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Delicious Easy Beef Ragu sauce served over pappardelle pasta, slow cooked to perfection.

Easy Beef Ragu Slow Cooked Italian Pasta Sauce

A rich and meaty slow-cooked sauce that makes dinner feel cozy without much effort. Perfect for pairing with pasta, polenta, or crusty bread.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 9 hours
Total Time 9 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 600
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 3 to 4 pounds chuck roast Best cut for slow cooking, look for marbling.
  • 1 unit onion, chopped
  • 2 to 3 units carrots, chopped small
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped small
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup beef broth (or red wine plus a little broth) You can skip red wine.
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 leaf bay leaf
  • to taste salt and pepper
  • to taste olive oil For browning the beef.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Season the beef well with salt and pepper.
  2. Brown the beef in a hot pan with a little olive oil for a few minutes per side. (This step can be skipped if you are in a rush.)
  3. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery into the slow cooker. Toss in minced garlic and tomato paste.
  4. Nestle the browned beef on top, then pour in crushed tomatoes and broth (or wine).
  5. Add the dried Italian seasoning and bay leaf.
  6. Cook on low for 8 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 5 hours until the beef shreds easily.
  7. Once cooked, shred the beef right in the slow cooker and stir everything together. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
  8. Before serving, stir in a small splash of milk or a knob of butter to soften the sauce, then toss with pasta and top with fresh parmesan and basil if desired.

Notes

Great for freezing! Let the ragu cool down, portion into freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Can also be made as a dump meal by adding all ingredients in a freezer bag with the raw chuck roast.