Description
A rich, slow-cooked Beef Ragu that fills your home with incredible aromas and delivers fall-apart tender meat in a deeply flavorful tomato sauce. Perfect for Sunday dinners with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
3–4 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion, finely diced
4 carrots, finely diced
4 celery stalks, finely diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
28 ounces crushed tomatoes
2 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
1. Remove beef from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Pat completely dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef cubes on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to slow cooker.
3. In the same skillet, add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened, scraping up browned bits. Add garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Transfer to slow cooker.
4. Pour crushed tomatoes and beef broth into slow cooker. Add bay leaves, oregano, thyme, basil, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together, ensuring beef is mostly submerged.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH for 6-7 hours, until beef falls apart easily with a fork.
6. Remove bay leaves. Using two forks, shred the beef directly in the slow cooker. Skim any excess fat from the surface.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Stir in fresh parsley.
8. Let rest for 10 minutes with lid on before serving over pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
For best flavor, brown the beef in batches without overcrowding the pan. This caramelization creates the flavor foundation.
The sauce will thicken as it cools. If too thick, add a splash of beef broth when reheating.
This freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Freeze in portion-sized containers for easy weeknight meals.
For a smoother sauce, you can blend the vegetables before adding to the slow cooker, though I prefer the rustic texture.
The flavors improve overnight, so this is perfect for meal prep. Make on Sunday and enjoy all week!
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 480
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 680
- Fat: 24
- Saturated Fat: 9
- Unsaturated Fat: 13
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 38
- Cholesterol: 115
Keywords: beef ragu, slow cooker beef ragu, sunday dinner, italian beef sauce, easy beef ragu, comfort food