Slow Cooker Beef Ragu (Print)

Tender beef cooked slowly in rich tomato sauce, served over wide pappardelle noodles with herbs and Parmesan.

# What You 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 - 1/2 cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 1 can (28 oz) 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 - 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)

→ Pasta & Finish

18 - 1 lb pappardelle pasta
19 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
20 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# How To Make It:

01 - Generously season the beef chunks with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides, approximately 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker.
03 - In the same skillet, add onion, carrots, and celery; sauté 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute. Transfer vegetables to slow cooker.
04 - Pour red wine into the skillet, simmering for 2 minutes while scraping up browned bits. Transfer liquid to slow cooker.
05 - Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, sugar, and chili flakes (if used) into the slow cooker. Stir well to combine.
06 - Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours, until beef is tender and easily shreds with a fork.
07 - Remove bay leaves. Shred the beef using two forks and stir it back into the sauce. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Prepare pappardelle pasta according to package directions. Drain thoroughly.
09 - Toss pasta lightly with ragu sauce to coat. Plate and garnish with chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks and tastes like restaurant-quality cooking, but requires maybe twenty minutes of actual work from you.
  • The ragu is forgiving enough to make on a busy day and rich enough to impress people who matter.
  • It reheats beautifully, which means you can feed yourself well all week without thinking about dinner twice.
02 -
  • Searing the beef properly is non-negotiable; it creates the foundation of flavor that slow cooking can't achieve on its own, no matter how long you wait.
  • Don't skip deglazing the pan with wine; those browned bits contain concentrated flavor that makes the difference between good ragu and transcendent ragu.
  • The ragu actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld, so make it ahead if you can.
03 -
  • Pat the beef completely dry before searing; any moisture will prevent browning and create steam instead of a proper crust.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the beef around the six-hour mark to make sure it's not cooking faster than expected.
  • Reserve a cup of the starchy pasta water and add a splash to the ragu if it seems too thick; it acts as an emulsifier and helps the sauce coat the noodles.

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