This beef ragu is the perfect quick, weeknight dinner. It takes only five ingredients to make and tastes amazing served over creamy, cheesy polenta. There’s no better winter meal!
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Hello!
I am here to save your winter weeknights. That’s right, this beef ragu is my dream comfort food. Soon it’ll be yours too, trust me.
If you’ve been any kind of long time reader of the blog you’ll know that I am obsessed with polenta. It’s my favourite cold weather treat and if you’re interested there’s plenty more polenta recipes right here.
But this beef ragu with polenta is one of my all time favourite polenta recipes. It’s just got everything you could ever need from a dinner, you know?
How to cook polenta perfectly:
- Start with equal parts chicken or vegetable stock and milk in a saucepan. Bring it to the boil making sure to season liberally.
- Once your liquid is boiling you need your quick cooking/fine polenta (see recipe for exact quantities). Pour gently into the boiling liquid making sure to whisk constantly. That part is important, you don’t want lumpy polenta!
- Once all of the polenta has been added then keep whisking as it cooks gently for a couple of minutes. Now just add butter and grated cheese to the mix and let it melt through before removing from the heat and serving.
This recipe came about because beef ragu with polenta is one of the best thing to eat when you get home and it’s freezing outside yet making a ragu can be pretty labour intensive and not ideal for weeknights.
I wanted something with all the flavour of a slow cooked, meaty dinner with minimal cooking time and ingredients. I was super happy with how it came out and the addition of marmite really helped to add to that umami flavour.
If you’re somewhere that doesn’t have marmite (ie. anywhere outside of the UK) then using a little concentrated beef stock will really help to add that meaty richness.
Ingredients you need to make this five ingredients beef ragu with cheesy polenta:
- Onion
- Garlic
- Beef Mince (Ground Beef)
- Chopped Tomatoes
- Marmite
- Fine Polenta
- Milk
- Chicken/Vegetable Stock
- Cheddar Cheese
- Butter
While we’re on the topic of marmite, you UK folks let me know what you think of it? I am a huuuuuge marmite lover. Toast with melty butter and marmite is my all time favourite comfort food but Will absolutely hates it and won’t even come near me when I’ve been eating it.
Anyway, I often like to add a scoop to beef dishes to make it that bit more meaty and rich.
This beef ragu is an awesome meaty main course and one that we make a lot. If you want more main courses using meat then find loads more right here.
Five Ingredient Beef Ragu with Creamy Polenta
This beef ragu is the perfect quick, weeknight dinner. It takes only five ingredients to make and tastes amazing served over creamy, cheesy polenta. There's no better winter meal!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- Salt and Pepper
For the Beef Ragu
- 1 Onion chopped
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed
- 500 g Beef Mince
- 2 400g tins Chopped Tomatoes
- 2 tsp Marmite (if you don't have marmite then you could use some concentrated beef stock)
For the Polenta
- 400g Fine/Quick Cook Polenta
- 1 litre Milk
- 1 litre Chicken/Vegetable Stock
- 60 g Cheddar Cheese grated
- 60 g Unsalted Butter
Instructions
-
Heat the vegetable oil over a medium heat and add the onion. Sweat for a few minutes until beginning to soften then add the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.
-
Tip in the beef mince and make sure it's all broken up. Once the mince is completely browned pour in the chopped tomatoes and the marmite or stock concentrate. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes while you make the polenta.
To Make the Polenta
-
Put the milk and chicken stock in a pan over a medium-high heat and bring to the boil. Once it's starting to simmer add the polenta and whisk quickly to avoid lumps. Turn the heat down and leave to cook for 5 minutes.
-
Add the cheese and butter and stir through until melted. Serve topped with the ragu.
Recipe Notes
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WONDERING WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVER INGREDIENTS YOU’VE GOT FROM MAKING THIS FIVE INGREDIENT BEEF RAGU WITH CREAMY POLENTA?
If you’re anything like me then you’re always looking for ways to save money and avoid food waste so I want to make sure you’ve get plenty of ideas on how to use up any ingredients that are leftover from my recipes!
Spicy Chicken Burrito Bowls with Cheesy Polenta
12 Comments
Jill
08/01/2018 at 9:43 PMThis looks like the ultimate bowl of comfort food. Yum!
Amy
09/01/2018 at 10:16 AMIt really is! Thanks Jill 🙂
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
08/01/2018 at 10:21 PMThis looks so comforting and I think my kids would love it! I’m always on the lookout for quick weeknight dinners!
Amy
09/01/2018 at 10:16 AMThanks Karen!
Kaitie
08/01/2018 at 10:34 PMThis looks amazing. What a great family style dinner! My kids would love this!
Amy
09/01/2018 at 10:16 AMThank you Kaitie 🙂
Hannah
08/01/2018 at 11:46 PMGreat Sunday dish! I love beef and I have to try the combination with the polenta, as I used to combine it with mashed potato.
Amy
09/01/2018 at 10:15 AMThanks Hannah, the polenta is such a good accompaniment!
kushi
09/01/2018 at 12:59 AMLooks so delicious. Perfect winter meal.
Amy
09/01/2018 at 10:15 AMThanks Kushi 🙂
Linda
10/01/2018 at 4:58 AMI love polenta too and this looks so yummy. I live in the USA and am wondering what you mean by “beef mince.” Is it what we call ground beef, which we use to make hamburgers?
Amy
10/01/2018 at 10:57 PMYes! That’s right 🙂 I hope you enjoy the recipe