Crock-Pot Beef Ragu with Penne and Ricotta - a hearty and effortless comfort meal! So many delicious flavors are layered into this almost-one-pot dish... tomatoes, red wine, carrots, onion, tomato paste, garlic, fresh rosemary, and thyme. This dish is sure to become a new family favorite!
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What is ragu?
Ragù is a meat-based sauce, typically served with pasta. Traditionally, it includes pieces of meat often beef roast, brisket, or pork roast that are cooked slowly on low heat in a braising liquid that has a tomato and or wine base.
Crock-Pot Beef Ragu With Penne And Ricotta, oh how I love you! Let me count the ways...
- You cook yourself - thank you!
- You're effortless - again gratzi! 🙂
- You're meaty and hearty and tomato-saucy - yum!
- There's so much of you - I can eat for days and days!
- Meat, meat, and more meat… seriously, protein overload!
- You're gluten-free - if I want you to be. I love choices!
- The clean-up is sooo simple... a saucepan, a crock-pot, and a spoon - done!
I should stop now because I want you to actually make this dish sometime this century!
This braised beef ragu recipe is comfort food at its best… cozy and warm and soo filling. You could probably turn the heat off in your house because this dish is on fire! In the best way possible.
If you love your slow cooker as I do here are some other delicious recipes to try.
Delicious Slow-Cooker Recipes
- Low Carb Slow Cooker Italian Beef
- Shredded Mexican Chicken (Instant Pot + Slow Cooker)
- Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
- Slow Cooker Creamy Southwest Chicken Soup
- Slow Cooker Goulash
I must warn you if you make this your husband or significant other may actually rub your feet, buy you gifts, & shower you with flowers.
Trust me… the way to a man's heart is through his stomach - by way of hearty, juicy meat! No joke, ladies - they are protein fiends (carnivorous maximus).
Seriously, if you want your sweetheart to clean the gutters, rake some leaves, or whatever you've put on his honey-do list that he doesn't know exists… make him this slow cooker beef ragu!
I know they say "happy wife = happy life," but I say, "happy man = happy, happy clan!"
It is part of who they are... let's embrace it!
God created them to hunt, gather, and provide... and enjoy the spoils of their labor. Serve them copious amounts of meat regularly and your life will be dreamy.
They won't ask about that Macy's bag hiding in the trunk, or those new shoes you're wearing, or how much your nails cost... no, my friend they will be in a carnivore coma.
AND completely unconscious and oblivious. So go ahead... draw a bath, turn on House Hunters International or Fixer Upper, and prop your feet up cause you're not doing dishes tonight or any other night this week!
What can I say? I'm a team playa' ... I'm lookin' out for all my gurls - and guys for that matter!
How to Make Beef Ragu in the Slow Cooker
So you start by braising a beef bottom or top round roast for 2-3 minutes a side in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Set it aside and add the tomatoes, red wine, carrots, onion, tomato paste, beef or chicken stock, bay leaves, garlic, salt and pepper, fresh rosemary, and thyme into your favorite crock-pot
. Stir it then add your roast.
Turn the crockpot on high heat and cook for 5 hours.
The meat should be fall-apart tender when it's finished cooking. Remove the roast from the crockpot and pull using two forks.
And be sure to remove any fat in the liquid that you see.
Slice your mushrooms, and add some olive oil to your large saucepan...
... and then cook them for 3-4 minutes a side over medium-high heat.
Next, pour the cooking liquids from the crock pot over the mushrooms in the saucepan, remove the bay leaves, and continue to cook.
When it starts to simmer add the pasta.
And cook for 10-12 more minutes and then add the meat.
So top this yumminess with some grated parmesan.
Add some chopped parsley and fold it all together.
Serve this Crock Pot Beef Ragu with a nice dollop of ricotta cheese - yum!
This Crock-Pot Beef Ragu is perfect for those nights when you need a hearty bowl of comfort food. Full of flavor and yummy goodness - it's sure to be a new family favorite!
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Crock-pot Beef Ragu With Penne And Ricotta
Crock-Pot Beef Ragu with Penne and Ricotta – a hearty and effortless comfort meal!
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef round center cut, bottom roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 24 ounces canned diced tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup Beef or Chicken Stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons salt and pepper
- 8 ounces uncooked pasta, (such as penne)
- 8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 3 sprigs of rosemary, finely chopped
- 5 sprigs of fresh thyme, finely chopped
- ½ cup ricotta cheese, for garnish
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the meat with 1 teaspoon salt & 2 teaspoons pepper, then braise on all sides.
- Add all ingredients into crock-pot except for the pasta, ricotta, Parmesan, and mushrooms. Cook on high for 5-51/2 hours.
- Remove meat from the crock-pot, let it cool slightly, and pull and set aside (remove any fat from the liquid and discard).
- Cook mushrooms in a large saucepan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 3 minutes a side.
- Then add all the juice from the crock pot into the saucepan, remove the bay leaves and bring to a simmer. Now add the uncooked pasta and cook for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is done to your liking (stir occasionally to ensure the pasta cooks evenly).
- Add the pulled meat to the sauce and pasta, and cook until heated about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
- Serve with dollops of ricotta cheese and enjoy!!!
Notes
You can buy tomato paste in a tube rather than a can. This is a good way to keep it on hand in the fridge and there's no waste.
If you go with canned tomato paste I recommend freezing the paste you don't use in small freezer bags or freezer-safe containers measured into tablespoons. This will also eliminate waste and you'll have it available whenever you need it.
If the sauce is too thick you can add some beef or chicken stock to the sauce to loosen it up.
Nutrition Information
Yield
10Serving Size
10 ouncesAmount Per Serving Calories 337Total Fat 12.5gSaturated Fat 4.7gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 77.7mgSodium 142.8mgCarbohydrates 24.4gFiber 3.6gSugar 4.7gProtein 20g
Amy Lustri
I made the beef Ragu tonight, and it came out magnificent. I love it, my BF loves it. It’s just one of the best recipes I’ve ever made. Thank you so much.
holly
Hi Amy! You're welcome! I'm thrilled to hear that the Ragu was such a hit. I adore this recipe so it makes me happy to hear you and the BF did as well - yay! Thanks so much for you kind review and taking the time to let me know about your experience!
Laura Vance
That was so delicious we had some last night for supper I will make it soon for my church on my night to cook in December
holly
That's awesome to hear, Laura! I'm thrilled you enjoyed it so much you want to share it with your friends. Thanks for letting me know!
Amy lustri
All I want to say is THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I made the recipe tonight for beef Ragu, it was STUPENDOUS beyond beyond belief…I actually amazed myself & my bf loved it also. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
holly
Amy! It's my pleasure! I'm so excited that the Ragu was such a big hit! This one is a favorite of mine so it's awesome to hear someone loves it like I do! Thank you so much for takin the time to leave a review.
Katarina
Wow, made this exactly as written, husband said Great Dinner! And guess what, I got a foot rub😁
holly
YESSSSSS Katarina! That foot rub was well deserved! Now you have the perfect recipe when your feet need a little love!
Beck and Bulow
I’ve made this recipe several times and have varied it a couple times if I was out of an ingredient or two. But it is delicious and my husband loves it…
holly
Yayy! Thanks so much! I'm making it again tonight myself.
Michelle Simon
WOW!
So good!!!!
I'm a failure at crockpot cooking but this was A-MAZ-ING!
I cooked the beef on Sunday, packed it all up when it was cooled off and completed the recipe on Monday for dinner. So good and so easy!
Thanks, Holly!
holly
Yayyy! I love hearing this! Especially since I know your history of crockpot failures. Good job my sista!!! Thanks for sharing your feedback. XOXO
Samantha
Looks delicious and hearty!
Tara Custalow
Looks delicious! Have you ever frozen the leftovers? I'm stocking my recipe book with freezer friendly recipes for 2016. 🙂
holly
Thanks Tara! I have not frozen this dish before but it's definitely possible. I recommend making the roast and using half of it for this recipe and half for something else later in the week like pulled beef tacos or beef pot pie. You could also freeze half of the beef by itself; just leave it in large chunks. As for freezing the Ragu, here are my recommendations: Only cook the pasta al dente, and don't put the ricotta on the portion you want to freeze only on want you will be eating. When defrosting, let it defrost fully in the fridge and then heat it up but don't cook it too long. Hope that helps! FYI - I have frozen the Tuna Cakes before and they turn out great. Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer container or ziplock.
Tara Custalow
This was one of my regular meals of 2016, and I'm making it tonight. I LOVE it! I regularly freeze half of the roast for later, or use it in tacos later in the week (taco night tomorrow!). And I have frozen it many times, leaving the noodles (and of course ricotta) out completely. I just cook the noodles in it when I'm heating it back up to serve and it works great!
holly
Hi Tara! Thanks for stopping by to share your feedback! Nothing makes me happier than to hear recipes I create are enjoyed and shared by others. Yaaaay!!👏 I love that it makes two completely different meals for your family. Less time in the kitchen and more time with those you love! Thanks again my friend - take care!