaves. Toss it and cook over low heat until al dente.
Chef Tip + Notes
It’s essential to cut the beef shanks and chuck roast into 2-inch cubes to help them fit in the pot to sear evenly. That caramelized Maillard crust around the beef is key to locking in their flavor and juices.
- Dry brine the beef: You can begin this recipe immediately after seasoning the meat; leaving it to dry brine in the fridge for up to 24 hours will make the pieces much more flavorful and give them a better chance of developing a golden brown crust around the outside.
- “Pince” the tomato paste for up to 5 minutes: “Pince” is a culinary term for caramelizing tomato paste in a hot pan until it becomes fragrant and takes on a darker rust-like color. If you skip this step, the tomato paste will taste tinny, and your sauce will lack depth.
- Don’t overcook the pasta: I recommend boiling the pasta until it’s just underdone (a little less than al dente). Once it’s combined with the sauce in the skillet, the noodles will soften and finish cooking.
Serving Suggestions
I always have a few delicious garnishes on standby when I’m serving pasta with beef and onions for dinner. Fresh basil leaves and freshly grated parmesan cheese are both a must. I know it’s hard to resist a sky-high pile of parmesan on your pasta, but try to resist. It’s the best way to indulge in those layers of flavor you worked so hard on.
This pasta recipe is one of my favorite Sunday meals for my family. To round out the dinner, I like having freshly baked garlic bread on the side to soak up the sauce. I also like to add greens to our plates, like an easy Italian salad or a classic Caesar salad.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: Genovese sauce gets even better as it sits. I recommend making a batch at least 1 day in advance. If serving immediately, the sauce can be kept warm in the covered pot for about 2 hours over low heat. Then toss it with freshly cooked pasta.
How to Store: Transfer it to a container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Allow the leftovers to thaw in the fridge overnight before serving.
How to Reheat: Warm as much Genovese sauce as you eat in a medium pot over low heat until warmed. Toss it with freshly cooked pasta before serving.
More Sauce Recipes
Pasta all Genovese
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef shanks
- 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into 2” cubes
- 4 ounces medium-diced pancetta
- 6 large julienne yellow onions, about 5 pounds
- 2 peeled and finely minced carrots
- 2 finely minced ribs of celery
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 6 to 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 15 to 20 torn basil leaves
- 10 to 12 hand-crushed cherry tomatoes
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 1 cup beef stock
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
- Finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano for garnish
- 1 pound long ziti broken or rigatoni
Instructions
- Pat dry the meat on all sides on a sheet tray or platter. Next, season well with salt and pepper. Briefly set to the side. For a deeper Maillard crust, you can also place the seasoned meat on a rack and leave it uncovered in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
- Add the pancetta to a large rondeau or Dutch oven pot over low to medium heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until crispy and the fat is rendered. Set the lardons to the side.
- Turn the heat high and untouched; sear the beef for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip it over and turn the heat to medium. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until well-browned. Once I flip it, is when I prep the onions.
- Once browned, set the beef to the side. Add half the julienne onions, season with salt, and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes. Then, turn the heat low and cook for 20 minutes while occasionally stirring until well-browned.
- Mix the carrots and celery and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or pince. The tomato paste should be a rust color.
- Add the beef, cooked pancetta, thyme, 10 to 12 torn basil leaves, cherry tomatoes, and white wine back in and cook until there is maybe just ½ cup of liquid left. This takes about 5 to 6 minutes.
- Cover everything with the remaining julienne onions and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Place a lid on the pot and cook it over low heat for 3 hours. Stir it every 30 to 45 minutes. Then, remove the lid and cook it for 1 hour. If it looks dry, you may need to add more beef stock.
- Break up the beef so that it shreds apart and incorporates into the sauce. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
- Next, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water for 75% of the recommended cook time.
- Strain it and add it to a large saucier pan along with 1 cup of the pasta water, plenty of the Genovese sauce, grated Parmigiano Reggiano, and the remaining basil leaves. Cook over low heat to finish cooking the pasta. The flavor will be better as the sauce flavors marry into the pasta.
Pasta alla Genovese