Slow Cooked Beef Ragu with Pappardelle is hands down one of the best comforting and flavourful pasta recipes! Chunks of beef are braised then simmered for hours on stovetop or in the slow-cooker with garlic, onion, tomatoes, veggies, spices and herbs then served with pappardelle pasta and parmigiano-reggiano cheese!
If you’re a hearty pasta lover like me, you have to try my Italian Sausage Skillet Lasagna, my One Pot Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage and definitely my Creamy Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Seafood Pasta which are all the best crowd pleasers!
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Slow Cooked Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
This robust and tender, fall-apart tomato beef sauce is everything your dinner menu needs! Ragu with Pappardelle is one of my favourite ways to enjoy pasta. It’s a beautiful combination of beef, pasta and tomato sauce that’s slow-cooked on the stove-top or slow cooker until perfect!
Here are some other reasons why I love this Slow Cooked Beef Ragu with Pappardelle recipe:
- Beef is slowed cooked which allows for it to soak up all the rich flavors and easily falls apart
- Perfect easy.meal on the weekend with enough leftovers for the week ahead
- Leftover sauce can be used in sandwiches as an easy way to switch up the recipe
What is Ragu?
Ragu is a meat-based sauce, often made with beef, pork, veal, lamb or a combination and typically served with pasta. The meat is then slow cooked on low heat in a tomato or wine-based mixture over an extended period of time.
Best Pasta to Serve with Ragu
Unlike other pasta sauces, Ragu is a more rich and hearty sauce – thick with chunks of beef. More common pasta types, like spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, penne etc. may not hold up well against the sauce, as such I recommend using Pappardelle pasta.
What is Pappardelle?
Pappardelle is a large, very broad, flat egg pasta and is typically served with meaty sauces. For this recipe, it works as an exceptional choice as the shredded beef easily clings to the wide strands.
What Do You Need to Make Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
- Olive Oil
- Chuck Beef or other slow cooking beef cut of your choice, cut into large pieces
- Cloves Garlic
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrots
- Beef Broth
- Crushed Tomatoes, canned
- Tomato Paste
- Water
- Italian Herb Blend or combination of equal parts thyme, basil and oregano
- Bay Leaves
- Granulated White Sugar
- Salt & Black Pepper
- Pappardelle Pasta cooked
- Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, optional
How to Make Slow Cooked Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
Step 1: Brown Beef – pat dry beef and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over high heat. Add beef and sear each side until very browned, then remove from heat and transfer to a plate; work in batches if needed.
Step 2: Add Aromatics and Veggies – turn heat down to medium and add remaining tbsp of olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for about a minute, then add onion and continue sautéing for another minute. Then, deglaze the pot by adding ½ cup beef broth and simmer for about one minute (scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits that might be stuck on). Add carrots and celery and sauté for around 3-5 minutes.
Step 3: Add Remaining Ingredients – canned crushed tomatoes, remaining beef broth, water, Italian herb blend, bay leaves, granulated white sugar, salt, black pepper and bring to a slight simmer. Return beef and juices to the pot, then cover and lower heat to low and let cook slowly for 3 hours or until beef tender to shred.
Step 4: Shred Beef & Serve – when beef tender, remove from pot and shred using two forks. Then, return shredded beef to the pot and stir in. Add in cooked Pappardelle pasta and toss to coat in sauce. Serve with fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese and enjoy!
Watch How to Make Slow Cooked Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
How to Serve Beef Ragu
Ragu with Pappardelle is a true one pot meal once you add the pasta. However, feel free to serve beef ragu with the following side dishes:
- Zucchini Noodles (zoodles)
- Spaghetti Squash
- Creamy Polenta
- Rice
Slow Cooked Beef Ragu with Pappardelle Recipe Tips
- If too Much Liquid Evaporates – at step three, you may need to add a splash of water or broth if too much evaporates or if your beef is taking longer to cook.
- Taste Test – taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper, and Italian herb blend.
- Add Sugar to Adjust Acidity – sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and creates an overall more balanced sauce; add sugar to adjust taste to your liking.
Using a Slow-Cooker for Beef Ragu with Pappardelle?
If using a slow cooker for this recipe, follow all steps outlined but OMIT water and REDUCE beef broth to 1/2 cup. Slow cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours. Time will vary depending on appliance and cut of beef used. The beef is ready if it falls apart easily when pulled apart with two forks.
Other Delicious One Pot Pasta Recipes To Try
Creamy Sun Dried Tomato & Spinach Seafood Pasta & One Pot Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta with Sausage
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Slow Cooked Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
Equipment
- Enameled Dutch Oven, 6 Qt
- Slow Cooker (Optional)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil divided
- 2 pounds Chuck Beef or other slow cooking beef cut of your choice, cut into large pieces
- Salt & Pepper
- 5 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1 Onion small, finely diced
- 1 cup Celery finely diced
- 1 cup Carrots finely diced
- 1 ½ cup Beef Broth divided
- 3 ½ cup Crushed Tomatoes canned
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Italian Herb Blend or combination of equal parts thyme, basil and oregano
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 2 tsp Granulated White Sugar more or less to taste
- 2 tsp Salt more or less to taste
- 2 tsp Black Pepper more or less to taste
- 500 g Pappardelle Pasta cooked
- Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese freshly grated as desired
Instructions
- Pat dry beef and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil over high heat. Add beef and sear each side until very browned, then remove from heat and transfer to a plate; work in batches if needed.
- Turn heat down to medium and add remaining tbsp of olive oil. Add garlic and sauté for about a minute, then add onion and continue sautéing for another minute. Then, deglaze the pot by adding ½ cup beef broth and simmer for about one minute (scraping with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits that might be stuck on). Add carrots and celery and sauté for around 3-5 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pot: canned crushed tomatoes, remaining beef broth, water, Italian herb blend, bay leaves, granulated white sugar, salt, black pepper and bring to a slight simmer. Return beef and juices to the pot, then cover and lower heat to low and let cook slowly for 3 hours or until beef tender to shred.
- When beef tender, remove from pot and shred using two forks. Then, return shredded beef to the pot and stir in. Add in cooked Pappardelle pasta and toss to coat in sauce. Serve with fresh parmigiano-reggiano cheese and enjoy!
Video
Notes
4 Comments
Steve
September 23, 2022 at 6:27 pmOutstanding recipe! I made it in my instant pot which saved time…delicious
Taneisha Morris
October 12, 2022 at 10:20 amAmazing!! So glad it worked out in the instant pot as well! Thanks so much and I’m so happy you enjoyed Steve!!
K
October 22, 2022 at 4:26 pmI can’t go by recipe 100% it’s the rebel in me. I did use all ingredients not by letter but close. Only just tweeked to our taste. It’s AMAZING! I opened windows while it simmered & had neighbors outside smelling the air 🤣 Thanks for posting recipe. I will be taking full credit thou lol
Taneisha Morris
October 23, 2022 at 8:50 amLOL LOL LOL LOL LOL! You are too hilarious – and that’s perfect, use the posted recipe as a guideline and then tweak to make it yours! Love that for you! So thrilled you enjoyed!