Slow Cooker Beef Ragu (Printable)
Savory slow-cooked beef in a tomato-herb sauce served with silky pappardelle pasta.
# What You'll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into large chunks
02 - Salt, to taste
03 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
04 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
07 - 2 celery stalks, diced
08 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
→ Liquids & Tomato
09 - ½ cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
12 - 1 cup beef broth
→ Herbs & Spices
13 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano
14 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 2 bay leaves
16 - 1 teaspoon sugar
17 - ¼ teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
→ Pasta & Finish
18 - 1 lb pappardelle pasta
19 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
20 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
# How to Make It:
01 - Generously season beef chunks with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
03 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to slow cooker.
04 - Pour red wine into skillet, simmer for 2 minutes, scraping up browned bits. Add wine to slow cooker.
05 - Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, sugar, and chili flakes (if using) to slow cooker. Stir well.
06 - Cover and cook on low for 8 hours until beef is very tender and shreds easily.
07 - Remove bay leaves. Shred beef with two forks and stir back into sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
08 - Prepare pappardelle according to package instructions. Drain and toss with a small amount of ragu sauce to coat.
09 - Plate pasta topped with generous portions of beef ragu. Garnish with parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- The beef becomes so tender it practically dissolves on your tongue, and the sauce is rich enough to make you feel like you're eating in a trattoria.
- Most of the work happens while you're doing something else, so you get to enjoy that incredible smell all day without actually working hard.
- It tastes even better the next day, which means dinner just got easier and more delicious at the same time.
02 -
- Don't skip the searing step even though it feels like extra work, because that crust is where half the flavor comes from and it's impossible to recreate in the slow cooker.
- The ragu will taste slightly flat when it's done cooking, but a proper seasoning adjustment with salt and pepper brings the whole thing into focus.
- Slow cookers vary wildly in temperature, so check on the beef around the 7-hour mark to make sure it's actually getting tender and not just stewing.
03 -
- Toast your dried herbs in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before adding them to release their essential oils and make them taste fresher and more vivid.
- If your ragu finishes cooking and tastes too thin, remove the lid for the last hour to let some liquid evaporate and concentrate the flavors.
- Save a cup of pasta water before draining, because a splash stirred into the ragu helps it coat the pappardelle in the most silky, luxurious way.