This pork pappardelle with tarragon is a lovely spring pasta recipe that’s hearty and comforting yet fresh and bright, thanks to the addition of tarragon, lemon, and fresh parsley.
This hearty pork pappardelle recipe brings delicate spring flavors with tarragon, parsley, and lemon juice.
In my recent post, I mentioned that I am entering a tarragon era. It’s not an herb I often reach for, but I’ve found myself drawn to its subtle bittersweet anise flavor and have enjoyed playing with it in my recipes.
In this simple spring pasta sauce, I combine ground pork with zucchini, cherry tomatoes, Dijon mustard, tarragon, and parsley. I finish it with lemon juice to round out the flavors. The result is an irresistible quick pork ragù that works so nicely with thick pappardelle pasta. I’ll be returning to this pasta all season long because I just absolutely love the flavor. While it doesn’t require many ingredients, it delivers a complex flavor that everyone will love.
How to make this pork pappardelle with tarragon
I love a simple pasta recipe that is unexpectedly delicious. This is one of those recipes! It’s so easy to make, and you only have to chop and mince a few things, which makes this perfect for a midweek meal!
What you need
- Ground pork: You could use ground chicken for this as well. I probably wouldn’t use beef or turkey, personally, but you could give it a try if you like those meats!
- Spices: I spice the pork with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper.
- Aromatics and vegetables: I add an onion, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes to the sauce. You could use a can of diced tomatoes, but I love the sweetness of cherry tomatoes.
- Herbs and flavorings: I use fresh tarragon and parsley. I also add Dijon mustard which really rounds out the sauce nicely.
- Liquid: You’ll use chicken stock for the sauce.
- Pappardelle: You could use your favorite pasta here, but I love pappardelle. I recommend a wider pasta like fettuccine or tagliatelle, but rigatoni would also be great.
- Finishing touches: I finish the sauce with lemon juice for the perfect amount of acidity and brightness.
How to make it
- Step 1: Brown the pork and then add the onion. Cook until the onion softens, and then season the pork with Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder.
- Step 2: Add the zucchini and cherry tomatoes to the pork and cook for a few minutes. Add the Dijon, chicken stock, and tarragon and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. The liquid will be reduced by half.
- Step 3: Finish the sauce with parsley, lemon juice, and pasta cooking water. Add the cooked pappardelle and toss to coat, adding more pasta cooking water if needed.
From there, you’re ready to serve it up! Transfer the cooked pasta to a serving platter and then divide it between plates. Finish with more minced parsley if you like.
Pork Pappardelle with Tarragon
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 yellow onion (peeled and small-diced)
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (more or less to taste)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 1 zucchini (about 8 ounces, trimmed and small-diced)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1½ cups chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons tarragon (minced)
- ½ cup parsley (loosely packed, minced; plus more for garnish)
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 12 ounces pappardelle (or pasta of choice)
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Brown the pork:
- Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the pork and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the yellow onion and continue cooking for 5 to 8 minutes until the pork is cooked through and the onion softens. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Add Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper. Cook for 1 minute.
Cook the vegetables:
- Add the zucchini and tomatoes and toss to combine. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes.
Simmer the sauce:
- Add the chicken stock and Dijon mustard and to incorporate the mustard into the sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and add the minced tarragon. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half. Lightly mash the cherry tomatoes as they simmer. Taste and season to your preferences.
Cook the pasta:
- As the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions. Scoop out ½ cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Finish the sauce:
- Add the parsley and lemon juice to the sauce. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and season one final time before adding half of the pasta cooking water and the cooked pasta. Toss to coat the pasta in the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes, adding the remaining pasta cooking water if needed. Taste and season. Turn off the heat.
To serve:
- Transfer the pasta and sauce to a large serving platter. Finish with more parsley if desired. Enjoy!
Whenever I feel like cooking something new and different, I always turn to this website first! Last night I made the Pork Pappadelle with Tarragon and it was a huge hit!
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