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Cozy, comforting, and packed with flavor, this Beef Ragu is so satisfying! Chuck roast cooked low and slow in a rich tomato and red wine sauce= pure joy! I’ve always loved beef ragu at restaurants, but now making it at home is even better.
5-Star Review
“Made this with some creamy cheesy polenta….OH MY WORD!!! It was soooo very good! Friends and family loved it! Thank you for this gorgeous recipe!” -Michelle
Rich and Delicious Beef Ragu Recipe
Beef Ragu is a classic Italian dish that’s loaded with goodies! Beef chuck roast is cooked slowly in a large pot, then smothered in a red wine sauce, which has a wonderful depth of flavor. I serve with pasta for a super hearty meal. It’s perfect for a filling weeknight or special occasion dinner.
The rich and delicious flavors in the beef ragu come out of a low and slow cook, giving this beloved pasta dish an incredible taste. The beef is super tender and the whole dish comes together in a large pot or Dutch oven. Your friends and family will go gaga for this lip-smacking ragu!
Beef Ragu Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into large pieces. Other great cuts include beef brisket, beef shanks, or beef short ribs.
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup red wine Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chianti, or lighter Cabernet
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth bouillon cubes will also work
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
- 1 pound cooked pappardelle pasta for serving (1 box), any other ribbon pasta will work. Or, learn how to make homemade pasta!
- chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.3 pounds beef chuck roast, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat.3 tablespoons olive oil
- Sear the beef for a few minutes on each side until a rich, brown crust forms on the exterior. Set aside on a plate.
- Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pot.
- Add in the onion, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.1 onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 carrots
- Add in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves and cook for another minute.4 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, 2 bay leaves
- Pour in the red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.1 cup red wine
- Add in the beef broth, meat, and crushed tomatoes.1 cup low-sodium beef broth, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- Bring everything to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer.
- Cover the pot, and cook for 2½-4 hours, until the beef can be easily shredded with a fork.
- Remove the bay leaves and beef from the pot.
- Shred the beef. Then, return it to the pot and stir it into the sauce and pan juices.
- Let the beef simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavors deepen.
- Serve the beef ragu over cooked pappardelle pasta.1 pound cooked pappardelle pasta
- Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.chopped fresh parsley, freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Becky’s Tips
- Red Wine: Cooking wine will work in a pinch, but we recommend breaking out the good stuff for this sauce. Enjoy a glass with dinner!
- For the best-tasting ragu, prepare the recipe 1 day in advance and let the flavors develop in the refrigerator overnight.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Beef Ragu Step by Step
Sear the beef: Season 3 pounds of beef chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for a few minutes on each side to create a brown crust. Set aside on a plate.
Cook the aromatics: Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the same pot. Add in 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped ribs of celery, and 2 chopped carrots. Sprinkle with salt and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the spices: Add in 4 minced cloves of garlic, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary, and 2 bay leaves, and cook for another minute.
Deglaze with wine: Pour in 1 cup of red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Cook the sauce: Add in 1 cup of low-sodium beef broth, the seared beef, and 28 ounces (1 large can) of crushed tomatoes. Bring everything to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot, and cook for 2½-4 hours, until the beef can be easily shredded with a fork.
Shred the beef: Remove the bay leaves and beef from the pot. Shred the beef. Then, return it to the pot and stir it into the sauce and pan juices.
Simmer the sauce: Let the beef simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavors deepen.
Garnish and serve: Serve the beef ragu over 1 pound of cooked pappardelle pasta. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Variations
There’s so much more to ragu than meets the eye. This low-and-slow cooking process lends itself well to many different meats. Try one of these other great dishes:
- Bolognese: Use ground beef, veal, lamb, pork, or a combination of any of those meats, and add nutmeg and milk. Use white wine in place of the red. Serve over tagliatelle or in a lasagna.
- Ragu di Prosciutto: Use prosciutto as the meat and add more extra-virgin olive oil. Omit the carrots and celery, and use white wine in place of the red. Serve over pappardelle or tagliatelle.
- Ragu d’agnello: Use ground lamb as the meat. Omit the carrots, celery, and onion. Serve over tagliatelle.
- Sugo di Carne: Use ground beef, pork, or a combination of both, optionally with porcini mushrooms. Serve with penne, rigatoni, farfalle, or fettuccini.
- Amatriciana: Use guanciale (cured pork jowl) and diced tomatoes. Omit the carrots, celery, and onions. Add hot peppers, if desired, and toss together with either spaghetti or bucatini pasta.
How to Store
Beef ragu is a great make-ahead recipe because many argue it is best to let the ragu cool to room temperature, then store it overnight in the refrigerator. This helps the flavors to develop, creating a richer tasting ragu.
Store leftover beef ragu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until simmering. Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious pasta dish is a meal in its own right, but you can certainly add sides to make this a real feast. We like to start with a classic Olive Garden salad and add some easy cheesy garlic bread for sopping up any leftover sauce.
Can you place in a crockpot? And if so, how long to cook and high/low temps? Thanks!
Hi Alyssa, I would go up through step 7 and then transfer the vegetable and wine mixture to the slow cooker with the seared beef. Add the bay leaves, beef broth, and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-6 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and easily shreds.
Could you use meatballs in this sauce instead of beef ?
Hi Jannette, do you mean break up meatballs into the sauce or make the sauce without the meat and serve it with whole meatballs? We think you could make this sauce with ground beef if you prefer, but we wouldn’t recommend skipping the meat altogether and serving with meatballs, as the meat adds a lot of flavor to the sauce.
Just made this and it was SOOO good! I didn’t have red wine so I used red wine vinegar. I know it sounds weird but Google said it was a good swap and I can confirm! The flavor was on point :)
I have this in the oven right now – I have looked and looked and see no mention of a cook temperature. I have it at 300 but could be really hard for inexperienced cooks. Also it doesn’t mention taking the beef out of the pot after searing before sautéing the veggies and adding the wine and then putting it back in before putting in the oven. I did this because I have made many similar recipes and also I would not be able to sear all the beef properly at once.
Hi Pam, this is a stovetop recipe, so we do not give exact temperatures as our stove only has settings 1-6, not temperatures like the oven. Every stove is different, so we call out “medium-high” to give an idea of the temperature range– your knob should be set right in the middle of medium and high heat. For me, I usually place my stove on 4 or 5, but that may be different for you! In step 3 we also call out setting the beef aside after searing. Hope that helps a bit!
Made this with some creamy cheesy polenta…. OH MY WORD!!! It was soooo very good! Friends and family loved it! Thank you for this gorgeous recipe!