Beef Ragu is flavor-packed, Italian-inspired comfort food. Make it even easier by using the slow cooker and serving it over pappardelle pasta.
author’s note
Beef Ragu Straight From Italy!
Last summer when I shared my Bruschetta recipe, I mentioned our trip to Italy. One of the highlights was a cooking class in the countryside near Siena at Le Pietre Vive Farmhouse.
Nonna Ciana and her translators taught us how to make a traditional four-course Italian meal. Between courses, I asked a million questions about all my favorite Italian dishes—it was incredible to learn from her.
After the class, her translator kindly emailed me dozens of their recipes (I guess my curiosity wasn’t very subtle!). I’ve been working through them, and today I’m sharing a slightly adapted version of her Beef Ragu.
I swapped a few things—left out the milk and pancetta, used broth instead of wine, and made it slow cooker–friendly—but the core of the recipe is all hers. Grazie, Nonna Ciana!
Crockpot Beef ragu
| Ingredient | Tips & Swaps |
|---|---|
| Beef Chuck Roast | Chuck roast has the perfect amount of marbling, becoming incredibly tender after slow cooking. Avoid lean cuts like sirloin. |
| Mirepoix | Onion, carrot, and celery create the flavorful base of the sauce. Dice everything evenly so it cooks consistently. |
| Fire-Roasted Tomatoes | Regular crushed tomatoes work, but fire-roasted give noticeably richer flavor. Muir Glen is my favorite brand. |
| Red Wine or Beef Broth | Wine is great, but good-quality beef broth creates an equally delicious alcohol-free version. |
| Pappardelle Pasta | I love pappardelle pasta in this recipe and I highly recommend DeLallo’s pappardelle. |
How To Make Beef Ragu
- Prep Beef: Cut into large chunks, season, and sear. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Cook Veggies: Sauté onion, garlic, carrots, and celery, then add to slow cooker.
- Add Ingredients: Stir in seasonings, tomatoes, and paste. Cover and cook on low.
- Shred & Cook Pasta: Shred beef and cook pasta while sauce finishes.
- Combine: Toss shredded beef with cooked pasta and a bit of pasta water.
- Finish: Top with Parmesan and herbs, then serve hot.
Quick Tip
Beef Ragu is traditionally prepared with red wine; go with a hearty red, such as Chianti, Pinot Noir, or Sangiovese. If you prefer to not use wine, substitute with a rich beef broth or stock.
chelsea’s recipe tip
The Secret To Restaurant-Quality Beef Ragu
A few simple techniques take this recipe from good to unforgettable:
- Brown the beef well instead of just lightly cooking it.
- Cook the vegetables until softened instead of rushing them.
- Let the slow cooker do its job. Low heat creates much more tender beef than cooking on high.
- Finish the pasta directly in the sauce with reserved pasta water.
- Freshly grate the Parmesan instead of using pre-shredded cheese.
Featured Comment
“This is the 3rd time I am making this Beef Ragu, one of my and husband favorites. Pretty easy to make and the crock pot does the rest. Restaurant quality for sure. LOVE it. Thank you for sharing.”
– Cindy
Storage
- Make-Ahead: Beef Ragu is ideal for preparing ahead. Cook everything except the pasta (it will bloat) in the slow cooker, then refrigerate overnight. This makes everything taste better and thickens the sauce, making dinner prep a extra easy.
- Refrigeration: Once cooked, the ragu can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. If possible keep the sauce and pasta separate.
- Freezing: Freeze the sauce in a gallon-sized bag for up to 3 months. Avoid freezing pasta; cook it fresh when you’re ready to serve with the defrosted sauce.
Serve Beef Ragu Alongside:
Salads
Italian Salad Recipe
Salads
Caprese Salad Dressing
Side Dishes
Roasted Vegetables
Appetizers
Easy Bruschetta Recipe
Beef Ragu
Equipment
- Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 pounds beef chuck roast cut into 6 large equal pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 3-1/2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 3 cups mirepoix diced onion, carrots, celery—I use a cup of each
- 1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 cup red wine or beef stock/broth for non-alcoholic
- 1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes I highly recommend Muir Glen Organic fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 large beef bouillon cube see note 1
- 3 (8-ounce) packages pappardelle pasta I recommend DeLallo’s brand
- Pasta water reserved from cooking the pasta
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional
- Finely chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Dab both sides of chuck roast with a paper towel, cut into 6 even pieces, and generously salt and pepper all sides. (I use almost a full tablespoon salt and about 1 teaspoon pepper.)
- Heat 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch oven (or oven-safe heavy-bottomed pot) over medium-high heat. Brown pieces on all sides for 3 minutes. To get a good sear, don’t overcrowd the meat; you can sear in batches if needed). Once meat is nicely seared with a good crust, and place pieces in the slow cooker. Use a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
- In the Dutch oven, turn heat down to medium-low and add remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. From the mirepoix, add onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Next, add carrots and celery and sauté, stirring occasionally, 5–8 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Turn heat to high, add red wine or beef stock, and scrape up any browned bits. Stir and simmer 3 minutes, then pour stock and veggie mixture into the slow cooker. While the veggies are simmering, add everything else to the slow cooker: crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, dried thyme, dried basil, dried oregano, bay leaves, and beef bouillon cube (see note 1).
- Cover cook on low heat (high is not recommended) for 6–8 hours (The meat is perfect right around 7–7.5 hours—tested in both my slow cookers.) Remove beef, discarding any gristle or fat, and shred with 2 forks, then return to slow cooker.
- Adjust meat sauce’s seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and place on warm or cover and store in the fridge overnight if you’re making ahead of time.
- When ready to serve, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a tablespoon of salt, then add the pappardelle pasta (see note 2). Cook according to package instructions but do not drain! Right before pasta is done cooking, remove 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, place about half the meat sauce in a very large pan. Put over high heat. Once pasta is cooked, add it straight to the pan. Toss pasta with meat sauce, slowly adding in the reserved pasta water as needed. (I’ll use anywhere from 1/2 cup to the full cup.) If serving a large group, use all the sauce.
- Toss everything until you have a thick sauce that coats the pasta and the pasta water has evaporated. Serve immediately topped with fresh parsley as desired and plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Repurpose Beef Ragu Into Another Meal
This recipe makes plenty—great for a crowd or meal prep. Enjoy it with pappardelle or repurpose the meat sauce in other ways, like these:
- Serve it over baked potatoes, polenta, or gnocchi.
- Pile it on top of some crusty rolls, top with mozzarella cheese, and broil.
- Serve it over zucchini noodles for a low-carb option.
- Add additional beef broth to make a hearty soup.
Hi! This looks so good. Canât wait to try – might serve for the holidays! Just confused on cooking the pasta noodles – save 1 cup of pasta noodle water then drain the rest? Then once the noodles are drained add to sauce and add the reserved pasta water?
Yes, exactly! You’ll want to save 1 cup of pasta water before draining. I like to transfer the cooked pasta directly from the pot into the pan with the sauce using tongs, but draining works too! Then gradually add the reserved pasta water as you toss everything together. You may only need 1/2 cup, so add it a little at a time until the sauce coats the pasta nicely. Hope you love it!
If adding milk how much would I use?
Hi there!
Could this recipe be modified to using a pork shoulder instead of beef?
Thanks!
Sorry Olivia, I haven’t tested this recipe with pork!
Hi! I haven’t personally tried this recipe with pork shoulder, but I’d imagine it would work really well! Pork shoulder is great for slow cooking and should become nice and tender. The cooking time may vary a bit, so I’d just make sure it’s tender enough to easily shred. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you give it a try!
This is divine! Curious – what would you serve for the other courses?
Thank you so much!! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it! If I were making this into a full Italian-inspired dinner, I’d start with my [bruschetta](https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/bruschetta/), serve the beef ragu with my favorite [Italian salad](https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/healthy-italian-salad/) & some crusty bread, and finish with my [tiramisu](https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/tiramisu-recipe/) for dessert! The ragu is so rich & flavorful that I love keeping everything else pretty simple. Hope that helps!!