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Delightful Oxtail Pasta Recipe From Spain

If you want to delve into the world of Andalusian winter recipes, but you already tried all of our Spanish soup recipes, then it might be the perfect time to jump into a different category.

We are talking about the Spanish pasta recipes, where the oxtail pasta recipe manages to stand out thanks to its simplicity, and delicious flavor, and it will become one of your favorite Spanish recipes especially if you are on a budget.

Keep reading to learn more about the history of this oxtail pasta recipe with a deep inside on how you can prepare it at home step-by-step, and more information that will help you to nail every aspect of this recipe.

A pasta in a white plate is seen. Wide pasta noodles, beef, tomatoes and garnish.
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Background of the Dish

oxtail pasta recipe with ribbon pasta and tomatoes

When it comes to oxtail recipes, the oxtail pasta recipe is the one that mixes the largest amount of European cuisine influences, and that makes it stand out.

The sauce for the oxtail pasta recipe had its origins in France, but when the Roman Empire was at its peak they took the recipe for themselves, and finally, it reached Southern Spain where people added their regional spices and herbs.

With time, different Spanish pasta recipes were developed such as the Andalusian paella with pasta and the Spanish chorizo pasta, but the oxtail one has a special place in people’s hearts thanks to the fact that it is cheap to make and the result is delicious.

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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Oxtail Pasta Recipe

To prepare this oxtail pasta recipe you will need oxtail, penne or rigatoni pasta, onion, garlic cloves, carrots, bell peppers, wine, beef broth, canned tomatoes, and a mix of Andalusian herbs and spices as the main ingredients.

You will need a large pot or dutch oven to prepare the recipe, or you can follow other baked oxtail recipes for the cooking process and add pasta to them.

oxtails, carrots and celery for the oxtail pasta recipe

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg oxtail
  • 1 cup (240ml) beef broth
  • 700gr pasta of your choice (penne or rigatoni)
  • 1 cup (240ml) red wine
  • 2 cans (400gr each) tomatoes
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

How to Make Spanish Oxtail Pasta Recipe – Step by Step Guide

pasta boiling for the  oxtail pasta recipe
  1. For the first step on this oxtail pasta recipe you have to pat the oxtail dry and cut it into bite-sized cubes. Season the pieces with salt and pepper and set aside.
  1. Now grab a different cutting board (to avoid cross-contamination) and peel and chop the onion, canned tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers into small pieces (discarding the seeds when necessary). Also, peel and mince the garlic cloves. Set aside.
  1. Then grab a large pot or Dutch oven and heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the oxtail pieces on all sides until they develop a golden crust. Remove the browned oxtail and set aside.
  1. Using the same pot, add more olive oil and the chopped onion, minced garlic, diced red and green bell peppers, and diced carrots. Sauté the vegetables until they get a soft texture.
  1. To continue with this Spanish pasta recipe, stir in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes to develop flavor. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
  1. After that, return the browned oxtail to the pot and add the chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaf, and beef broth. Stir well to combine.
  1. Then, bring the mixture to a simmer and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 1 hour or until the oxtail is tender. Stir occasionally and add more broth if needed.
  1. While the oxtail is simmering, cook the penne or rigatoni pasta following the package instructions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
  1. Once the oxtail is tender, remove the bay leaf and shred the meat. Toss the cooked pasta with the oxtail pasta sauce, making sure the pasta gets completely covered.
  1. For the final step on this Spanish-style oxtail recipe you just have to serve the pasta in individual bowls with grated parmesan cheese on top. As an optional step, you can garnish it with fresh chopped parsley.

Substitution of Ingredients

a plate containing oxtail pasta recipe with cheese on top

Something that we love about this oxtail pasta recipe is that you can change almost everything: from the pasta to the vegetables and spices, just let your creativity flow.

Instead of rigatoni or penne, you can prepare this oxtail easy recipe with any kind of pasta, or do a crossover between this recipe and the oxtail noodle soup and use egg noodles for this one.

You can prepare this oxtail pasta sauce recipe with 1 cup (240ml) of tomato sauce if you want that flavor to be stronger, or on the contrary you can tone it down with 1 cup of heavy cream.

Besides that, if you want your sauce to have a similar consistency to the one of the Spanish oxtail stew or a creamier texture, 1 cup of heavy or 1/2 cup of cream cheese are your best alternatives.

If you don’t like oxtail or you don’t have it on hand, then there are other authentic Spanish pasta recipes with different main proteins that you can make, such as the mackerel pasta recipe and the Spanish sardines pasta.

Tips on Serving Spanish Oxtail Pasta Recipe

a bowl of oxtail pasta recipe decorated with basil

The oxtail pasta recipe is one of the best oxtail recipes because as soon as you finish preparing it you will have a main dish ready to be served at lunch or dinner.

Just like most of the beef oxtail recipes, this one pairs amazingly with grated parmesan cheese on top, but pour it right before eating the pasta so that it slowly melts with the heat of the dish.

This oxtail pasta recipe already gives you different textures, but you can add more by incorporating chopped toasted almonds or walnuts, or a slice of your favorite toasted bread.

You can turn this oxtail pasta recipe into an appetizer if you serve it in smaller bowls, and also reduce the amount of meat to make it less filling (and save some room for the main dish).

How to Store Spanish Oxtail Pasta Recipe

How to Store Spanish Oxtail Pasta Recipe. Ingredients and plastic containers in a fridge.

If you need to take your meal-prep game to the next level this winter then the oxtail pasta recipe is perfect for you.

Once you finish preparing the oxtail Spanish recipe you have to let it cool to room temperature and then place it on a freezer-safe airtight container (in smaller portions or everything in the same one) and cover it.

Then, you can store the oxtail pasta in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 15 days, just make sure to add a label to the container with the date so you don’t forget about it.

To thaw it, place the oxtail pasta in the fridge overnight or for 12 hours: if the flavor or texture seems off, then you should discard the pasta to prevent any type of sickness.

Other recipes for oxtail that you can make and store both in the fridge or freezer are the slow cooker oxtail and the Spanish oxtail soup.

Recipe Card: Spanish Oxtail Pasta Recipe

Yield: 6

Spanish Oxtail Pasta Recipe

a bowl of oxtail pasta made with the Oxtail Marinade

If you want to delve into the world of Andalusian winter recipes, but you already tried all of our Spanish soup recipes, then it might be the perfect time to jump into a different category.

We are talking about the Spanish pasta recipes, where the oxtail pasta recipe manages to stand out thanks to its simplicity, and delicious flavor, and it will become your new favorite recipe especially if you are on a budget.

Keep reading to learn more about the history of this oxtail pasta recipe with a deep inside on how you can prepare it at home step-by-step, and more information that will help you to nail every aspect of this recipe.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg oxtail
  • 1 cup (240ml) beef broth
  • 700gr pasta of your choice (penne or rigatoni)
  • 1 cup (240ml) red wine
  • 2 cans (400gr each) tomatoes
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. To start with this Spanish oxtail recipe, pat the oxtail dry and cut it into bite-sized cubes. Season the pieces with salt and pepper and set aside.
  2. On a different cutting board, peel and chop the onion, canned tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers into small pieces. Peel and mince the garlic cloves. Set aside.
  3. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the oxtail pieces on all sides until they develop a golden crust. Remove the browned oxtail and set aside.
  4. In the same pot, add more olive oil and add the chopped onion, minced garlic, diced red and green bell peppers, and diced carrots. Sauté the vegetables until they get a soft texture.
  5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes to develop flavor. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
  6. Return the browned oxtail to the pot and add the chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaf, and beef broth. Stir well to combine.
  7. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 1 hour or until the oxtail is tender. Stir occasionally and add more broth if needed.
  8. While the oxtail is simmering, cook the penne or rigatoni pasta following the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  9. Once the oxtail is tender, remove the bay leaf and shred the meat. Toss the cooked pasta with the oxtail pasta sauce, making sure the pasta gets completely covered.
  10. To finish with this oxtail meat recipe you just have to serve the Spanish oxtail pasta in individual bowls with grated parmesan cheese on top and optionally some fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

To make it more similar to the traditional oxtail ragu recipe you can braise or cook the oxtail in the oven.

In this Spanish oxtails recipe, it is better to use canned tomatoes as they have a stronger flavor, but you could use one fresh tomato and one cup of tomato sauce if you prefer.

For an extra kick of flavor, you can add chili flakes or even 1/4 cup (50ml) of hot sauce to this oxtail sauce for pasta.

As well as most of the oxtails recipes, feel free to use your favorite herbs and spices, the ones listed here are the classic Andalusian ones.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 1064Total Fat 63.4gSaturated Fat 12.8gCholesterol 87mgSodium 459mgCarbohydrates 114.1gFiber 33.2gSugar 11.9gProtein 34.6g

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