Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is a comforting, family-friendly dinner. Beef stew meat is cooked low and slow in a tomato sauce loaded full of herbs and garlic to create the perfect ragu. The beef is so tender that it just falls apart as you lightly shred it. Serve over your favorite pasta for a delicious dinner that you won’t be able to resist!
What Kind of Beef to Use
When it comes to picking out what kind of beef to use for this recipe, an unlikely opponent becomes the star: beef stew meat! It’s the perfect choice for this Slow Cooker Beef Ragu! The cuts of beef stew meat get so tender that they just melt apart as you gently shred them. Also, the natural fat found in the meat helps add even more decadence to the sauce!
Plus, beef stew meat is typically fairly priced as it is usually cut-off’s from a roast. You could even buy a chuck roast and cube it yourself if your meat counter doesn’t have a beef stew meat option, but, you can typically ask them to cut some for you as well to save you the hassle!
Ingredients Needed for Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Not only is this recipe great because you can just toss everything together in the slow cooker and be done with it, but it only requires a handful of ingredients!
Here’s what you need:
- Beef stew meat
- Jar of your favorite pasta sauce (this is my all-time favorite!)
- Garlic
- Worcestershire sauce (helps give a depth of flavor!)
- Dried basil
- Crushed red pepper flakes
How to Serve Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
After this decadent slow cooker meal has simmered all day on your countertop (and made your house smell AMAZING), then it’s time to dig in!
Simply use a couple forks to lightly shred the meat and stir the sauce all together. I like to leave some of the beef chunks larger for some variety.
The best way to serve this beef ragu? Tossed together with your favorite pasta! We love to serve it over a classic spaghetti, but it also works great over wider noodles, too! You could even use smaller noodles or elbows to create more of a goolash feel. It could also be served over a polenta.
Either way, don’t forget the garlic bread to dunk into this decadent sauce!
Another great thing about this dish: leftovers! It just gets better with time and re-heats beautifully!
This is a meal that I am so excited to share with you, because, even though it is simple, it is a family favorite in our household. It just brings such joy and warmth! Those are always the recipes worth sharing and digging into. Enjoy!
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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- Total Time: 4 hours, 10 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is a comforting, family-friendly dinner. Beef stew meat is cooked low and slow in a tomato sauce loaded full of herbs and garlic to create the perfect ragu. The beef is so tender that it just falls apart as you lightly shred it. Serve over your favorite pasta for a delicious dinner that you won’t be able to resist!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
- 24 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce, this is mine!
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients together in a slow cooker and gently stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 4-6 hours until the meat is fall-apart tender. Use two forks to gently shred the meat in the sauce, leaving some pieces larger than others for variety.
- Serve over your choice of pasta and topped with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
Notes
- Beef stew meat or cubed chuck roast is the best meat to use for this recipe.
- Use your favorite pasta sauce for this recipe! This is one I always keep stocked – it’s not too acidic!
- Leftovers of this dish re-heat very nicely!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
Share the love!
If you make this recipe and love it as much as I do, I’d love to hear from you! Comment below, rate the recipe, or share a picture tagging @kjandcompany or using #kjandcompany so that I can see your fun pictures 🙂
Thanks for following and cooking along with me!
Hi, I’m KJ!
Here you’ll find simple, delicious recipes for the home cook. I strive to make wholesome meals with easy-to-find ingredients that you feel comfortable making in your own kitchen—but I won’t shy away from a few indulgences! (I see you: butter, bacon, cookies!)
Kate I can’t wait to try this. I’m thinking a few days after Thanksgiving when we’ve had our fill of turkey this will taste extra yummy. It’s so easy too.
That’s the perfect timing for this recipe, Kathy! 🙂 hope it fills your house with warmth and happiness!