Restless Chipotle

  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
  • Shop
  • Recipe Box
×
  • Overhead view of pickles in a white bowl
    Sweet Heat Refrigerator Pickles
  • A basket full of garlic breadsticks.
    How to Make Soft Garlic Breadsticks`
  • A peaches and cream icebox pie with a serving removed to show the layers.
    Peach Icebox Pie
  • A square of strawberry shortcut cake being served from a spatula.
    Strawberry Shortcut Cake
  • A cropped view of this recipe in a glass bowl for the feature image.
    Old Fashioned Banana Pudding
  • Closeup of fried chicken on a plate.
    Why Do Southerners Put Buttermilk in Everything?
  • Overhead view of finished crockpot chicken bog in the crockpot.
    Crockpot Chicken Bog
  • Overhead view of the finished grapefruit cake on a white cake plate.
    Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit Bundt Cake
  • Overhead view of skillet with finished cabbage in it. Feature image.
    Creamed Cabbage
  • Bright green cocktail in a clear glass.
    Hammered Hulk Cocktail – A Bold, Green Drink for St. Patrick’s Day
  • Closeup of pimento cheese balls for feature image.
    Crispy Fried Pimento Cheese Balls
  • A crunchy topped casserole with a serving spoon in it.
    Pineapple Casserole
Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker Recipes

Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Sauce

Published: Apr 1, 2016 · Updated: Apr 9, 2024 by Marye

Rich, thick slow cooked beef ragu is full of flavor from chuck roast that is simmered in a combination of vegetables and herbs. Super easy!
Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 12 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Jump to Recipe
slow cooker beef ragu feat

This slow cooked beef ragu simmers in your slow cooker for 12 hours until the sauce coaxes every bit of flavor from the ingredients. The meat disintegrates into tender shreds that coat every surface of the rigatoni pasta. Everyone will think you have an Italian grandmother tucked away in the kitchen slaving over a hot stove. 

For this recipe you'll need: chuck roast, olive oil, kosher salt, cracked black pepper, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, sweet red wine, stewed tomatoes, bay leaves, basil, oregano 
 If you are in a hurry click here to go straight to the recipe.

Super easy, slow cooked beef ragu is a rich sauce full of aromatic vegetables and herbs. From RestlessChipotle.com

So there is a rumor floating around that I am part Italian. It may or may not be true as I was adopted by my maternal grandparents almost immediately after my birth. I didn't know I was adopted until I was 36 and I can tell you it turned my world upside down. There was a shift in my reality that has taken years to find my balance for. Anyway, as far as I know my birth mother never told anyone many of the details other than the one who donated part of my DNA was Italian. Although there is nothing to prove that claim I can say that I love Italian food with a passion  -- so who knows?

Family is an odd thing. You'd think it was static but the truth is that family shifts and stretches, shrinks and wiggles to wrap itself around a variety of situations even in one lifetime. Once my family was my birth mom and me, within hours it was my parents and me, and when I found out I was adopted I gained a couple of brothers, a sister in law, and a niece. It has been used to describe my first marriage and my children born to me plus a few kids that we took in to help. Now it has grown to include my new (actually we've been married long enough that I should stop describing him as new and call him slightly used) husband, a son in law, a daughter in law, two stepkids, three grandkids, a brother in law, another sister in law, and some really amazing friends who have become family and filled in the aunts, uncles, and cousins slots. Eventually family will become just my husband and me as the kids move out and begin their own families. Family are the ones that are there for you, that have your best interests in mind, and that support you through all of your changes even if you don't share DNA.

I've been very lucky in that department.

Slow cooker beef ragu is a hearty weeknight meal. from Restlesschipotle.com

Anyway, whether on not I have some Italian blood rushing through my veins I do like Italian food. My mom created spaghetti with over cooked pasta and a jar of Ragu. For years I thought Ragu was the name of a brand of spaghetti sauce. Then along came adulthood and cookbooks and, low and behold, a recipe for ragu -- real ragu. Real ragu is not a jar of commercial sauce with some cooked ground beef dumped in. It is a slow cooked melange of meat, vegetables, herbs, and wine. If you prefer not to use wine go ahead and use purple grape juice -- it works great! I made this for an event at church and didn't want to add wine in case it would cause a problem for someone. I used grape juice instead and it was perfect.

I like this slow cooked beef ragu sauce with rigatoni because the size and shape of the pasta grabs the sauce and hangs on for dear life. Every single bite is magic. It's easy to make but don't skip the searing step. It makes a huge different in the end result and the flavor is worth it. The slow cooked beef is just so much better that ground meat! The sauce is even better the next day if you can stand to wait.

The following are affiliate links. If you click through and buy something I get a small commission which is used to keep the blog up and running smoothly. Thank you for being a part of Restless Chipotle!

This requires a six quart crockpot. I have this Hamilton Beach crockpot and it's programmable. I love it and highly recommend it.

 Here's that slow cooked beef ragu recipe! You're gonna love it!

📖 Recipe

slow cooker beef ragu feat

Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Sauce

4.67 from 3 votes
Print Save Recipe Saved! Rate Recipe
Prevent your screen from going dark
Rich, thick slow cooked beef ragu is full of flavor from chuck roast that is simmered in a combination of vegetables and herbs. Super easy!
Course Slow Cooker
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 hours hours
Total Time: 12 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Servings:8
Calories:
Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef chuck roast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups diced onion
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup sweet red wine or grape juice
  • 28 ounces stewed tomatoes
  • 3 dried bay leaves
  • 1 tablespoon oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of basil
  • 1 pound box of rigatoni
  • Parmesan as desired

Instructions

  • Rub the salt and pepper over the beef.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet until it sizzles.
  • Add the beef and sear on all sides until it is golden brown.
  • Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Add the remaining ingredients (except the rigatoni and Parmesan) to a slow cooker and place the beef on top.
  • Cook on low for 12 to 16 hours.
  • About 1 hour before serving shred the beef with two forks and stir it into the sauce.
  • Remove any large hunks of fat.
  • Replace the cover and continue to cook.
  • Cook the rigatoni.
  • Drain.
  • Serve the ragu over the rigatoni and pass the Parmesan
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

If you liked this slow cooked beef ragu you might also like...

How to Make Homemade Pasta

Chicken Cacciatore

Spicy Tomato Cream Pasta Spicy Southern Kitchen

One Pan Baked Ziti Tastes Better from Scratch

Super easy, slow cooked beef ragu is a rich combination of beef, herbs, and vegetables. Perfect weeknight meal! From RestlessChipotle.com

More Easy Slow Cooker Meals

  • Serving collard greens from the slow cooker.
    Slow Cooker Collard Greens with Bacon
  • Closeup of finished pork chops.
    Crock Pot Honey Garlic Pork Chops
  • Closeup of chicken and rice for feature image.
    Crockpot Smothered Chicken
  • Square overhead of chicken for feature image.
    Slow Cooker Angel Chicken

Love it? Share it!

133 shares
  • Facebook
  • Flipboard

About Marye

Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them.

Comments

    4.67 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Love it? Give it 5 stars!




  1. Kristy @ Southern In Law says

    April 01, 2016 at 8:04 pm

    You can never go wrong with a good ragu sauce and this one looks incredible! The slow cooking would give it SO much flavour!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 9:03 pm

      It totally does. 🙂

      Reply
  2. Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah says

    April 01, 2016 at 7:32 pm

    5 stars
    Love easy recipes like this 😀 We love pasta for dinner, but to have it ready when I get home? Priceless!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 9:02 pm

      Absolutely!

      Reply
  3. Adriana Lopez Martin says

    April 01, 2016 at 6:12 pm

    pasta is always a great choice loving how good that ragu looks seems very flavorful and chunky yum!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 9:01 pm

      Thanks! I love this.

      Reply
  4. allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says

    April 01, 2016 at 2:39 pm

    With this amazing recipe, I choose to believe you ARE Italian. Just gotta be. I read a very interesting book about adoptions in the 50's and 60's called The Girls Who Went Away. It was many fascinating stories from the point of view of the birth mothers who were often forced to give their babies away. I have a lot of respect for these girls. It was a different time, that's for sure. You might want to check it out. XO

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 8:58 pm

      I'll look for that book! Thanks Allie!

      Reply
  5. Catherine says

    April 01, 2016 at 12:57 pm

    Dear Marye, I love this! Real ragu and it looks incredible. What a delicious and comforting dish. xo, Catherine

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 8:57 pm

      Thank you Catherine!

      Reply
  6. Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says

    April 01, 2016 at 10:18 am

    This looks absolutely delicious!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 8:57 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  7. Ashley - Forking Up says

    April 01, 2016 at 10:18 am

    I love a good ragu sauce! Such a comfort food.

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 8:56 pm

      🙂 Yep!

      Reply
  8. Faith (An Edible Mosaic) says

    April 01, 2016 at 9:34 am

    Oh, this is gorgeous! There's nothing better than the smell of slow-simmered sauce cooking all day. I bet this has incredible depth of flavor!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 8:56 pm

      I agree! 🙂 and it totally does.

      Reply
  9. Heather Kinnaird says

    April 01, 2016 at 9:10 am

    my mouth was watering the entire time I read this - we will be making this ragu for sure!!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 8:55 pm

      Let me know what you think.

      Reply
  10. Citra Kale @Citra's Home Diary says

    April 01, 2016 at 7:41 am

    It absolutely looks delicious!

    Reply
    • Marye Audet says

      April 03, 2016 at 8:54 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
Marye Audet-White, founder of Restless Chipotle Media

Hey Y'all, I'm Marye

Welcome to my kitchen! ☕

NY Times bestselling author. 10 cookbooks. Mom of 8 kids. Homeschooling mom for 22 years. Addicted to Hallmark Christmas Movies. Collector of old cookbooks.

Find out more

🍉 Memorial Day

  • Overhead view of potato salad in a glass bowl
    Mom's Homemade Potato Salad

  • Overhead view of the finished watermelon basket filled with an assortment of fruit.
    How to Make a Watermelon Basket

  • Closeup of a finished hamburger in a bun.
    Retro Lipton Onion Soup Burger (Vintage Recipe)

  • Closeup of a star shaped cake covered in white chocolate with red and blue sprinkles.
    Zebra Cake Recipe: Little Debbie Copycat

🧢 Father's Day

  • Close up of chicken breast that's been grilled.
    Awesome Grilled BBQ Chicken Breast Wrapped in Bacon

  • Closeup image of sausage cheese dip.
    Rotel Sausage Dip

  • Closeup overhead view of the macaroni salad in a bowl with a spoon in it for serving.
    BBQ Macaroni Salad Texas Style

  • Close up of a piece of cake.
    Texas Sheet Cake Recipe

👑 Reader Favorites

  • Square overhead of chicken for feature image.
    Slow Cooker Angel Chicken

  • Close up of the sauce showing the creamy texture.
    Copycat Red Robin Campfire Sauce Recipe

  • Wooden spatula removing fried potatoes out of iron skillet.
    Crispy Pan Fried Potatoes

  • Blue cocktail with a red and white straw.
    Sex in the Driveway Cocktail

  • A sliced loaf of english muffin bread.
    Easy English Muffin Bread Recipe – Perfect for Toasting (No Kneading!)

  • Two finished loaves of Amish white bread cooling on a table.
    No-Fail Amish White Bread

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • About Marye Audet-White
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Contact
MaryeAudet Whiteandherchildren Dec

Featured In:

Places Restless Chipotle has been featured

We improve our products and advertising by using Microsoft Clarity to see how you use our website. By using our site, you agree that we and Microsoft can collect and use this data. Our privacy statement has more details.

Copyright ©2006 - 2025 Restless Chipotle Media, LLC

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.