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Home Collections Sunday Supper

Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta

By:Nagi
Published:3 Jul '17Updated:15 Feb '20
1,225 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

A budget cut of beef, simple pantry ingredients, a bit of patience and pappardelle pasta. This Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle may be the king of all pastas. It is hands down one of my all time favourite pastas ever!

Rich, slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with pappardelle pasta. Stunning Italian comfort food at its best. recipetineats.com

Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce

There’s this annoying thing that’s been a thorn in my backside all my working life. This thing called pride.

I’m not a professional food photographer, or food stylist, videographer or a chef for that matter. But that doesn’t matter. What does matter is being proud of everything that I have on my website, knowing that even if there are people out there who can take better photos and make better videos, that I’ve done the best I can do and I’m proud of what I’m sharing.

3 years into blogging with over 500 recipes, I still get butterflies when I hit Publish on a new or updated recipe.

And having rewritten, rephotographed and made a video for this Shredded Beef Ragu which I first shared over 2 years ago, yes I’m going to have butterflies when I hit Publish on this (again!) because it’s one of my all time personal favourites. 🙂

Rich, slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with pappardelle pasta. Stunning Italian comfort food at its best. recipetineats.com

I have a weakness for all things slow cooked, but hands down this shredded beef ragu is one of my all time favourites. I’d dare say I love it even more than traditional Ragu Alla Bolognese. It’s the shredded beef that seals the deal for me. The way it soaks up the sauce and clings to the pasta. It’s an absolute ripper!

I’m pretty sure I first learned how to make Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle from Lidia Bastianich. Years ago, her show “Lidia’s Italy” was one of the few cooking shows on free-to-air TV and I used to watch them over and over again. Almost everything I know about Italian cooking (including the reason why I was hunting down Kale a decade before it became “cool”) is because of Lidia Bastianich. Old school, real deal Italian. 🙂

Rich, slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with pappardelle pasta. Stunning Italian comfort food at its best. recipetineats.com

Rich, slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with pappardelle pasta. Stunning Italian comfort food at its best. recipetineats.com

Best Pasta to serve with Ragu

The question of what type of pasta to serve with different pasta sauces is a question that I get asked quite regularly. Generally, most pasta sauces will pair perfectly well with most common pasta types, like spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, penne / ziti, macaroni, shells etc.

And while this Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce will be great with any type of pasta, the best pasta for a rich sauce like this ragu is pappardelle. This wide, flat pasta is especially great for this recipe because the shredded beef clings to the wide strands.

For pappardelle, I am quite particular about which brand I use because I’ve had problems in the past with uneven cooking. I use San Remo which is a well known trusted brand here in Australia. The pappardelle is bundled into nests so they are fully submerged when dropped into boiling water, and the nests are loose enough so the bubbling water separates the strands and the pappardelle cooks evenly.

You’ll find San Remo pappardelle at all the major supermarkets as well as fresh produce stores and delis. And here’s a photo for size context – giant pasta in my Baby Hands…..

Rich, slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with pappardelle pasta. Stunning Italian comfort food at its best. recipetineats.com

Oh – and the other reason San Remo Pappardelle is my pasta of choice for ragu is because it’s an egg pasta. The addition of egg makes the pappardelle stronger so it doesn’t break when tossed in the thick, rich sauce.

If you’ve just invested hours of patience, slow cooking the sauce to tender perfection, you’ll make me cry if you just dump cooked pasta in a bowl and spoon over the sauce. And the entire nation of Italy will cry with me. 😉 Please promise me you will toss the ragu with the pasta before serving! It is worth it, I promise. Look how every strand of the pappardelle is beautifully coated in that luscious ragu!! – Nagi xx

Rich, slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with pappardelle pasta. Stunning Italian comfort food at its best. recipetineats.com

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle recipe video!

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Rich, slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with pappardelle pasta. Stunning Italian comfort food at its best. recipetineats.com

Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 50 mins
Pasta, Slow Cooked
Italian
4.98 from 340 votes
Servings5 - 6 people
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Recipe video above. Ragu is one of those recipes that really showcases the beauty of Italian cooking - everyday ingredients, fast prep, leave it to cook long and slow and you end up with a luscious dish that tastes like a million bucks. This recipe makes enough sauce to serve 8 and freezes great.

Ingredients

Ragu

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

To Serve (Not all Sauce is used)

  • 1 lb /500g dried pappardelle , or other pasta of choice (Note 4)
  • Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano
  • Fresh parsley , finely chopped (optional)

Instructions

  • Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  • Sear Beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece aggressively on all sides until very browned (3 - 5 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
  • Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
  • Soffrito: Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
  • Add remaining Ragu ingredients and return the beef to the pot (including pooled juices). Turn the stove up and bring it to a simmer, then turn it down to low so it's bubbling very very gently. (Note 7)
  • Slow cook: Cover the pot and let it cook for 2 hours or until beef is tender enough to shred. (Note 5 for slow cooker and pressure cooker).
  • Shred: Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened - beef will soften slightly more during this step.
  • Final season: Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. ALSO, add 1/2 tsp sugar if sauce is a bit sour for your taste (Note 6). Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it's even better the next day and freezes well for months!).

To Serve (Note 4):

  • Bring a very large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to the boil.
  • Add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time as per the packet instructions.
  • Meanwhile, place 5 cups of the Ragu in a very large fry pan, dutch oven or use 2 normal size fry pans. Heat over high heat while the pasta is cooking.
  • When the pasta is ready, transfer it directly from the pot into the fry pan using tongs.
  • Add 3/4 cup of pasta water into the fry pan.
  • Gently toss the pasta (I use 2 wooden spoons) for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce water evaporates and leaves you with a thick Ragu sauce that coats the pasta.
  • Yell for your family to sit down at the dinner table because you need to serve it immediately!
  • Serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, or even better, with parmigiano reggiano.

Recipe Notes:

1. Beef - Cut the beef into 4 pieces that are around the size of a baseball. The cook time of this recipe assumes you do this. 
2. Celery and carrots sautéed with the onions and garlic is called "soffritto" in Italian cooking. It is a very traditional base for many Italian dishes. Cooking them slowly over low heat releases their flavour and adds an extra dimension to this dish. But it's not a deal killer if you skip these ingredients.
3. Beef stock - You could use liquid beef stock instead of water + stock cubes.
4. Pappardelle pasta is the thick wide pasta and is ideal for this recipe because the shreds of beef cling to the thick pasta strands. If you can't find it, just use the widest pasta you can find eg tagliatelle, fettuccine.
Don't skip the step of tossing pasta with the sauce! This is called "emulsifying" and it is a KEY secret to awesome pastas because it makes the sauce cling to the pasta. Italian Nonna's will roll over in their graves if you don't do this! I can't stress enough what a difference emulsifying makes to pastas!
5. Slow Cooker & Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot - follow recipe to the end of Step 4 on the stove (or sauté function on your appliance). Turn heat up to high, add wine, stir and simmer for 3 minutes. Then transfer it all to the slow cooker or pressure cooker/IP, and add all remaining ingredients but DO NOT add water and extra salt & pepper.
Slow cook on low for 6 - 8 hours (i.e. 6 is enough, 8 hrs is fine, any more = beef turns to mush). Or pressure cook on high for 40 minutes. Shred beef then follow recipe.
6. Sugar - The sweetness of canned tomatoes differs depending on brand (typically more expensive = sweeter). So adjust the sweetness of your sauce to your taste by using sugar - 1/2 tsp at a time.
7. Low and slow - Turn the heat of the stove down to a level where it is bubbling very, very gently - a few bubbles here and there. This usually LOW on Gas Stoves but might be medium low on electric stoves. If it is too high - i.e. simmering rapidly (lots of bubbles appearing rapidly) - then you run the risk of the bottom burning. If it is too low, it will take longer to cook.
8. Recipe source: This recipe is based on classic slow cooked ragu recipes from Italian greats including Lidia Bastianich, Stafano Manfredi. It is not an exact replica of any, but is similar to many!
9. Storage - sauce keeps for 5 days in the fridge, or months in the freezer. 
10. Beef Ragu nutrition assuming sauce serves 8. Nutrition includes 80g / 2.7oz dried pasta per serving (standard quantity). Note: recipe as written uses 500g/1 lb pack of pasta which will serve 5 - 6 people.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 678cal (34%)Carbohydrates: 69g (23%)Protein: 42g (84%)Fat: 26g (40%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Cholesterol: 170mg (57%)Sodium: 1451mg (63%)Potassium: 1155mg (33%)Fiber: 5g (21%)Sugar: 8g (9%)Vitamin A: 3105IU (62%)Vitamin C: 13.2mg (16%)Calcium: 107mg (11%)Iron: 6.4mg (36%)
Keywords: Beef ragu, Ragu, Ragu Sauce, Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

Today’s recipe is brought to you with thanks to San Remo. When they asked if I would consider showcasing one of their products in a recipe, it seemed meant-to-be because I wanted to republish this Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu and in fact, I had made the video using San Remo pappardelle pasta before they approached me! I figured it was a sign. ❤️ San Remo is Australia’s most well known pasta brand and is available at supermarkets all around Australia, including the pappardelle I recommend using for this recipe.


LIFE OF DOZER

Pappardelle pup. (Try saying that 10 times real fast after a few glasses of wine.)

Rich, slow cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with pappardelle pasta. Stunning Italian comfort food at its best. recipetineats.com

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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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1,225 Comments

  1. Paula G says

    May 20, 2023 at 12:39 am

    5 stars
    Help!!!!!! I went to the butcher for the chuck beef for this and he convinced me that chuck is rib steak here in Ireland. Then his colleague who is normally knowledgeable came over & said the same, joined by another butcher. So I bought it – 1.25 kgs for €15 ($25 AUS). I thought someone mentioned it was to be made with cheap cuts and cooked low & slow. He cut it like I asked so in big baseball sized chunks. Should I still use it or amend the recipe somehow? 🙁 Any help very soon would be very much appreciated!!! thank you all!!

    Reply
  2. Anne says

    May 17, 2023 at 6:11 pm

    Fabulous recipe. I’ve never attempted anything like this before. Definitely making it again.

    Reply
  3. Tracy Wilkinson says

    May 7, 2023 at 1:07 pm

    5 stars
    My all time favourite ragu! I double the recipe and freeze half. I add a sprinkling of sugar (2tbs for double recipe) and a decent 2tbs of chilli flakes as we love spicy beef. Freezes well and defrosts perfectly. Easy and tasty ❤️❤️

    Reply
  4. mrs.dowler says

    April 25, 2023 at 10:22 am

    i really like how inexpensive this dish is. i have a chuck roast i’ll use in my freezer, i’m trying to make what little money i have left last until payday, picking up some celery, onions, and canned tomato variations is very very affordable for me. trying to make under 20 last all week when you have a husband who works a physically demanding job and 4 small boys to feed is stressful, but this recipe right here makes me feel like we’ll be ok. by the grace of god, he always finds a way. looking forward to making this, i’ll leave my honest review on wednesday! also cant afford the pasta most likely, but i have some frozen tortellini that my husband loves so i’m looking forward to this. god bless, nagi!

    Reply
  5. Danielle says

    April 23, 2023 at 8:11 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is so delicious! I’ve cooked ragu several times and this time tried with the special pasta prep and it’s so worth it!! 😍😍

    Reply
  6. Kaye says

    April 22, 2023 at 12:28 pm

    Hi Nagi
    There are millions of single people in the world. I would love some single serve recipes.
    Often using less ingredients just doesn’t work. Cheers

    Reply
  7. Adam says

    April 19, 2023 at 2:19 am

    If using slow cooker, I see it says omit water, but do we still add the bullion cubes?

    Reply
  8. Jacqueline says

    February 25, 2023 at 4:22 pm

    5 stars
    I used Campbell Beef Stock instead of 2 beef bouillon cubes ,& water
    Also replaced 800g / 28oz crushed canned tomatoes with fresh tomatoes. Personally I avoid using canned tomatoes.
    I used Rigatoni for Pasta.
    The pot i used is Le Cruset castor iron pot.
    It came out so so delicious and this is the best beef Ragu dish I have ever made. Thanks Nagi for the recipe

    Reply
  9. Ana says

    February 17, 2023 at 3:47 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is a winner! Thank you Nagi for another fabulous recipe to add to the family faves!

    Reply
  10. Martin Gulley says

    February 14, 2023 at 7:20 pm

    5 stars
    This woman is amazing!!!! Every time I make one of her recipes it is just wonderful. Martin

    Reply
  11. Emily Alvarez says

    February 12, 2023 at 4:25 am

    5 stars
    THIS PASTA IS AMAZING. I made it for a big family dinner. Doubled the recipe for 10 people. My sister woke up the next day thinking about it! And I ate the leftovers for breakfast! It 10/10 perfect.

    Reply
  12. Tim says

    February 6, 2023 at 6:55 am

    5 stars
    This looks great! I want to make this for my gf for Vday but I don’t have that pan you cooked the beef in. Does it still cook the same in a large deep non stick pan?

    Reply
    • Erin says

      March 19, 2023 at 5:21 am

      Yes I make it all the time in a big deep Sautee pan/fry pan

      Reply
  13. Dree says

    January 25, 2023 at 8:22 am

    Hi! I can’t wait to try this with the slow cooker. Do we add the pooled juices if using a slow cooker?

    Reply
    • Pam Fincher says

      May 23, 2023 at 12:19 am

      Yes it will cook and add some of that deep flavor you want

      Reply
  14. Henk says

    January 17, 2023 at 3:06 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe and full of flavour

    Reply
  15. Jo Ruksenas says

    January 14, 2023 at 8:54 pm

    Just so delicious. Made it with lasagne sheets because I couldn’t find papardelle. Told everyone it was deconstructed lasagne. They didn’t even notice the bechamel was missing. Thanks, Nagi!

    Reply
  16. Scott says

    January 14, 2023 at 3:17 pm

    I only review recipes where I followed it to a T. I can’t stand when people review something and give it a poor review when they used different methods and ingredients. My only change however, was adding a bit of oregano and using pecorino to finish off instead of Parmesan. The meat came out juicy. The sauce was an explosion of flavor. Overall, I’d say this is definitely a 5 star recipe. Keep it simple and let each flavor shine instead inundating it.

    Reply
  17. Vicky says

    January 5, 2023 at 10:10 am

    5 stars
    Vile winter night in Ontario Canada. Rain is lashing down and this recipe has been in the slow cooker for 8 hours. Used San Marzano whole tomatoes and crushed them by hand before adding. It’s been cooled down and is about to be reheated. Pasta ready to go, home made baguette in the oven and a green salad tossed. I tasted the cool sauce and wow: this is going to be good – It pulled beautifully. This one is definitely a make again/keeper.

    Reply
  18. Sez says

    January 4, 2023 at 12:56 pm

    Best pasta I’ve ever made. SO yummy and SO easy. I used oyster steak instead of chuck steak. Tastes even better the next day.

    Reply
  19. Stephanie says

    December 31, 2022 at 2:34 am

    5 stars
    I’ve made this twice now on the stovetop, so amazing! Also love that it provides a second meal for the freezer, it freezes wonderfully and makes for a quick weeknight meal.

    Reply
  20. Nicole n says

    December 30, 2022 at 1:56 am

    5 stars
    This was the best pasta I’ve ever made and I cook A LOT. Truly incredible. I did cook it for a few hours instead of 2 but didn’t change a thing! I made it for a dinner party and it was a HUGE hit.

    Reply
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