SLOW COOKER SHREDDED BEEF RAGU — Beef roast is slow cooked with vegetables in tomato sauce and beef broth, then served over thick noodles in this savory comfort food dish the whole family will love.
Nothing says comfort food like a hearty, slow cooked meal, and this Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Ragu is a favorite with my hungry boys!
It all starts with a big beef roast (which is always a good place to start when feeding hungry teenagers), that’s slow cooked in a mixture of vegetables, canned tomatoes, beef broth and savory seasonings.
The result is some amazingly tender, melt-in-your mouth shredded beef that’s the perfect accompaniment to hot papparadelle or egg noodles.
Really, you could serve this with any pasta, or even over mashed potatoes. Just be sure you choose something hearty as a side!
This Italian-style ragu is such a big hit with my family that it’s become one of my favorite ways to cook those tough cuts of beef, like chuck roast.
Making this dish in the slow cooker means it not only comes out tender and delicious, but it’s so easy to prepare. And although I really do recommend searing your meat first for added flavor, you can skip that step if you’re really in a hurry.
Otherwise, you really can just add the ingredients to your slow cooker and forget about it for eight to ten hours! That’s my kind of dinner prep for sure!
If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, they’re perfect for making a savory beef stew with carrots and potatoes, or rolling up in a tortilla with some shredded cheese.
Of course, with three growing boys to feed, I don’t see many leftovers around here.
But if you’re looking for a hearty and heartwarming new way to prepare a beef roast, this Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Ragu is the answer. Enjoy!
Be sure to save this Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Ragu recipe to your favorite Pinterest board for later.
Tips for Cooking Pasta
Use a big pot: Cook pasta in a large pot–big enough to hold 6 quarts of water per pound of pasta.
Salt: Generously season your cooking water with salt. A few teaspoons per quart of water is a good place to start. Although a little more or less is fine, depending on your preference.
Don’t overcook: Boil your pasta to until it is al dente, which means it’s cooked, but still a bit chewy. You’ll want to test your pasta for flavor and texture every 20 seconds or so during the last few minutes of cooking.
If you’ll continue cooking the pasta in a sauce, or baking it in the oven, remove the pot from the heat a few minutes before it’s done to prevent overcooking.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Ragu
- Beef roast
- Spices: thyme, oregano, bay leaves, salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- Produce: garlic, onion, carrots, celery
- Canned crushed tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Beef broth
- Papparedelle pasta and Parmesan cheese, for serving
Slow Cooker Shredded Beef Ragu
Ingredients
- 1 3 lb. beef roast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 2.5 cups beef broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Papparadelle noodles and grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cut roast into 3-4 chunks and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef a few pieces at a time and sear on all sides. Place beef in lightly greased slow cooker.
- In a medium bowl, stir together garlic, onion, celery, carrots, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, thyme, oregano, bay leaves and sugar. Pour over roast in slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low until beef is tender and shreds easily with a fork. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- About 15 minutes before serving, cook pasta according to package directions. Serve shredded beef and sauce over cooked noodles with Parmesan cheese for garnish, if desired.
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Nutrition
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Who Dished It Up First: Adapted from Recipe Tin Eats
4 comments
Liz
Hi would this worked if cooked on high for 4 hours or so?
Dana
So delicious! Flavor was beautiful and I wouldn’t change a thing. I did use probably just under 2 cups of broth since that’s what I had left in the fridge on hand and it was the perfect saucy-ness for pasta. Will make again.
Ann
Question: what kind of beef roast do you use? Chuck? Eye of round?
Ginger Conner
I decided to make this today and while it smells DELICIOUS, I found that using 2.5 cups of beef broth made this very liquidy. I’m going to add a little bit of corn starch in hopes that it thickens just a little bit.
Very easy recipe to prep and toss in the crockpot! It filled the house with a great aroma and had my husband saying “Is it ready yet?” every hour.
I added a touch more sugar than what the recipe called, cause the acidity from the canned crushed tomatoes was really strong.
Pretty pleased with this recipe and it’ll be something I make again with some minor personal touches!