Slow Cooker Italian Beef Ragu Pasta

This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta has a beautiful, rich tomato based sauce, beef that literally melts in your mouth and of course a good sprinkling of parmesan cheese. This is comfort food at it's best!

5 from 4 votes

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Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Slow Cooker Recipe

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 6

Total Time: 6 5

Servings: serves

Calories: 369kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Equipment

slow cooker
Stove-top & frying pan (optional)

Ingredients

1 tbs olive oil
Sea salt and cracked pepper to season
1 kg beef chuck roast (or beef brisket or beef solar blade)
1 brown onion
1 clove garlic (or 1 teaspoon minced garlic, crushed)
400 g diced tomatoes
½ cup beef stock
½ cup tomato paste
2 tablespoon Italian dried herbs
500 g cooked pasta to serve
parmesan cheese to serve

Instructions

Heat the olive oil over high heat in a frying pan. Season the beef roast with salt and pepper and then sear on all sides until browned (approximately 5 minutes each side). Place the beef into the slow cooker.
Add the sliced onion and the garlic to the frying pan and cook over medium heat until fragrant and the onion is transparent. Add to the slow cooker.
Add the canned tomatoes, liquid beef stock, tomato paste and herbs.
Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 6 hours. The beef is ready when it can be pulled apart with a fork.
Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. Drain and place into the slow cooker and mix through the ragu.
Serve with grated parmesan cheese.

Notes

RECIPE TIPS

Cut of beef: Beef chuck roast is perfect for slow cooking as it becomes the most tender delicious meat once slow cooked. Beef brisket or beef solar blade can also be used in this recipe.

Searing the beef (optional but HIGHLY recommended): To get that amazing beef flavour, you’ll need to sear the beef in a frying pan before popping it into the slow cooker. I like to sear it for around 8-10 minutes on the highest possible heat so that you get a dark crust forming (this gives it an incredible amount of flavour and also locks in the moisture).

Red wine sauce alternative: For a richer sauce, replace the ½ cup liquid beef stock with ¼ cup beef stock and ¼ cup red wine.

Cooking time: Cook the beef ragu for 8 hours on LOW or 6 hours on HIGH.

Shredding the meat: The meat will be so tender after cooking, it will be able to be easily shredded with 2 forks.

Types of pasta: Ragu should be served with large pasta shells or ribbons to catch all of the sauce. Pappardelle, tagliatelle or rigatoni are all perfect options.

Nutrition