Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is all about melt-in-your-mouth beef simmered in a rich, savory tomato sauce that clings beautifully to pasta. The long, slow cooking transforms even the most affordable cut of beef into something incredibly tender and flavorful. With just a little prep, the slow cooker does the heavy lifting, filling your kitchen with an irresistible aroma. Serve it over pasta, polenta, or even mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort meal.

Love More Dinner Ideas? Try My One Pan Creamy Meat and Potato Skillet or this Spinach Garlic Meatballs Stuffed With Mozzarella next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The beef becomes incredibly tender, so soft it practically falls apart with a fork. The rich, savory sauce is packed with flavor that makes every bite irresistible. You simply toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do the work—no constant checking or stirring required. It’s a hearty, satisfying meal that’s perfect for weeknights or cozy weekend dinners.

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Ingredient List

For the Ragu:

• 1.2 kg (about 2½ lb) beef chuck (braising/casserole steak)
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion (red or brown), finely diced
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 2 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic, grated
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• ¼ cup red wine (or substitute with 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar)
• 700 g passata (tomato puree)
• Beef stock—1 cube or powder equivalent
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves

For Serving:

• Pasta of your choice (fresh lasagne sheets recommended)
• Extra-virgin olive oil (for tossing pasta)
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

No red wine? Whatever. The balsamic vinegar trick works just as well and nobody will know the difference.

Why These Ingredients Work

Chuck roast has enough fat to stay juicy during that long cook. Lean meat would turn into cardboard. Those onions, carrots, and celery aren’t just filler – they break down and create this sweet, savory base that makes everything taste like you’ve been cooking for hours.

Fresh garlic beats the jarred stuff every time. It’s sharper and doesn’t have that weird aftertaste. The tomato paste trick of cooking it first concentrates all that tomato flavor. And that splash of wine or balsamic cuts through all the rich beef fat so you don’t feel like you’re eating a brick.

That little bit of sugar isn’t making this sweet – it just balances out any sour notes from the tomatoes. The passata gives you the right sauce consistency without being too chunky or too smooth.

Essential Tools and Equipment

You need a slow cooker, something to brown the meat in – cast iron works great, regular pan is fine too. Two forks for shredding the beef later. That’s it. Don’t overthink this.

How To Make Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

Season & Sear

Salt and pepper that beef good. Heat up your pan with the oil until it’s hot. Brown the beef in batches – don’t crowd it or it’ll steam instead of brown. Takes about 6-8 minutes to get those nice edges. Set it aside when done.

Sauté the Aromatics

Same pan, add your chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Cook them for maybe 4 minutes until they smell good and soften up.

Build Those Flavors

Stir in that tomato paste and let it cook for a couple minutes – you’ll see it get darker. Pour in the wine and let it bubble away for 2-3 minutes.

Slow Cook to Perfection

Dump everything into your slow cooker. Add the tomato sauce, stock cube, sugar, thyme and bay leaves. Put the beef back in and give it a stir. Cook it low for 8 hours or high for 5. The beef should fall apart when it’s done.

The Grand Finale

Fish out those thyme stems and bay leaves. Shred up that beef with two forks – it should be super easy if it cooked right. Mix it back into the sauce and taste it. Add more salt if you need to.

Perfect Pasta Pairing

Cook your pasta however the box says. If you’re using those lasagne sheets cut into strips, they only need like a minute. Drain it and toss with a little olive oil so it doesn’t stick.

Serve Like a Pro

Here’s what I do – mix some of the sauce with the pasta first, then put it in bowls and top with more sauce. Lots of parmesan on top. Done.

You Must Know

Don’t skip browning the meat. Yeah, it’s extra work but it makes a huge difference in flavor. Also, cut your beef into bigger chunks than you think – they shrink when they cook.

Personal Secret: Keep some pasta water. If your sauce is too thick when you mix it, splash some of that starchy water in there.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Chuck a parmesan rind in the slow cooker if you have one – it melts and makes everything taste better
• Sauce too watery? Take the lid off and cook on high for 20 minutes
• No wine? Use 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar plus 2 tbsp beef stock instead
• Stop lifting the lid to check – every time you do, you add 20 minutes to cooking time

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

Throw in some basil at the end. Want it creamy? Stir in heavy cream. Want it spicy? Add red pepper flakes with the garlic. Got pancetta? Cook it with the veggies but use less salt.

Make-Ahead Options

This tastes better tomorrow anyway. Make it 3 days ahead and stick it in the fridge. Freezes for 3 months too. I freeze it in portions so I can just grab what I need.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Wait for it to finish cooking. I know it’s hard but don’t rush it. If you’re in a hurry, you can do this on the stovetop – add 1½ cups water with the tomato sauce and simmer for about 3 hours. Oven works too – 350°F for 3-4 hours covered.

Dried thyme? Use 1 tsp instead of 5 fresh sprigs. And taste it before you add more salt – slow cooking makes flavors stronger.

Serving Suggestions

This is great on any pasta but I like the thick ones that grab the sauce – pappardelle, rigatoni, that kind of thing. It’s also good on polenta or just with crusty bread. Make a salad with lemon dressing to cut through all that richness.

This should be your Sunday thing now. Start it in the morning, come home to amazing smells.

How to Store Your Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

Fridge: 3 days in containers with tight lids. Tastes even better reheated.

Freezer: 3 months in freezer bags or containers. I do single-meal portions.

Reheating: Stovetop on medium heat, stirring occasionally. Microwave works too – 30 seconds at a time, stir between. Add a little stock if it’s too thick.

Allergy Information

Has gluten from pasta and dairy from parmesan. Use gluten-free pasta if you need to. Skip the cheese or use dairy-free stuff. The sauce itself has no dairy until you add cheese.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Chuck is best because it gets tender. Short ribs or brisket work too. Don’t use lean cuts – you need the fat.

My ragu is watery. What happened?

Too much liquid or not enough cooking time. Take the lid off and cook on high for 20 minutes.

Can I double this?

Sure, just make sure your slow cooker fits it all. Might need an extra hour.

No fresh thyme?

1 tsp dried thyme instead of 5 fresh sprigs.

How do I know the beef is done?

It falls apart with a fork easily. If it doesn’t, cook it longer.

Hope this becomes your go-to comfort food!

💬 Made this? Tell me how it went in the comments!