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Slow Cooker Beef Ragu with Pappardelle: The Ultimate Comfort Dinner

A close-up of wide pappardelle pasta topped generously with shredded beef ragu and grated Parmesan cheese.
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Make this rich, hearty beef ragu in your slow cooker for incredibly tender beef that melts in your mouth. This classic Italian sauce simmers low and slow, creating deep flavor perfect for serving over wide pappardelle pasta.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
  • 1 cup dry red wine (like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound pappardelle pasta
  • Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef chunks dry and season them generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches on all sides. Remove the browned beef and set it aside.
  3. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the same skillet. Cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
  4. Transfer the browned beef, the cooked vegetables, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine, beef broth, oregano, basil, and bay leaf to your slow cooker. Stir everything together.
  5. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fall-apart tender.
  6. Remove the bay leaf from the slow cooker. Shred the beef directly in the sauce using two forks. Stir the shredded beef back into the sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  7. About 30 minutes before serving, cook the pappardelle pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well.
  8. Serve the rich beef ragu generously over the hot pappardelle pasta. Top each serving with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • For an even richer flavor, substitute the beef broth with an equal amount of dry red wine.
  • If you do not have a slow cooker, you can simmer this ragu in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over very low heat for 3 to 4 hours, checking occasionally.
  • This hearty meat sauce freezes well for future comfort food dinners. Cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookincorner.com/slow-cooker-beef-ragu-recipe-comfort-dinner/