Restaurant-Worthy Beef Ragù at Home
As a lover of Italian food and wine, ragu has always been one of my favorites. I first experience it while working at a fine-dining Northern Italian restaurant in Milwaukee, where ragu della casa—a made-from-scratch ragu sauce tossed with hand-cut pappardelle—was not only one of the most popular dishes on our menu, but also my personal fave.
10+ years later, homemade ragu is not just my favorite thing to cook, its been tested and perfected to become one of my culinary specialties.
We’ve shared a number of amazing ragu recipes over the years. Our most popular, is our Short Rib Ragu, and today we’re giving it a little twist with this Slowly Braised Beef Ragu recipe.
Unlike pricey short ribs, affordable and accessible beef chuck roast is the star of the show in this recipe.
Once slowly braised with aromatic veggies, tomatoes, and red wine, the once-humble cut transforms into a fall-apart tender beef ragu sauce with incredible depth of flavor.
Simply toss the beef ragu with pappardelle and enjoy for a Sunday supper, special occasion dinner, or whenever you’re craving something extra cozy. Maximum flavor, minimal effort—rich and hearty comfort food truly doesn’t get better than that!
✨Quick Note! ⇢ While this ragu recipe is a bit of a project (hello, 3-hour simmer! 😍), the key ingredient here is time. Unlike quicker cooking pomodoro or marinara sauces, a low and slow braise is the best way to create a meltingly tender beef ragu sauce with insanely rich flavor. Simple, hands-off cooking at its finest!
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Quick Recipe Background ⇢ What is Beef Ragu?
Ragu is a broad term that describes a rich, slowly cooked Italian meat sauce. It’s hearty, intensely flavorful, and always all about the meat. As a meat-based sauce, ragu is much more stew-like than other Italian sauces like marinara but is still often served with pasta, gnocchi, or polenta.
You can make killer ragu sauce with almost any hearty ingredient—lamb, wild boar or pork, chicken or duck, or even meaty veggies like eggplant and mushrooms. Perhaps without knowing it you’ve likely already enjoyed one of the most famous ragu sauces—pasta bolognese with bucatini! But beef is the king of ragu.
If you’ve never made ragu before, you’re in good hands! 🤗 I’ve been cooking various ragu recipes for 10+ years, ever since I learned how to make ragu at home. It’s one of my favorite things to cook, and I’m excited to share it with you.
Key Ingredients
The best Italian dishes are all about coaxing big, bold flavors out of relatively humble ingredients. This beef ragu recipe is no exception!
What is the best meat for beef ragu? ⇢ To create the most tender and flavor sauce, choose a cut of hearty beef that will benefit from low and slow cooking. I suggest using beef chuck roast since it’s easy to find and often a more affordable option. Pre-cut stew meat is also a convenient store-bought shortcut.
Other key ingredients:
- Parmesan rind – my fall and winter freezer staple for infusing sauces and soups with rich umami flavor.
- Red wine – A bold, dry red wine stands up to the rich beef flavor in this recipe. Try an Italian wine like Chianti!
- Finishing touches – A little parmesan finishes the ragu sauce with savory depth, while a splash of heavy cream helps round out its intense flavor after the hours-long braise.
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This beef ragu recipe comes together to 3 main phases: browning, deglazing, and simmering. Each step adds depth—from browned meat to deglazed fond, and finally, a long, gentle simmer that brings everything together.
Patience is key to pulling big flavors out of a ragu’s simple ingredients. It takes some time, but the results are so worth it! The good news is most of the work is entirely hands-off—just let it simmer on the stovetop while you enjoy your day. (Or, let your oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot do the work—more on that below!)
First, Brown the Beef and Soffritto
This is where the magic happens. As you slowly brown the soffritto and meat, their flavors deepen through the Maillard reaction, a key process in creating rich, complex ragu sauce.
These steps take time, but they’re essential for building depth. Patience is key—the longer you let these ingredients brown, the more flavorful your sauce will be.
Season the beef chuck roast generously, then brown it well in olive oil. Be sure to let each side cook untouched for several minutes until deeply golden brown. Why? ⇢ A beautiful golden crust gives the beef a deep, rich flavor and also leaves flavorful browned bits on the bottom of the pan called fond (we’ll make use of this later!). For best results, make sure the beef is completely dry. Moisture is the enemy of a good, hard sear!
Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the same pot used to brown the beef chuck and cook until borderline caramelized, about 20 minutes. Then add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 5 minutes more until deeply browned. Why? ⇢ Time coaxes out all their flavors and leaves more fond in the pot which translates to big flavor in the braising liquid—letting the aromatics really brown is the difference between a good ragu sauce and a great ragu sauce.
Deglaze the Pan and Build the Ragu Sauce
Once the base ingredients are browned, deglaze with red wine, which loosens the caramelized bits from the pot and incorporates their intense flavor into the sauce.
Slowly pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits of fond from the bottom. Let the wine reduce until it’s is almost completely absorbed into the soffritto. Why? ⇢ The fond contains tons of flavor, and deglazing ensures it’s fully incorporated into the sauce.
Slowly Simmer and Finishing Touches
Once combined, the ragu is ready to simmer. Simmering the sauce for at least 2 ½ – 3 hours lets it reduce, concentrate, and develop a complex, rich flavor. This is when everything comes together, slowly melding and intensifying. The longer it simmers, the better it gets!
Add fresh herbs, bay leaves, parmesan rind, tomatoes, beef broth, and browned beef chuck to the pot. Let everything simmer on low heat for a solid 2 ½ – 3 hours. Why? ⇢ A long simmer allows all of the flavors to meld together and low and slow heat gently breaks down the connective tissue in the beef, tenderizing the meat. You’ll know the beef ragu sauce is ready when your kitchen smells heavenly and the beef shreds easily with the nudge of a wooden spoon.
Once the beef ragu sauce is slowly simmered to perfection and the beef chuck is fall-apart tender, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces and return to the sauce. Stir in heavy cream and parmesan for a luscious finish before serving with your cozy carb of choice!
Alternate Cooking Methods
I love prepping this braised chuck roast ragu with a low and slow stovetop simmer, but you can also prepare this recipe in the oven, in a slow cooker or Crockpot, or an electric pressure cooker like an Instant Pot. Check out the Recipe Notes, below, for step-by-step guidance!
Serving Suggestions: Braised Beef Ragu Pasta
What is the best pasta for beef ragu sauce? ⇢ Hearty sauces like ragu are best paired with wider, heartier pasta like pappardelle, fettuccine, spaghetti alla chittarra (flat spaghetti), or bucatini (tubular spaghetti with the best chewy texture!). You can even make your own pappardelle using our homemade pasta recipe. If you prefer a shorter pasta, rigatoni is a great option.
The most critical mistake I see home cooks make when serving pasta at home is plopping a beautifully braised sauce on top of a pile of pasta. Please don’t do this! You should always allow al dente pasta to quickly cook with a sauce to build a cohesive dish. This simple step is the secret to a restaurant-quality beef ragu! Learn more! ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Freezing
Braised beef ragu stores very well—its flavors get even better the longer it sits! Feel free to prep the sauce ahead of time. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Check the Recipe Notes, below, for step-by-step guidance!
We can’t wait for you to try this Braised Beef Ragù recipe! If you do, be sure to let us know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations! ♡ Happy cooking!
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Slowly Braised Beef Ragu (Stovetop, Oven, Slow Cooker, and More!)
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: serves 10–12 1x
- Category: Pasta Recipes, Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop, Braise
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
Slowly simmered Braised Beef Ragu is the ultimate Italian-inspired comfort food! Rich beef chuck roast slowly braises until meltingly tender with veggies, fresh herbs, Italian tomatoes, and red wine, creating a hearty beef ragu sauce. Simply toss it with pappardelle pasta or serve atop polenta or gnocchi for a seriously rich and comforting meal! Easy enough for a cozy Sunday dinner and delicious enough for any special occasion—date night, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, you name it!
Make Ahead-Friendly. Stove top, Oven-Braised, Slow Cooker, and Instant Pot directions provided. ♡ Happy cooking!
Ingredients
for the Braised Beef Ragu Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 ½ pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 4–6 large pieces
- 3 large carrots, peeled as desired and diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- one ¾-ounce package fresh “poultry herb blend” (or approx. 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 4 sprigs fresh sage leaves and 12 sprigs fresh thyme)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- optional: 1 parmesan rind
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth/beef stock or water
- kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season
for Braised Beef Ragu Pasta:
- 24 ounces pappardelle or pasta of choice, such as bucatini, rigatoni, or gnocchi
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- for serving, as desired: grated parmesan, finely chopped fresh basil or parsley, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.
Instructions
Braised Beef Ragu:
- Brown the beef: Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use a 5-qt Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Use paper towel to pat the surface of the beef as dry as possible, then generously season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Once the oil in the pot is shimmering hot, carefully add in the seasoned beef. Work in batches, as necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pot (which prevents browning). Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside. Repeat, as necessary, with any remaining beef.
- Brown the soffritto: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pot used to brown the beef. Once hot and shimmering, add the soffritto (carrot, celery, onion), seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper as desired. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply browned, 15-20 minutes. If the veggies begin to brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium or medium-low.
- Add the aromatics and deglaze: Add the garlic to the pot with the soffritto. Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, 1-2 minutes. Add the tomato paste to the pot, stirring to coat the soffritto. Cook 2-3 minutes, until browned. Increasing the heat to medium-high, pour the red wine into the pot. Stir constantly, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits that may have formed at the bottom of the pot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the wine is almost completely absorbed into the soffritto.
- Build and simmer the beef ragu: Tie the herbs together using kitchen twine (or finely chop if you do not have twine), then add to the pot with the bay leaves and parmesan rind (if using). Add the crushed tomatoes, broth/stock or water, and browned beef chuck from Step 1. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 2 ½ – 3 hours, or until the beef is fall-apart tender. If the beef ragu sauce begins to reduce too much (i.e. it loses too much of its liquid too quickly), feel free to add in a splash more water and/or reduce the heat further.
- Finish the braised beef ragu sauce: Carefully transfer the braised beef chuck to a plate or cutting board. At this point, you can remove and discard the spent herbs, bay leaves, and parmesan rind from the pot, as well. Use tongs or 2 forks to shred the beef into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded beef to the pot with the ragu sauce. Stir to combine. At this point, you can cool and store for later use (see Recipe Notes for storage and freezing directions), or proceed with making the beef ragu pasta (below).
Braised Beef Ragu Pasta:
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package directions. Carefully dip a liquid measuring cup into the pot, reserving about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and set aside. Carefully drain the pasta – do NOT rinse it! (Learn more ⇢ How to Cook Pasta Perfectly Every Single Time!)
- Finish the braised beef ragu sauce: Meanwhile, as the pasta boils, bring the braised beef ragu up to a simmer. Stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Continue to simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Braised beef ragu pasta: Add the cooked pasta to the pot with the braised beef ragu sauce, tossing to coat. The beef ragu should evenly coat the pasta. Add in some of the reserved pasta water if the ragu needs to loosen up a little; add in an extra handful of parmesan if it needs to tighten up a little. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to meld with and absorb some of the ragu.
- Serve: Portion the beef ragu pasta into individual pasta bowls, topping with additional grated parmesan, chopped fresh herbs, and/or crushed red pepper as desired. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make-Ahead, Storage and Freezing:
- Beef Ragu Pasta Storage and Reheating: Once assembled, beef ragu pasta will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
- Make-Ahead Beef Ragu Sauce Storage and Reheating: Beef ragu sauce stores incredibly well—it’s the type of thing that gets even better as it sits and its flavors have the chance to meld together. To store, prep the sauce through Step 5 of Recipe Directions, above. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Whip up a batch of beef ragu pasta during the week by reheating the braised beef ragu in a skillet, and completing the recipe according to “Braised Beef Ragu Pasta” Steps 1-4, above.
- Beef Ragu Sauce Freezing Instructions: Beef ragu sauce is also incredibly freezer-friendly. To freeze, transfer the cooled beef ragu sauce to a freezer container (or divide it up between multiple freezer containers for smaller portions—Souper Cubes are our fave!). Freeze up to 3 months. To thaw, place the frozen ragu in the refrigerator overnight or submerge the freezer container in room temperature water for a quicker thaw. Reheat the ragu sauce in a skillet. If the thawed ragu sauce is a little watery at first, simply allow any residual water simmer out. If the thawed ragu sauce is too thick, simply add in a splash of water or stock until your desired consistency is reached. Complete the recipe according to “Braised Beef Ragu Pasta” Steps 1-4, above.
- Alternate Cooking Methods:
- Oven Braised Beef Ragu: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-4, above. Rather than braising on the stovetop, transfer the covered pot to a 325 degree F oven. Braise in the oven for 2 ½ – 3 hours, until the beef chuck is fall-apart tender, then finish the beef ragu sauce as directed in Step 5 and complete the recipe according to “Braised Beef Ragu Pasta” Steps 1-4.
- Crock Pot / Slow Cooker Beef Ragu: Prep the recipe according to Steps 1-3, above. Transfer the soffritto mixture to the slow cooker, along with the aromatics, tomatoes, broth/stock (or water), and browned beef chuck as directed in Step 4. Slow cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 5-6 hours, stirring occasionally. Finish the beef sauce as directed in Step 5 and complete the recipe according to “Braised Beef Ragu Pasta” Steps 2-4, which you can do right in your slow cooker. If your slow cooker has a searing/browning feature, you can use it to cook the entire beef ragu sauce recipe (Steps 1-5) in the slow cooker.
- Electric Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Beef Ragu: Use your Instant Pot’s “Sauté” setting to build the sauce according to Steps 1-4, above. Cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its “venting” position to vent out any residual pressure. If the ragu seems a little too liquidy, feel free to turn on the Sauté setting again, letting the sauce simmer down a little before finishing as directed in Step 5. Complete the recipe according to “Braised Beef Ragu Pasta” Steps 2-4, which you can do right in pressure cooker pot.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: Nearly all of the active prep work for this braised beef ragu recipe comes from prepping the veggies. Take care of this in advance—it takes 10 minutes, tops—and you can jump straight in to cooking during the week:
- Prep the veggies: Dice 2 medium carrots, 1 stalk of celery, and 1 medium yellow onion. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)
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Hi there! What could I substitute the wine for? I don’t drink and don’t want to buy a whole bottle of wine for only 1 cup! Thank you!
Hi Sarah, you can substitute the wine for additional beef stock! 🙂 Another option (that I often use!) is to buy a small 500ml box of wine at the store. It’ll keep well in the fridge and you can use the leftovers for another recipe! Hope you enjoy the ragu!
Can you omit the cream at the end?
You definitely can, but we highly recommend adding it for the creaminess and to cut some of the richness of the sauce. Hope you try it out soon!
This was so so good!! So glad I made it. It is the best recipe I’ve tried. The flavor complex is amazing and the beef melts in your mouth.
Thanks so much for the kind review, Lily! We love this ragu, too!
I found this just ok, I followed the recipe exactly, accept at the very end where I only put in 1/4 cup of cream. It was already way too saucy and didn’t feel like ragu. After 2.5 hours the meat was still tough, I finally gave in at 3 hours and 15 minutes and cut the beef, it wouldn’t easy shred. It also tastes more like pot roast on noodles. I had ragu in New York that was absolutely amazing, I’ve been trying to replicate it and this just wasn’t it. I wouldn’t make this again because of the amount of work and it just being ok. I also didn’t feel like the parm rind added anything special. Not a winner in my book.
So sorry this one didn’t turn out well for you, Kris! The braising time can definitely vary – ragu is a labor of love for sure!! Hope you’re able to find a recipe that better suits your taste! 🙂
This was delicious but I found it to be more time consuming and messy than I like. My family loved it so I told them to request for their birthday dinners. The messy part was the reheating half, adding the cream, pasta etc. (We r only 4). Definitely delicious. Maybe next time I’ll do more prep in advance.
Hi Iris, we’re glad to hear that this ragu turned out great for you, despite the extra effort! Prepping in advance can definitely help things move more quickly 🙂 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!
I’ve made this recipe twice, and it was great. I made again today to serve for a family dinner tomorrow, and I’m afraid I let the soffrito get slightly burnt. There’s a slight taste when I test the sauce, but it’s definitely not overpowering. I’m hoping in cooks out during braising and after I add the cream. Do you have any suggestions as to how I can remedy this?
Hi Jacob, sorry to hear that your soffritto got a little burnt! Outside of starting fresh with new vegetables, there’s no way to undo it, but the braising and cream should definitely help with the flavor – don’t stress too much! And happy new year!
Made this tonight! Absolutely delicious and a huge crowd pleaser. Will be making again. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!!
So happy to hear that, Christina!! 🙂
This is a terrific recipe that is easy and gives impressive results. I followed the recipe closely only omitting the celery from the soffrito (I don’t care for it). I like the idea of browning the soffrito, it does seem to add another layer of flavor which is helpful since the beef is fairly robust. Do make the effort to use the parmesan rind…I use them in just about everything soup or stew like…they add a nice umami. The only real change I made was adding some balsamic vinegar at the end of the braise to correct the acid balance. It was a big hit with my foodie family…
Hi Mike! We couldn’t agree more – thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment, we’re so glad you enjoyed this Beef Ragu and hope you’ll check out our other ragu recipes soon!
I have made this 5 times in the last month because everyone who tastes it is obsessed!!! Seriously so amazing
We totally understand the obsession with this one!! 🙂 So happy to hear it’s a hit for you!
My family enjoyed this recipe. I didn’t have the fresh herbs so I used the dried poultry herb seasoning and it turned out delicious. Both my toddlers had seconds.. so it’s a win in my books.
Hi Mary, we’re so happy to hear that the dried herbs worked well for you as a substitution – and that the whole family loved the Ragu!! 🙂
Hi! This looks so good and I cant wait to make it. Will this work in my 5qt caldero or do you think I need to purchase a pot more similar to yours before cooking?
Hi Kayla, the 5qt caldero should work just fine! Can’t wait to hear what you think of the ragu! 🙂
So so good!!! Made it last night and it was a hit.. tagged you in my ig story 😉
Hi Kayla, glad to hear that you enjoyed this Ragu as much as we do! And thanks for sharing on IG! 🙂
Your recipe and detailed method helped me make a delicious dinner! (I used stewing beef due to the crazy cost of beef, and dried herbs). Thanks!
Hi Susan, so glad you were able to enjoy this Ragu!! Stew meat and dried herbs are definitely a good option for keeping things budget-friendly 🙂
Wow! 10/10! I always know I can count on PWWB for fantastic recipes. I love how Jess always explains the why behind everything, too.
Hi Rachel, this means so much to us – it’s very important to us to always share the “why,” and we’re so glad you’re part of the PWWB community! 🙂
Made this last night- SOOOO good! Fabulous recipe, Jess!
So glad to hear you loved the ragu, Cassidy!!
Thanks for this delicious recipe
You are so welcome, Shaheen! So glad you enjoyed it!
I MADE THIS RECIPE AT MY SISTER’S HOME AND SHE WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH MY COOKING.
THANKS.
WAITING FOR MORE RELATED RECIPE.
We’re so glad to hear that, Shaheen!! Thanks so much for your review!