The ragu sauce in this Crock-Pot Beef Ragu with Pappardelle Pasta is simmered away in the slow cooker all day for a rich meaty sauce that is perfect for dinner any night of the week!
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu with Pappardelle
This recipe was sent to us by reader Kimberly C. and let me tell you, when I first had this recipe come though my email I was so excited to give it a try.
I love a good beefy ragu sauce and pappardelle pasta is perfect pasta to pair with it.
The sauce is pretty easy to make, although there is a little browning of the meat first before it goes in the slow cooker. Don’t skip this part because browning the meat really adds a depth of flavor.
Trust me, I tried it both ways to compare and I found the batch where I browned the meat was far superior to the batch that I didn’t brown the meat.
Once the browning is out of the way the rest is simple, dice up some carrots and onion, mince some garlic and toss everything else in the slow cooker and let it simmer away for a good 8 hours or so (it can go longer if you are at work).
Then cook up the pasta on the stove-top, drain off the water and serve the ragu sauce over the pasta.
Some freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top and you have a fantastic dinner for the family!
Equipment Needed For Crock-Pot Beef Ragu with Pappardelle Recipe:
- 5 Quart, 5.5 Quart, 6 Quart, 6.5 Quart Or 7 Quart Slow Cooker
- Large Skillet
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Dry Measuring Cup And Spoons
- Large Pasta Pot With Strainer
Common Questions:
What Is The Best Cut Of Beef To Use In This Recipe?
The recipe as written uses beef flank steak, which is generally the least expensive steak you can buy. The flank steak will tenderize as it braises in the tomato based sauce. If you cannot find flank steak you can also use a beef flat iron steak or skirt steak.
Can I Make The Sauce Ahead Of Time?
Absolutely, feel free to make up the sauce a day or two ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it. You can either heat it up back in the slow cooker for a few hours or on the stove-top in a pan over medium-low heat until the sauce is heated through and starting to simmer.
Can I Freeze The Ragu Sauce To Use Later?
This sauce freezes beautifully. Feel free to make up a batch and once done, pop it into freezer containers for up to 6 months. When you are ready to use it, thaw the containers overnight in the refrigerator and heat the sauce up.
Can I Double This Recipe?
If you have a 6 quart or larger slow cooker, this recipe is easily doubled. In fact if you have the extra ingredients to double it I suggest doing that and serving half for dinner the day you make it and the other half stored away in the freezer for another meal.
Can I Serve The Ragu Sauce Over Other Types Of Pasta?
This beef ragu sauce pairs well with other pasta types and shapes. You can use tagliatelle, fettuccine, shells (conchiglie), penne, or rigatoni pasta all will work well with this thick meaty sauce.
More Great Crockpot Italian Recipes!
- Crock-Pot Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
- Slow Cooker Zesty Italian Soup
- Crock-Pot Creamy Tomato Basil Soup
- Slow Cooker Tortellini Soup
- Crock-Pot Pizza Sauce
Recipe Collections:
| Entree Crock-Pot Recipes | Italian Slow Cooker Recipes |
| Beef Slow Cooker Recipes | Pasta Crock-Pot Recipes |
| 5 Quart Crock-Pot Recipes | Steak Slow Cooker Recipes |
| Rating |
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| Servings | 6Servings |
| Prep Time | 20Minutes |
| Cook Time | 8Hours |
- 2 Pounds Beef Flank Steak
- 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 24 Ounces Jarred Marinara Sauce Store Bought Or Homemade
- 1 1/2 Cup Beef Stock
- 1 Cup Diced Mushrooms
- 1/2 Cup Red Wine
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion Peeled And Diced
- 2 Medium Carrots Peeled And Diced
- 3 Cloves Garlic Peeled And Minced
- 1 Whole Bay Leaf
- 1 Pound Pappardelle Pasta
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Ingredients
Servings: Servings
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- Heat a large skillet on the stove-top over medium-high heat.
- While the skillet is heating, cut the flank steak into thin strips.
- Add the olive oil to the hot pan and swirl the pan to coat the bottom with the oil.
- Add the steak and brown the meat until lightly caramelized.
- Add the browned meat to a 5 quart or larger slow cooker along with the marinara sauce, beef stock, mushrooms, red wine, onion, carrots, garlic and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours.
- During the last 30 minutes of cooking, cook the pappardelle pasta on the stove-top according to the directions on the package and drain.
- Serve the beef ragu sauce over the cooked pasta topped with Parmesan cheese if desired and enjoy!
If you would like the meat to be in finer pieces, you can shred the beef after it has cooked in the slow cooker. To do so, just use two forks to pull the meat apart into shreds.
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