Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is the ultimate comfort food—tender shredded beef simmered in a rich tomato sauce, perfect over pasta. With minimal prep and deep Italian flavor, it’s an easy favorite for weeknights or entertaining.
Ingredients
3 pounds beef chuck roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
1 cup carrots, chopped (optional)
12 ounces pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta
Chopped parsley or grated Parmesan for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the beef on all sides until browned. Transfer to slow cooker.
2. In the same skillet, sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up the browned bits. Pour this into the slow cooker.
3. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and optional carrots to the slow cooker. Stir gently.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4–5 hours, until beef is fork-tender.
5. Remove beef, shred with two forks, discard fat, and return shredded beef to sauce. Stir and let sit on warm for 15–30 minutes.
6. Cook pasta according to package directions. Serve with ragu and garnish with parsley or Parmesan.
Notes
For a thicker sauce, remove the slow cooker lid during the last 30 minutes to reduce.
Use high-quality crushed tomatoes for the richest flavor.
This dish gets better the next day—perfect for meal prep or freezing.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 120mg
Keywords: beef ragu, slow cooker beef, shredded beef pasta