Beef ragu is slow-cooked comfort at its best: tender, fall-apart beef in a rich red wine and tomato sauce that becomes silky and clings to every ribbon of pasta. It takes roughly 10 minutes to prep, then you let the oven or slow cooker do the work while the flavours deepen.
“This recipe has become a firm favourite in our family! Rich and so flavourful — my kids cannot get enough!”
– Maria Georgiou
Nicky’s Notes
This is the ragu I make for cosy weekends; the leftovers are perfect for quick midweek meals. The sauce has a balanced savoury profile — tomato depth, proper beefiness and a touch of sweetness from the soffritto — and a silky texture that wraps the pasta instead of drowning it.
My favourite part is the leftovers. Seeing a portion in the freezer feels like finding money in an old coat pocket.
I don’t always serve it with pasta the second time: it works in burritos, stirred with a little cream and served with sautéed potatoes, or spooned over spicy couscous for lunch. The possibilities are endless.
But served with a mountain of pasta and a sprinkling of parmesan? I could eat that every day.
Table of Contents
- Nicky’s Notes
- 📋 What do we need?
- 🥩 Best beef cut for ragu
- 🍷 Which wine for Beef Ragu?
- 🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
- Batch Cooking & Leftovers
- 🍽️ What to serve with beef ragu
- Slow Cooker Instructions
- 📺 Watch how to make it
- Beef Ragu Recipe
- 🍝 More Italian-inspired recipes
📋 What do we need?
🥩 Best beef cut for ragu
I use inexpensive braising or stewing steak — often labeled chuck. It comes from the forequarter (neck, shoulder blade, upper arm). It’s a tougher cut with lots of connective tissue that needs long, slow cooking to break down and become tender, and it gives great flavour.
🍷 Which wine for Beef Ragu?
I use an affordable red such as Merlot, Malbec or Shiraz — no need for an expensive bottle. The main flavours come from the beef, stock and vegetables. If you prefer not to use alcohol, omit the wine and add a little extra stock.
🧑🍳 Abbreviated Recipe
Full recipe with detailed steps is in the recipe card below.
- Coat the beef in flour, salt and pepper, then brown it in a hot pan with oil.
- Add finely chopped onions, carrots, celery and garlic; cook a few minutes until softened.
- Stir in tomato purée and red wine, turn up the heat and bubble for a couple of minutes, scraping any browned bits from the pan.
- Add tinned tomatoes, beef stock and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover and cook in the oven for 3–4 hours until the beef is very tender.
Remove from the oven, stir, then serve with pasta and a sprinkling of parsley and parmesan.
Batch Cooking & Leftovers
- Make-ahead: Cool the ragu quickly, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium heat until piping hot.
- Freeze: Portion into one- or two-person containers, cool, then freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stove, adding a splash of water or stock if needed to restore silky texture.
- Tips: Label and date containers, freeze flat for quicker thawing, and stir occasionally while reheating to distribute heat evenly.
This slow-cooked beef ragu is comfort food done right.
🍽️ What to serve with beef ragu
Dunk the pasta in the casserole to coat it in sauce, then transfer to a bowl and spoon extra sauce and meat on top. This ragu pairs well with:
- Cooked pappardelle or your favourite pasta
- Sautéed potatoes
- Garlic and parmesan green beans
- Homemade garlic bread or a crusty artisan loaf for dunking
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Reduce stock to 480ml (2 cups) because liquid evaporates less in a slow cooker.
- Prepare the recipe up to adding the tinned tomatoes, stock and thyme. Bring to the boil on the stove, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours.
📺 Watch how to make it
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Beef Ragu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 1/4 lbs) braising beef, chopped into bite-sized cubes
- 3 heaped tbsp plain flour (all-purpose)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp oil (olive or a neutral oil)
- 2 medium onions, peeled and chopped
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into small chunks
- 3 sticks celery, chopped finely
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 2 tbsp tomato purée (tomato paste)
- 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) red wine (optional — replace with stock if preferred)
- 2 x 400 g (2 x 14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes
- 600 ml (2 1/2 cups) hot beef stock (water + stock cubes is fine)
- 1 tsp dried thyme
To Serve:
- Cooked pappardelle or your favourite pasta
- Finely grated parmesan
- Small bunch parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F (fan).
- Toss the beef with the flour, salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large casserole. Brown the beef in batches so it gets a good colour.
- Add the onions to the beef and cook on low for 3–4 minutes until they start to soften.
- Add carrot, celery and garlic and cook for another two minutes.
- Stir in the tomato purée, then add the wine, increase the heat and let it bubble for a couple of minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pan.
- Add chopped tomatoes, hot beef stock and thyme. Bring to a boil, stir, cover and transfer to the oven.
- Cook in the oven for 3–4 hours until the beef is very tender. Check occasionally and add a splash of boiling water if the sauce looks too dry.
- Serve with pappardelle. Either toss the pasta through the sauce or pile the pasta onto a plate and spoon sauce on top. Finish with parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Slow cooker?
Reduce the stock to 480ml (2 cups). Prepare to the point of adding tinned tomatoes, stock and thyme, bring to the boil, then transfer to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6–8 hours or high for 4–5 hours.
Make ahead
Yes — cool quickly, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently until piping hot.
Freeze
Cool quickly, portion and freeze. Defrost overnight in the fridge (larger portions take longer) and reheat on the stove until piping hot.
Scaling
You can double or halve the recipe. If halving, watch for dryness in the oven and add stock if needed. If doubling, add a little extra time for browning and another 30–60 minutes in the oven for the meat to become fall-apart tender.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 12 g |
Protein: 37 g |
Fat: 14 g |
Saturated Fat: 7 g |
Cholesterol: 97 mg |
Sodium: 518 mg |
Fiber: 2 g |
Sugar: 6 g
Nutrition information is an approximation.
This beef ragu recipe was first published in July 2017 and has been updated since with new photos, tips and improvements.
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Some links in the original post may be affiliate links. Nutrition information is approximate.