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Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is rich, tender, and fall-apart delicious. Let your slow cooker do all the work while you go about your day, then come home to a deeply satisfying, ready-made home-cooked dinner.
This is my favorite way to cozy up on a cold winter’s day—with warm, bold flavors and comforting aromas. Beautifully browned beef simmers low and slow, infusing this rustic and versatile sauce with incredible depth and richness.
How To Make Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
- Prep the Beef: Cut the beef into 4 large chunks for even cooking. Trim off any excess fat to keep the sauce rich but not greasy.
- Sear for Flavor: Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sear each piece of beef for about 5 minutes per side until browned, then transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Sauté Aromatics: Using the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed. Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds until fragrant, then add the onion and cook until softened and translucent.
- Combine in Slow Cooker: Transfer the garlic and onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, broth, wine, bouillon, herbs, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and sugar.
- Cook Low and Slow: Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours. The beef should be tender and easily pulled apart with a fork.
- Thicken the Sauce: For a thicker ragu, stir in the cornstarch and water mixture. Cover and cook on high for another 30 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Shred the Beef: Remove the beef from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pot and mix it well into the sauce.
- Serve and Enjoy: Spoon the ragu over your favorite base—pasta, polenta, mashed potatoes, or even zucchini noodles. Garnish with Parmesan or fresh herbs, if desired.
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is incredibly versatile and pairs beautifully with a range of comforting sides. For a classic Italian-style dinner, serve it over wide ribbons of pappardelle or fettuccine—the sauce clings to every strand. You can also spoon it over creamy mashed potatoes or buttery polenta for an extra cozy twist.
If you’re looking for something lighter, zucchini noodles or roasted spaghetti squash make a great low-carb base. Add a side of crusty garlic bread to soak up that rich tomato sauce, and finish the meal with a simple green salad tossed in balsamic vinaigrette to balance the richness.
What Makes This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Work
The secret to this Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is in the low and slow cooking. As the beef gently simmers for hours, it breaks down into tender, juicy shreds that soak up every bit of the rich tomato sauce. That deep, meaty flavor you crave from a good ragu? It all happens effortlessly in the slow cooker.
What really sets this recipe apart is its versatility. It’s hearty enough for a cozy winter dinner but elegant enough for entertaining.
What Goes Into This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is all about rich, slow-simmered flavor and melt-in-your-mouth beef. With just a few pantry staples and a good cut of slow-cooking beef, you’ll have a comforting sauce that’s perfect over pasta, polenta, or mashed potatoes.
- Beef Brisket or Round Roast: A well-marbled, slow-cooking cut that becomes beautifully tender and easy to shred after hours in the slow cooker.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Two cans of crushed or diced tomatoes form the rich, hearty base of the sauce, soaking up all that meaty flavor.
- Red Wine or Beef Broth: Adds depth and richness to the ragu. Use red wine for a more robust flavor, or broth for an alcohol-free version.
- Garlic and Onion: The aromatic foundation that brings warmth and balance to the tomato-based sauce.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements
WATCH US MAKE RAGU HERE:
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Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
- 4 pounds beef brisket or round roast, or any slow cooking beef of your choice, trimmed of fat
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic finely copped or minced
- 28 ounce tomatoes crushed or diced, 2 cans
- 1/2 cup red wine or beef broth / stock
- 1/2 cup beef broth stock
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1-2 teaspoons salt adjust to your tastes
- 1 pinch cracked pepper to taste
- 1-2 teaspoons sugar adjust to your tastes
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water – optional for a thick sauce
Instructions
- Cut beef into 4 pieces. OPTIONAL FOR ADDED FLAVOUR: Heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Sear each piece of beef on both sides until browned (about 5 minutes each side). Transfer each piece to your 6qt slow cooker bowl as soon as they are seared.
- You should have left over oil in the pan (or skillet) from the beef. If not, add 1 tablespoon of (extra) oil to the pan. Fry the garlic until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add the onion and fry until transparent. Add the garlic/onion mixture over the beef in the slow cooker, plus all remaining ingredients (except for the cornstarch/water mixture).
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or HIGH for 4-5 hours.The beef is ready if it falls apart easily when pulled apart with two forks.
- NOTE: If you desire a thicker sauce, stir the cornstarch/water mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes and allow to thicken.
- Shred the beef into pieces; mix through the sauce. Serve over pasta, rice, polenta, zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes! While brisket and round roast are ideal for slow cooking, chuck roast or beef cheeks also work beautifully and become incredibly tender.
Searing isn’t required, but it adds a deeper, richer flavor to the ragu. If you have the time, it’s a step worth taking.
Absolutely. Substitute the red wine with extra beef broth or stock for a family-friendly version without losing depth of flavor
I followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious.
I served it w pureed potato and thickly sliced vienna. Had plenty of leftovers so the following night I turned it into Mexican flavours etc taco seasoning and coriander, tin lentils served w rice & avocado. 5 stars..
This is chef’s kiss amazing!
Prepped it night before: Seared the meat, cooked the garlic and onions, placed in crock pot with the tomatoes, wine and spices (I omitted sugar). Placed In fridge overnight. Right before I left for work at zero dark thirty, placed it on low for 10 hours. Came home from work— walked into my kitchen which smelled like a really great Italian restaurant. I cooked fettuccine (3 mins less than what box said). I strained pasta, then I skimmed the liquid from the ragu and placed in pasta pot, returned the fettuccine OMG THIS WAS SO DIVINE!!!!
Thank you for this really easy way to get a hearty and delicious meal prepared on these busy work nights and varsity football nights (iykyk, parents!)
I made this as directed. I have made about 10 of your recipies and none disappointed. Your lasagna made me a hero. I just want to say thank you.
Great recipe. Thanks for sharing ….
Made it yesterday, followed the recipe to a T with the exception of basal. Got a 4+lb bottom roast for $1.29 a lb., so took closer to 5 hours. Awesome!!! Served with polenta and mixed green salad with a dijon dressing, and a crusty French loaf. In the Sunday lineup!
This recipe was amazing. Everyone in a family of SEVEN loved it. SOOOOOO GOOD.
This is just about ready and I’ve just tested it, it’s a flavour bomb! Thank you so much for the recipe Karina!
Have got this cooking on high for almost 5 hours but it’s not quite pull apart yet… anxious for it to work as it smells incredible!
I don’t have cornstarch – would gelatin powder work with the same method?
Delicious recipe! We are a low carb family, so I omitted the cornflour and the sugar and neither were missed. Now my go to ragu recipe!
Everybody loved this dish
Hi there, i was wondering if i half the meat as its only for 1 person do i half the liquid too?
Thank you 🙂