Slow Cooker Beef Ragu (Printable Version)

Tender beef slow-cooked with vegetables and herbs for a rich Italian sauce perfect over pasta or polenta.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced

→ Liquids

06 - 1/2 cup dry red wine
07 - 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - 1 cup beef broth

→ Seasonings & Herbs

10 - 2 teaspoons dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Finishing

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
16 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

→ To Serve

17 - Cooked pasta or creamy polenta

# Directions:

01 - Generously season beef chunks with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned, approximately 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
03 - Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the same skillet. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant, then transfer vegetables to the slow cooker.
04 - Pour red wine into the skillet and deglaze by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes, then add the wine mixture to the slow cooker.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, oregano, thyme, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes to the slow cooker. Stir everything together until well combined.
06 - Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours, or on high for 4–5 hours, until the beef is very tender and easily shreds apart.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaves. Shred the beef using two forks, then stir it back into the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
08 - Serve hot over cooked pasta or creamy polenta. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • This ragu freezes beautifully so you can pull together an impressive dinner on busy weeknights
  • The flavor develops into something restaurant worthy with almost zero active cooking time
02 -
  • Searing the beef properly makes a huge difference in the final flavor so take the time to get a good brown crust on all sides
  • The sauce will look quite thick initially but the beef will release quite a bit of liquid as it cooks
  • Letting the ragu sit for 15 minutes before serving actually helps the flavors come together even more
03 -
  • Pat the beef very dry with paper towels before searing for better browning
  • Do not overcrowd the pan when searing or the beef will steam instead of brown

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