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Chuck beef slow cooked in a rich, homemade tomato sauce and paired with pappardelle pasta makes this beef ragu recipe a family staple.
Comfort pasta dishes are hard to pass up - from weeknight bolognese to baked rigatoni with prosciutto to Rigatoni al Forno.
But when I think of an easy pasta dish that is both satisfying and loaded with flavor, this slow cooker beef ragu recipe might be at the top of the the list.
By using a cheaper cut of beef that is usually chewy and tough, it is important to use a slow cooker to break down the meat and create that fall-apart tomato meat sauce. Or really it is meat with some tomato sauce!
But once it is ready and served over your favorite pasta, people will think you spent an arm and a leg to create a dish this packed with flavor.
And there really isn't much better than throwing something quickly in the slow cooker in the morning and then having dinner that night without much work. Even better, it makes a ton of leftovers so just freeze the rest and enjoy when you want!
So if you are looking for a dish that is basically comfort food 101 and doesn't take much to prepare, this beef ragu is the no-brainer choice.
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Recipe Ingredients
- Chuck beef - you want the cheap stuff that you can cut into 4 large piece. You can also use brisket
- Olive oil - helps sear the beef.
- Onion, carrots, celery - mirepoix is important to adding flavor to the ragu.
- Garlic - can't have a sauce without garlic.
- Crushed tomatoes - the base for the ragu sauce.
- Dry red wine - adds richness and robustness to the tomato sauce.
- Tomato paste - adds rich, tomato flavor.
- Parmesan rind - imparts extra umami and flavor.
- Bay leaves - slow cooked sauces are meant to have bay leaves.
- Dried basil, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper - can use fresh herbs but need to triple the amount.
- Beef bouillon cube - adds some saltiness. Can also use chicken bouillon cube.
- Pappardelle pasta - any type of pasta will work.
- Ricotta - adds extra flavor and creaminess.
- Salt and black pepper - enhances the flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and then sear the chuck beef on all sides until brown.
- Add mirepoix and garlic to bottom of slow cooker. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
- Discard the bay leaves and shred the beef.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta, saving ¾ cup reserved pasta water and return the pasta to the pot. Add the sauce from the slow cooker and the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the pasta and sauce are combined, about 1 minute.
- Whip ricotta in food processor.
- Spread whipped ricotta over bottom of bowl. Add the beef ragu and serve with some Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
How to Make in Instant Pot
Like anything that is made in a slow cooker, you can also make this recipe in an Instant Pot.
- Turn Instant Pot on the sauté setting. Season beef with salt and pepper. Add oil and then sear the beef on all sides until brown - about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook for about 3 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Pour wine in to deglaze the pot and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the rest of the ingredients. Set the Instant Pot to the stew/meat setting for 40 minutes. When done, do a natural steam release so it can continue to cook.
- When the Instant Pot is done, remove the beef and shred the meat. Add the beef back to sauce and taste for seasoning. Stir in pasta and reserved water.
FAQs
You are slow cooking this dish because you are using a cheap cut of meat. No need to get filet mignon or Kobe beef. The best is chuck roast or brisket. The slow cooker will do its job in breaking down the beef so it melts in your mouth.
Ragu is a meat-based sauce with tomatoes, mirepoix and red wine. Bolognese is just a version of ragu. It originated in Bologna and usually uses white wine and less tomatoes.
As you know, the choices of type of pasta are endless. Really at the end of the day any pasta you want will work with this slow cooker beef ragu recipe - from spaghetti to fettuccine to ziti. However I've found pappardelle to be the best as its wide-flat noodles just soak up and cling to the meat sauce. But you could also change it up and go with polenta if you prefer.
How to Freeze
The great thing about this beef ragu recipe is you can freeze before preparing or after.
If freezing ahead of time, just sear the beef and let come to room temperature. After that, throw all the ingredients in a ziploc bag and lie on a flat surface in freezer to freeze. Once frozen, you can keep in the freezer for 3 months.
When ready to use, just let thaw in fridge overnight and then throw in slow cooker in the morning. If freezing after cooking, just let it come to room and then add to ziploc bag or airtight container. The ragu can be frozen for 3 months.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Searing the beef is important as it locks in the flavor.
- Use a quality dry red wine that you would drink like a Cabernet or Chianti.
- Don't skip the Parmesan rind as it enhances the flavor. I always freeze any leftover Parmesan rinds to use for this specific occasion.
- Reserved pasta water works as a thickener for the sauce.
- Whipping the ricotta cheese and placing on the bottom adds some extra creaminess as you eat the beef ragu.
Other Pasta Recipes
If you’ve tried this beef ragu recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Beef Ragu
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chuck beef, cut into 4 equal pieces
- salt salt & pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups mirepoix (equal amounts of diced onion, carrots and celery)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (28 oz can) crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 3 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (3 inch piece of) Parmesan rind
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 16 ounces pappardelle pasta
- ¾ cup reserved pasta water
- 2 cups whole milk ricotta, whipped in food processor
- Parmesan cheese and parsley for topping
Instructions
- Season chuck beef with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and then sear the chuck beef on all sides until brown - about 2 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
- Add mirepoix and garlic to bottom of slow cooker. Add chuck beef, crushed tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, Parmesan rind, bay leaves, basil, oregano, thyme, crushed red pepper and beef bouillon cube. Cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 8-10 hours.
- Discard the bay leaves and shred the beef.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta, saving ¾ cup reserved pasta water and return the pasta to the pot. Add the sauce from the slow cooker and the reserved pasta water. Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the pasta and sauce are combined, about 1 minute.
- Spread whipped ricotta over bottom of bowl. Add ragu and serve with some Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Notes
- Searing the beef is important as it locks in the flavor.
- Use a quality dry red wine that you would drink like a Cabernet or Chianti.
- Don't skip the Parmesan rind as it enhances the flavor. I always freeze any leftover Parmesan rinds to use for this specific occasion.
- Reserved pasta water works as a thickener for the sauce.
- Whipping the ricotta cheese and placing on the bottom adds some extra creaminess as you eat the ragu.
Tom says
I'm a big ragu fan. Will have to try this.