Description
This Sunday Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is the ultimate cozy dinner. Tender beef, rich tomato sauce, and classic Italian herbs come together effortlessly in your slow cooker. Serve it over wide pasta noodles with plenty of Parmesan for a comfort-filled Sunday meal everyone will love.
Ingredients
2.5 – 3 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cubed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
4–6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine (Merlot, Chianti, or Cabernet)
1 (28 oz) can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp crushed dried rosemary (or 1 sprig fresh)
1 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper, divided
Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes
To serve: cooked pasta (pappardelle or rigatoni), grated Parmesan, chopped fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
Pat beef dry and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
Sear beef in batches in hot olive oil until browned. Set aside.
In the same pan, sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 1-2 minutes more.
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Deglaze pan with red wine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer until reduced by half.
Transfer vegetable mixture to slow cooker. Add seared beef on top.
Add crushed and diced tomatoes, broth, herbs, and remaining salt and pepper.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours.
Shred beef with two forks and return to sauce. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprig.
Adjust consistency and seasonings as needed. Rest 15–30 minutes before serving over pasta with Parmesan and herbs.
Notes
No wine? Substitute with more broth + 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar.
This dish is even better the next day—perfect for meal prep.
To thicken, cook uncovered on HIGH for 20–30 minutes.
To loosen, stir in more broth or hot pasta water.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian-inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 465 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg