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Sunday Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Recipe

Sunday Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Recipe
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★★★★★

4.9 from 16 reviews

This Sunday Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is a hearty, flavorful Italian-style sauce made with tender slow-cooked beef chuck, aromatic soffritto, rich tomatoes, and red wine. Perfect for a comforting weekend meal, it requires minimal hands-on time and results in a deeply savory, melt-in-your-mouth ragu that pairs beautifully with wide pasta like pappardelle, tagliatelle, or rigatoni. Slow cooking enhances the flavors and yields incredibly tender beef, making it an ideal recipe for family dinners or meal prepping.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Seasoning

  • 2.5 – 3 lbs (1.2 – 1.4 kg) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra if needed
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1.5 cups)
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 4–6 cloves garlic, minced
  • Optional: Pinch of red pepper flakes

Tomatoes and Liquids

  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) tomato paste
  • 1 cup (240 ml) dry red wine (such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Chianti)
  • 1 (28-ounce / 794 g) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes or good quality crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (14.5-ounce / 411 g) can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 cup (240 ml) beef broth, low sodium preferred

Herbs and Spices

  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed (or 1 sprig fresh rosemary)

To Serve

  • Cooked pasta (pappardelle, tagliatelle, or rigatoni recommended)
  • Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated or shaved
  • Fresh basil or parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Beef: Pat the beef chuck cubes dry with paper towels. Season generously with about 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. This initial seasoning helps build rich flavor during cooking.
  2. Sear the Beef: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add half the beef cubes in a single layer without overcrowding. Sear each side about 2-3 minutes until deeply browned. Remove the seared beef and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
  3. Sauté Aromatics: Lower heat to medium. Add chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet. Add a teaspoon more olive oil if necessary. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften and onions become translucent. Stir in garlic and optional red pepper flakes; cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Avoid burning the garlic.
  4. Build the Sauce Base: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to deepen its flavor and eliminate raw taste.
  5. Deglaze the Pan: Pour in the red wine and scrape browned bits from the pan bottom with a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half over 3-5 minutes to cook off alcohol and concentrate flavor.
  6. Transfer to Slow Cooker: Pour the aromatic vegetable mixture into the insert of a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Place the seared beef cubes on top of the vegetables.
  7. Add Remaining Ingredients: Pour crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with juice, and beef broth over the beef and vegetables. Add bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and rosemary. Gently stir to combine all ingredients.
  8. Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the beef is tender enough to shred easily.
  9. Shred the Beef: Carefully remove beef chunks from the cooker to a cutting board. Using two forks, shred the beef, discarding any large pieces of fat or gristle. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig from the sauce.
  10. Finish the Ragu: Return shredded beef to the slow cooker, stirring it into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or more as preferred. If sauce is too thick, stir in more beef broth or pasta water. If too thin, cook uncovered on HIGH for 20-30 minutes to reduce or thicken with a cornstarch slurry.
  11. Rest (Optional but Recommended): Turn off the slow cooker, cover, and let the ragu rest for 15-30 minutes to meld flavors further.
  12. Serve: Spoon hot beef ragu over favorite cooked pasta. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan and a sprinkle of chopped fresh basil or parsley.

Notes

  • Use a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven for better searing and flavor development.
  • Do not overcrowd the pan when searing beef to ensure proper browning.
  • San Marzano tomatoes add authentic taste but good quality crushed tomatoes work well.
  • Adjust red pepper flakes for desired spice level or omit if preferred milder.
  • Resting the ragu before serving enhances depth of flavor but can be served immediately.
  • Leftovers reheat well and flavors intensify after a day.
  • This recipe is best suited for slow cookers of 6-quart capacity or more to avoid overflow and ensure even cooking.

Nutrition

Keywords: beef ragu, slow cooker beef, Italian beef sauce, slow-cooked ragu, Sunday dinner, easy ragu recipe, pasta sauce slow cooker

Find it online: https://bakedbylisa.com/sunday-slow-cooker-beef-ragu-recipe/