By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 11, 2026
Serves 4
623 cal · 25 min
Fresh Veggie Beef Ragu
Recipe GLPR7c2b304b715793
A light and vibrant Italian-inspired pasta dish where tender linguine is tossed with a flavorful ground beef sauce brightened by fresh lemon zest, cherry tomatoes, and crisp red onions. The beef is seared until golden and combined with aromatic garlic and tomato paste, deglazed with white wine, then finished with fresh vegetables for a dish that's both hearty and refreshing.
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Ingredients
12 oz. linguine
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon
Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Fresh basil, for garnish (optional)
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook the linguine according to package directions. Before draining, carefully reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water and set aside. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a spoon, until it is browned and the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 6 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste to the beef and stir constantly until the paste is well incorporated and the meat begins to develop a slightly crispy, caramelized appearance, about 2-3 minutes.
Pour in the dry white wine and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer uncovered until most of the wine has evaporated and the liquid is mostly reduced, about 3 minutes.
Grate the zest from the lemon directly into the pot with the cooked pasta. Squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta as well. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the pasta and toss everything together. If the pasta appears dry, add a splash of the reserved cooking water to achieve your desired consistency.
Add the cooked beef mixture to the pasta pot. Toss in the halved cherry tomatoes and sliced red onion. Gently toss all ingredients together until well combined.
Divide the ragu among serving bowls. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves if desired. Serve immediately.
Comments
The ingredient list is entirely available at any Charlotte supermarket—Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, and Kroger all stock these staples—with no special stops required. At roughly $2.50–$3.00 per serving, it's a solid weeknight value, though ground beef and fresh basil drive the cost; the dish holds up well in leftovers if you store sauce and pasta separately. The stated 25 minutes is honest for the actual cooking, though the prep (mincing garlic, chopping tomatoes and onion, zesting lemon) adds a real 10 minutes, making the true time closer to 35 minutes—workable but not a grab-and-go dinner. It's a family-friendly one-pot situation that requires some attention to the pan but no fussy technique, and the fresh cherry tomatoes and basil are nice touches for North Carolina late summer, when both are abundant and cheap at farmer's markets or produce stands.
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