Neapolitan Genovese: grandma’s recipe for the famous white Neapolitan ragù with onions. Many of us know Ragù alla Bolognese; we Sicilians in the Sicilian meat ragù also add peas, and you can prepare many types of white ragù to make recipes like Pistachio lasagna with white ragù or Pumpkin lasagna with white ragù and béchamel, but do you know Neapolitan meat Genovese? The Neapolitan beef Genovese is a true grandma’s recipe and a classic of Italian cuisine, comparable to the famous Amatriciana sauce. Some link the Genovese to ragù, but actually it is more generally a hearty meat sauce, different from the traditional red sauce because it is cooked without tomato, yet like the former it is perfect to dress succulent first courses.
The Neapolitan Genovese sauce is a characteristic condiment, not related to the famous city that inspired its name, obtained by slow-cooking the meat with lots of onions and a finely chopped mix of celery and carrots until you get a delightful shredded meat purée, very creamy and flavorful. Almost a white ragù, but not entirely, perfect to coat pasta in a unique way and to fill the famous Neapolitan “cuzzetiello” of rustic bread.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: sauce for 10 portions of pasta
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients to make Neapolitan Genovese
- 2.6 lb beef (muscle/shank)
- 2.2 lb white onions
- 2 stalks celery
- 2 carrots (medium)
- as needed extra virgin olive oil
- 1 glass white wine
- to taste salt
- 1 bunch parsley
- 2 leaves bay leaves
Tools
- Pots
- Wooden spoons
Preparation of Neapolitan Genovese
To make Neapolitan Genovese sauce, start by peeling, rinsing and slicing the onions. Then peel the celery and carrots and cut them into small cubes to make a fine mirepoix. Set aside a few celery leaves.
Gather all the vegetables in a heavy-bottomed pot and add a generous drizzle of oil. Let them soften over medium heat until the onions have reduced somewhat in volume.
Add the meat in pieces, season with salt, stir and add the aromatic bouquet of celery leaves, bay leaves and parsley tied together (you will remove it at the end of cooking).
Place the lid on the pot, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, using the smallest burner, and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. During cooking you should not add water; both the meat and the onions will release theirs. After about 3 1/2 hours, the meat will be tender and will easily shred when stirred: remove the lid and pour in the white wine. Let it evaporate over high heat, continuing to cook and reduce the sauce, always remembering to turn the meat to prevent burning. Once you have a dense and full-bodied sauce, grandma’s Neapolitan beef Genovese is ready to dress pasta and in particular the wonderful ziti, preferably from Gragnano.
Storage notes and tips
The beef Genovese can be kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days in an airtight container. Freezing is not recommended to avoid the meat becoming stringy.
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