Beef Ragu Pasta
Beef Ragu Pappardelle is a cozy, comforting Italian classic made with tender slow-cooked beef, tomatoes, wine, and herbs for rich, hearty flavor.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2.5 to 3 pound chuck roast fat trimmed- cut into 4 equal pieces
- 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt or to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil) divided
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped, about 1 cup diced
- 2 large carrots peeled and diced, about 1 cup diced
- 2-3 celery ribs finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine such as cab or pinot noir
- 1 cup beef broth
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
- ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
To Serve:
- 1 pound dried pappardelle or other pasta of choice
- freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano-reggiano
- fresh parsley finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Season Beef: Pat dry and generously season the beef all over with the salt and pepper.
- Sear Beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in an enameled Dutch oven with a lid over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chuck roast pieces and turn with tongs to sear until browned on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the meat to a plate.Tip: I prefer to use a wider, shallow dutch over, not a deep, narrow one.
- Cook Soffrito: Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add remaining oil and butter. Then add the onion, carrots, and celery, and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
- Add Ragu Ingredients: Stir in the tomato paste to combine. Add the wine and stir to combine. Then add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, thyme leaves, oregano leaves, sugar, and red pepper flakes, and stir to incorporate.
- Return the chuck roast pieces and juices back to the dutch oven. Add bay leaves to the sauce. Turn the stove up and bring it to a rolling simmer, then reduce to low so that there is a gentle simmer.
- Slow Cook on Stovetop: Cover the pot and let it cook for 2 to 2 ½ hours or until the beef is tender enough to shred.
- Shred: Remove beef then shred with 2 forks. Remove Bay leaves.
- Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes until the sauce is thickened. The beef will soften more as it absorbs the sauce.
- Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste with salt, pepper, sugar, and red pepper flakes.
Cook the Pasta:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (about 1 tbsp salt). Add pasta and cook 1 minute less than the package suggests. Drain pasta and reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
- Meanwhile, warm 4 ½ to 5 cups of Beef Ragu in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Using tongs, transfer the pasta into the ragu. Add ½ to ¾ cup of pasta water and toss gently for 1–2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the pasta. Add more sauce if desired and toss again.
- Serve hot with plenty of grated parmesan or parmigiano reggiano.
Notes
Slow Cooker Option:
To make in the slow cooker, sear the beef and cook the soffritto (onion, carrot, celery, and garlic) on the stovetop as directed. Transfer everything to a slow cooker and stir in the tomato paste, wine, broth, crushed tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings. Add the beef and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or about 6 hours if beef is cut into chunks), until fork-tender. Shred the beef, return it to the sauce, and continue with the pasta instructions as written.
To make in the slow cooker, sear the beef and cook the soffritto (onion, carrot, celery, and garlic) on the stovetop as directed. Transfer everything to a slow cooker and stir in the tomato paste, wine, broth, crushed tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings. Add the beef and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours (or about 6 hours if beef is cut into chunks), until fork-tender. Shred the beef, return it to the sauce, and continue with the pasta instructions as written.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 611kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 153mg | Sodium: 1328mg | Potassium: 1107mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 3490IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 6mg
Find it online:
www.soulfullymade.com/beef-ragu/To see the web version with photos, tips
and FAQs, visit the recipe URL or scan the QR code:
https://www.soulfullymade.com/beef-ragu/