Italian Pulled Pork Ragu is a rich, hearty sauce made with tender pulled pork, crushed tomatoes, roasted red peppers and fresh herbs. It works beautifully served over pasta, spaghetti squash, or spiralized vegetables and can be prepared in an Instant Pot, slow cooker, or on the stovetop.
Italian Pulled Pork Ragu
This ragu transforms pulled pork into a comforting Italian-style sauce that is surprisingly light for how satisfying it tastes. Use pork tenderloin for a lean option that still becomes tender and shreddable after braising or pressure cooking. Browning the meat first develops additional flavor and deepens the sauce.
Serve the ragu over your favorite pasta, spoon it onto roasted spaghetti squash, or toss with spiralized zucchini or other vegetable noodles for a lighter meal. Leftovers make an excellent topping for baked potatoes, polenta or grain bowls.
How to Serve
For spiralized zucchini (zoodles), heat a large skillet over very high heat, add a little oil, and sauté the zoodles quickly—about 1½ to 2 minutes—then remove immediately so they stay crisp and don’t turn watery. If serving over pasta, toss the pasta with a little of the sauce to coat before plating and add a final spoonful of ragu on top.
Depending on your kitchen equipment, choose the method that fits your schedule: the Instant Pot gives a fast, hands-off pressure-cooked option; the slow cooker delivers set-and-forget convenience and deeply braised flavor; and the stovetop or Dutch oven produces excellent results with minimal equipment and careful simmering.
Recipe Overview
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: about 1 hour (varies by method)
- Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes (approx.)
- Yield: 10 servings
- Serving size: 1/2 cup sauce
Ingredients
- 18 oz pork tenderloin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 small jar roasted red peppers, drained (about 7 oz)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, divided
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Season the pork with salt and pepper.
- Press the sauté function to warm the pot. Add the olive oil and the smashed garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 to 1½ minutes. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Add the pork and brown for about 2 minutes per side to develop color.
- Return the garlic to the pot and add the crushed tomatoes, drained roasted peppers, thyme, bay leaves and half of the parsley.
- Seal and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes, then allow a natural release.
- Remove the bay leaves, shred the pork with two forks and stir to combine. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve over pasta or your preferred base.
Slow Cooker
- Season the pork with salt and pepper.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and garlic and sauté until golden, about 1 to 1½ minutes. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon.
- Brown the pork in the skillet for about 2 minutes per side, then transfer the pork and the garlic to the slow cooker.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, drained roasted peppers, thyme, bay leaves and half of the parsley to the slow cooker.
- Cook on low for about 8 hours, until the pork is very tender and shreds easily.
- Remove the bay leaves, shred the pork with two forks, stir, and top with the remaining parsley. Serve as desired.
Stovetop (Dutch Oven)
- Season the pork with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the oil and garlic and sauté until fragrant and golden, 1 to 1½ minutes. Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon.
- Brown the pork about 2 minutes per side in the pot to build flavor.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, roasted peppers, thyme, bay leaves and half of the parsley along with the garlic.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the pork is tender and shreds easily, about 2 hours.
- Discard bay leaves, shred the pork, mix into the sauce and sprinkle with remaining parsley before serving.
Nutrition (per 1/2 cup sauce)
- Calories: 93 kcal
- Carbohydrates: 6.5 g
- Protein: 11 g
- Fat: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 33 mg
- Sodium: 347 mg
- Sugar: 3 g
Tips and Variations
- For added depth, stir in a splash of red wine or a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar when you add the tomatoes.
- Adjust herbs to taste—rosemary or oregano are good alternatives to thyme.
- If using fattier cuts of pork, skim excess fat from the sauce after cooking or chill and remove solidified fat before reheating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop.
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