Chunjang Beef Ragu Tagliatelle
Quick answer
Chunjang beef ragu tagliatelle combines a slow-cooked ground beef ragu with Korean black bean paste and tomato passata, tossed through wide tagliatelle ribbons.
What makes this special
- Fermented chunjang black bean paste adds savory depth to a slow-cooked ground beef ragu.
- Chunjang (fermented black bean paste) adds a fermented depth no classic ragu has
- Beef seared undisturbed until browned for concentrated meatiness
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Finely dice 100 g onion and 12 g garlic so they melt into the sauce rather than stay chunky.
- 2 Heat 1.5 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
- 3 Add 220 g ground beef, spread it out, and cook over high heat so moisture evaporates quickly.
Chunjang beef ragu tagliatelle combines a slow-cooked ground beef ragu with Korean black bean paste and tomato passata, tossed through wide tagliatelle ribbons. Chunjang is a fermented black soybean paste that, when fried in oil first, releases a deep roasted umami and loses its raw bitterness before joining the tomato base. Browning the ground beef hard over high heat before adding liquids develops a Maillard crust that intensifies the meatiness of the finished sauce. The sauce then simmers on low heat until it reduces into a thick, glossy coating. Wide tagliatelle catches the dense ragu across its broad surface, ensuring each forkful carries both the tomato-chunjang depth and chunks of seasoned beef.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Control
Finely dice 100 g onion and 12 g garlic so they melt into the sauce rather than stay chunky.
Set a large pot of water over high heat and salt it once it boils for the tagliatelle.
- 2Control
Heat 1.5 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat.
Cook the onion for about 3 minutes until translucent, then add the garlic for 1 minute, lowering the heat if it starts to brown.
- 3Control
Add 220 g ground beef, spread it out, and cook over high heat so moisture evaporates quickly.
When browned patches form and the meat smells roasted, stir in 1.5 tbsp chunjang and fry for 1 minute.
- 4Control
Pour in 60 ml red wine and boil hard, scraping the browned bits from the pan.
When reduced by half, add 220 ml tomato passata and simmer on low for 20 minutes until thick and glossy.
- 5Finish
Cook 180 g tagliatelle in the salted boiling water for 1 minute less than the package time.
Reserve half a cup of pasta water before draining, keeping the pasta slightly firm for the final toss.
- 6Finish
Add the pasta to the ragu with small splashes of reserved water and toss over medium low heat for 1 minute.
Stop when the sauce clings glossily to the ribbons, then plate and finish with 20 g Parmigiano Reggiano.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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