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This rustic Italian Beef Ragu requires minimum skill or effort as it is made easily in a slow cooker. The rich and chunky ragu is packed with vibrant flavour and is so satisfying to eat. Use it with pasta or in lasagna and freeze the rest!
Not planning to use a slow cooker? Check out my Tuscan Ragu!
I am going to admit openly that I am not a big fan of crock pots. Mine doesn’t get used very often, mostly because I enjoy the cooking process and am too much of a control freak to let the This is an affiliate link.slow cooker take over.
I also find meals cooked in a crock pot taste too similar to each other. They taste like stew. I like stew but not every day of the week.
I am however, a HUGE fan of tender, melt-in-your-mouth, big and bold flavour meat. And if a slow cooker has to take the centre stage for this to happen, so be it. I suppose I can share the limelight…for one day.
Italian ragu
Have you ever had a really tasty and satisfying Italian beef ragu at your favourite Italian restaurant? I am talking about rich and satisfying meat based tomato sauce that’s been cooked for hours allowing for deep flavours to build and blend into a beautiful medley.
I really love rustic dishes that look scruffy and taste earthy. While this may not exactly be food art it is a beautiful sight nonetheless. And I can’t even begin to describe how tender and flavourful this ragu is!
Truth is, not all incredible food needs to be high cuisine. Sometimes all we need is kick-ass flavour to turn dinner into something special.
And this ragu has heaps of flavour, with savoury beef, sweet and acidic tomatoes and rich red wine. Truly this is the king of pasta sauces!
What is Italian Beef Ragu?
Just imagine a 4 pound hunk of beef smothered in plum Italian tomatoes, fresh rosemary and thyme. Then it is sprinkled with salt and pepper and minced garlic and drowned in half a bottle of Chianti. It is then left simmering slowly for 12…that’s right, 12 hours over low heat.
How can it not taste divine?
Italian Beef Ragu and Bolognese sauces are twins but not exactly the same. There are differences but they are so subtle that many Italians use the words interchangeably.
The main characteristic of the beef ragu is it’s heavily meat-based sauce. If you see more meat than tomato, you’ve got yourself a proper Italian beef ragu.
The bold taste of this sauce will leave you gobsmacked. I mean in a complete disbelief that you barely lifted a finger for this awesomeness to come out of your kitchen. Crock pot, you win.
Beef ragu pasta
You are probably wondering how to eat this delicious sauce. Well, seeing that it’s Italian I served it with pappardelle pasta and and generous grating of parmesan cheese.
Actually you can serve this beef ragu with any pasta of your choice. Just bear in mind that it’s a robust sauce, so your pasta should match it.
No delicate capellini or even spaghetti will do quite as well. It will, however, taste great with This is an affiliate link.rigatoni, This is an affiliate link.penne or any other sturdy pasta.
Recipe Tips and notes
- Because of the slow cooking process and the number of other flavours added to the beef, there isn’t a lot of benefit in buying an expensive cut of meat. This is a good recipe to save money on a cheap cut of meat, which will become tender and flavourful as it cooks.
- The red wine is an amazing source of flavour for a ragu and I always keep a bottle on hand to use in recipes like this. If you don’t want to cook with wine, it can be replaced with beef stock.
- Barley is optional, but is a great way to thicken the ragu while adding nutrition. Barley doesn’t add a lot of flavour beyond a subtle nuttiness, but makes the ragu creamier by releasing starch during the cooking process.
- A hearty pasta sauce needs a hearty pasta, so choose a thick pasta like pappardelle, fettuccine or tagliatelle.
Serving suggestions
Serving this ragu with pasta may be the most obvious way to go, but it also could be the best. The rich sauce and chunks of beef coat pasta beautifully, especially when using a thick and hearty pasta like pappardelle or tagliatelle.
It’s a rich pasta sauce, so is at its best when paired with something lighter that can cut through the beef. My go-to is a caprese salad with sweet tomatoes and fresh basil, but a simple green salad will also do nicely. I also love adding garlic bread to soak up any remaining sauce.
Although this delicious beef ragu is Italian by origin don’t let it stop you from serving it with anything you can think of. At the end of our dinner tonight, we all agreed this meat would taste absolutely amazing in a burrito, served on top of rice or even with some potatoes.
Storage and leftovers
This Italian beef ragu incredibly versatile and because you cook a whole roast you are bound to have lots of leftovers.
There are a lot of ways to use leftover ragu other than serving it with pasta. I’ve actually used it in two different recipes: Rustic Three Cheese Lasagna and Italian Beef and Roasted Red Pepper Quesadillas.
This ragu freezes absolutely beautifully! And let me tell you, you will be so pleased to find a container of this goodness on a night when you can’t possibly face spending a long time in the kitchen!
Crock Pot Rustic Italian Beef Ragu
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1.5-2kg / /3-4lbs beef roast, the cheapest cut will do
- 2 tbsp This is an affiliate link.olive oil
- 2-3 sprigs handful each fresh rosemary and fresh thyme, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
- 1 small red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 375ml / 1½ cups red wine, such as Chianti
- 3x400g / 14oz cans chopped tomatoes, crushed tomatoes for North America
- 2 tbsp pearl barley, optional
- 1 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 500g / 1lb fresh or dried pappardelle pasta, or rigatoni
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Chop onion, carrot and celery, mince garlic and chop rosemary and thyme and put everything on the bottom of a crock pot.
- Cut roast into 2″-3″ cubes and brown them in olive oil in a frying pan over high heat in stages, don’t overcrowd the meat so it browns nicely. Add it to the vegetables.
- Taking the frying pan off the heat, pour wine into the pan and use wooden spoon to loosen all the delicious bits from the bottom of the pan, that's where much of the flavour is concentrated. Pour the wine into the crock pot along with canned tomatoes.
- Sprinkle barley all over, which will add texture and more flavour to your ragu, not to mention fibre and nutrients. Add a teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook on low for 10-12 hours.
- In the last hour take the lid off and shred the beef with two forks, add one more tablespoon of fresh rosemary and thyme and a splash of water or wine if the meat is too dry. Cook for one hour longer.
- At the end of cooking time stir in butter for more flavour and to add a gloss to your ragu.
- Before serving cook your pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Combine 1/3 of beef ragu with hot pasta and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I was just looking at chicken ragu recipe the other day. I love that this is a crock pot version. Do you think this can be made with chicken instead of beef?
Yes, you can absolutely make it with chicken but make sure to use skinless, boneless chicken thighs. My kids actually prefer the chicken ragu, which is a spin of Venetian duck ragu. Here is the recipe for Slow Cooker Venetian Chicken Ragu, Katie!
Absolutely delicious, love the easy beef ragu. Now I’m wondering if I can prepare it in an Instant Pot, any ideas?
Yes, it is absolutely doable in the Instant Pot, Val. I’ve done it many times. Proceed with the recipe up to step 6, then pressure cook on high for 40-50 minutes. 🙂
Could I just brown a large roast, put it in the crockpot and then 11 hours later shred the whole thing. I hope I don’t have to cube it. It would be so much easier. Thank you. Michelle
You definitely could…the reason I don’t like doing it is because you end up with very long strands of beef. I cut mine up in large pieces, then remove them with a slotted spoon and shred them with two forks.
I want to make this recipe for dinner tomorrow night but won’t get home from the shops until lunch time….could I cook it for 6 hours on high for the same result or would that affect the tenderness of the meat? Thanks
Hi Elizabeth, I haven’t tried it but I imagine 6 hours on high would be sufficient. Do let me know how it turns out!!
Love this recipe…quick ?… can I prep everything night before (including browning the meat) and then throw in crock pot in am?
Hi there, unfortunately I would not recommend doing that. It’s not safe to half cook the meat and let it sit as harmful bacteria can grow very quickly. You can cook it overnight in your slow cooker and perhaps put it in the fridge in the morning and just reheat later for dinner?
Any advice on making this recipe in an instant pot? Please and thank you. : – )
Hi Christina, I actually made this ragu in a pressure cooker at Christmas time and it’s literally the best. All the hours of cooking condensed into 5o minutes with the same result. I would follow the recipe up to step 6, then cook in the Instant Pot for 50 min to 1 hour. Simple!
Fabulous! Thanks for the information. I will let you know how it goes. I am making it tomorrow. You are the best.
You are very welcome, Christina!
Ooh. I would do this if it could be done in an instant pot! Let us know how it goes Christina.
Hi Nicola, as I’d mentioned already this recipe works wonderfully in an instant pot, which is just a brand of a pressure cooker. Follow the recipe up to step 6, then cook in the instant pot for 50 minutes. Job done. 🙂
I want to serve this to a crowd of 10. Not sure how to double it with that much meat in the crock pot. What about making it ahead of time and putting in fridge for a day – warming it the day of… would the flavors be even better after sitting together a bit? Thanks for any tips.
Hi Paula, you can absolutely make this a day ahead. As you said, the flavour will only get better. I am just looking at the recipe and thinking that 4 lbs of meat should be enough for 10 people. I know the recipe says 4 plus leftovers but you get a lot of leftovers! That’s what I would do and serve things like antipasti, bread and salad to round off the meal.
Thank you so much!
This sauce is AMAZING! I’ve made it at least 4 times. I freeze the leftovers – it reheats perfectly. Thanks for such a great recipe!
I am so happy to hear that Kellee!! You are very welcome. It’s truly a crock pot season, I am busting mine out too! 🙂
I’ve made this now 6-7 times… absolutely the best recipe. Tip…if you make it overnight, cook 4 eggs in a cup of sauce for the most Devine breakfast ever. Addition of fresh parsley and parm complete any dish with this sauce. Thank you for the fabulous recipe.
Thank you for the tip, Alison, sounds absolutely delicious! So happy to hear the recipe has become a favourite!!
Can I add portabella mushrooms??
Sure can!