Tallarines con tuco is one of the most iconic dishes of Argentine cuisine, inherited from Italian immigration and given its own identity in the Río de la Plata region.
Tuco is a tomato sauce slowly cooked together with beef, onion, garlic, and spices, filling the whole house with aroma on family Sundays.
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Argentine Pasta with Tuco Sauce
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Argentine
Ingredients
Nutrition
- Calories: 420
Ingredients
- 500 g of ground beef (about 1.1 lb)
- 1 of onion, chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 1 of bell pepper, chopped
- 3 tablespoons of oil
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 800 g of crushed tomato (about 28 oz)
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- to taste of salt, oregano, basil, and thyme
- 500 g of tallarines (fettuccine-style pasta) (about 1.1 lb)
- to taste of grated cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the base, in a large skillet with oil, cook the onion, garlic, and bell pepper until golden and fragrant.
- Add the beef, stir in the ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until fully browned, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon.
- Add the tomato, stir in the tomato paste and crushed tomato, mixing well.
- Cook, simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Season, add the sugar, salt, oregano, basil, and thyme, and keep cooking over low heat until the sauce thickens, at least 30 minutes.
- Cook the pasta, boil the tallarines in salted water until al dente, following the package instructions.
- Serve, drain the pasta, top with the tuco sauce, and serve with grated cheese on top.
Tips for getting it right
- The longer you simmer the tuco over low heat, the deeper its flavor gets; many families let it cook for several hours.
- Use good-quality tomatoes; if fresh ones aren’t available, opt for good-quality crushed canned tomato.
- The trio of onion, garlic, and bell pepper is the base of the sauce’s flavor: don’t skip it.
- Tuco can be made ahead of time and keeps well in the fridge for several days.
Traditional variations
- Some families add pieces of whole beef along with the ground beef, for a heartier tuco.
- There’s also a meatless version, made with just the vegetable base, for days without meat.
How to serve
Tallarines con tuco are served hot, freshly drained and topped with the sauce, as a main dish.
It’s traditionally made on Sundays, bringing the family together around the table.
Recommended sides
- Crusty bread
- Red wine
- Grated cheese
Did you know?
Tuco is a recipe inherited from Italian immigration that, over time, gained its own identity in Argentina, Uruguay, and other Southern Cone countries.
It’s traditionally made on Sundays, when the pot of tuco fills the whole house with aroma while simmering for hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's a tomato sauce slowly cooked together with beef, onion, garlic, and spices, inherited from Italian immigration and very popular in Argentine cuisine.
The slow, extended cooking allows the flavors to concentrate and deepen, resulting in a much tastier sauce.
Yes, there's a vegetarian version made with just the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and tomato base, without adding ground beef.
Yes, it keeps well in the fridge for several days, and many families even make it ahead of time.
