Description
This beef ragu recipe is a comforting, deeply flavorful dish featuring tender chuck roast braised in a rich crimson tomato sauce, served over wide pappardelle pasta. It’s designed for a cozy family dinner, filling your home with an inviting aroma.
Ingredients
- 2.75 lbs boneless beef chuck roast
- 1 lb pappardelle pasta (use gluten-free for GF meals)
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (Crimson Tomato variety)
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry red wine (or beef broth)
- 3 cups beef broth (low-sodium often used)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste (for serving)
- 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare And Sear Beef: Cut the chuck roast into roughly 2-inch pieces. Season generously with 1 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp pepper, ensuring each piece is coated evenly. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven on medium-high. Sear beef until browned (3-4 min/side) in batches; remove and set aside.
- Build Flavor Base: Add another 1 Tbsp olive oil if needed, then sauté diced onion, carrots, and celery until softened (5-7 minutes). Stir in minced garlic, fresh rosemary, and fresh thyme, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze And Simmer Ragu: Pour in 1 cup red wine (or beef broth), scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer until liquid reduces by half (about 5 minutes). Return the seared beef to the pot. Add crushed tomatoes, 3 cups beef broth, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours, until the beef is fork-tender. Stir occasionally (add 0.25 cup more beef broth if sauce looks dry).
- Shred And Thicken Ragu: Remove bay leaves from the pot. Take the beef out and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded beef to the pot. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes to thicken slightly until it (coats the spoon).
- Cook Pasta And Serve: While the ragu finishes, cook pappardelle according to package directions until al dente. Serve generous portions of the hot beef ragu over the pasta, garnished with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
If ragu is too thin, simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes; if too thick, add 1-2 Tbsp beef broth or pasta water. For a red wine substitute, use extra beef broth and 0.5 tsp balsamic vinegar. For high-protein, add 1 cup cooked lentils or increase beef to 3.5 lbs. For gluten-free, use GF pasta or serve over zucchini noodles/polenta. For dairy-free, omit Parmesan or use nutritional yeast. This ragu can be prepared in a slow cooker (6-8 hours on low after searing) and is great for meal prep.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 205 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (approx 250g)
- Calories: 550 calories
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
Keywords: beef ragu, pappardelle, comfort food, family dinner, slow cooked, tomato sauce, Italian, easy, hearty, braised beef