How can I make this in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?

Absolutely—just follow the step of searing and sautéeing aromatics on the stove or using the sauté function, then transfer everything (except water) into your slow cooker or pressure cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high pressure for 40 minutes, shred the beef, and finish simmering to reduce if needed.

Can I use another pasta shape?

Definitely! While pappardelle is traditional and catches the sauce beautifully, tagliatelle, fettuccine, or even rigatoni work great. Just go for a wide or textured shape to hold that meaty sauce.

I don’t want to use wine—what’s the best substitute?

No problem at all. Beef stock is an excellent substitute. You’ll still get a deep, rich flavor with no compromise.

Is it okay to skip the soffritto or some vegetables?

If you’re short on carrots or celery, don’t worry—your ragu will still be absolutely delicious. The slow cook and hearty sauce carry the flavor beautifully.

Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta Recipe

Name: Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 50 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1.2kg / 2.5 lb chuck beef or other slow cooking beef cut, cut into 4 equal pieces; 1 tbsp salt; Black pepper, to taste; 3 tbsp olive oil, separated; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 onion, diced; 1 cup carrots, diced; 1 cup celery, diced; 800g / 28oz crushed canned tomatoes; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled; 1 cup / 250ml red wine (full bodied, like merlot or cabernet sauvignon) or beef broth/stock; 1 1/2 cups / 375ml water; 3/4 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 3 dried bay leaves; 1 lb / 500g dried pappardelle or other pasta of choice; Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano; Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

Description

This Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta features melt-in-your-mouth beef, simmered with a classic Italian soffritto, herbs, tomatoes, and red wine. The result is a rich, thick, and flavorful sauce best served over pappardelle pasta. Perfect for make-ahead meals, it gets even better the next day and freezes beautifully.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the Ragu

1.2kg / 2.5 lb chuck beef or other slow cooking beef cut, cut into 4 equal pieces
1 tbsp salt
Black pepper, to taste
3 tbsp olive oil, separated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
800g / 28oz crushed canned tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled
1 cup / 250ml red wine (full bodied, like merlot or cabernet sauvignon) or beef broth/stock
1 1/2 cups / 375ml water
3/4 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 dried bay leaves

To Serve

1 lb / 500g dried pappardelle or other pasta of choice
Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano
Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional)

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Instructions

Prep the Beef: Pat beef dry and sprinkle all sides with salt and pepper to season thoroughly.
Sear the Beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy-based pot. Add beef pieces and sear each aggressively on all sides until very browned (about 3-5 minutes). Remove beef onto a plate once browned.
Make the Soffritto: Lower the heat to medium-low, add remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, then sauté garlic and onion for 2 minutes. Add diced carrots and celery, and cook slowly for 5 minutes to build the flavor base.
Start the Ragu: Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, crumbled bouillon cubes, red wine, water, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the beef (and any juices) to the pot. Increase heat to bring it to a simmer, then lower to very gentle bubbling.
Slow Cook: Cover the pot and let it slow cook for 2 hours, or until beef is fork-tender and shred-ready. (For slow cooker or pressure cooker methods, see notes below.)
Shred the Beef: Remove beef pieces, shred them coarsely with two forks, and return to the pot. Simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes to further reduce and thicken the sauce, allowing the beef to become extra tender.
Final Seasoning: Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is sour, stir in 1/2 tsp sugar. Cover with lid and set aside until ready to serve; flavors improve even more the next day.
Cook the Pasta: Boil a large pot of water, add 1 tbsp salt, and cook pasta for 1 minute less than the package indicates.
Finish and Combine: While pasta is cooking, heat 5 cups of ragu in a large fry pan or dutch oven over high heat. Transfer pasta directly from pot into the pan and add 3/4 cup pasta cooking water. Gently toss for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the pasta.
Serve: Portion pasta and ragu onto plates. Top generously with grated parmesan or parmigiano reggiano, and sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

Cut beef into 4 pieces roughly the size of a baseball for optimal cooking and shredding.
Soffritto (celery, carrots, onion, garlic) is a classic flavor base for many Italian dishes and should be cooked slowly for maximum flavor, though you can omit if necessary.
You can substitute liquid beef stock for the water and bouillon cubes.
Pappardelle is ideal for this ragu, but any wide pasta such as fettuccine will work.
Emulsifying pasta with the sauce by tossing them together ensures the sauce clings beautifully—don’t skip this step!
For slow cooker: After step 4, transfer all ingredients (except the water and extra salt/pepper) and cook on low for 6–8 hours. For pressure cooker: Cook on high for 40 minutes.
Adjust sugar to taste based on your brand of tomatoes.
Simmer very gently to avoid burning the bottom or overcooking the beef.
The sauce will keep for 5 days in the fridge or months in the freezer.
Nutritional info is based on dividing the pasta and sauce into 8 servings with approximately 80g dried pasta per serve.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe (about 160g ragu with 80g pasta)
Calories: 550
Sugar: 9g
Sodium: 1170mg
Fat: 20g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 11g
Trans Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 56g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 38g
Cholesterol: 95mg