A budget cut of beef, simple pantry ingredients, a bit of patience and pappardelle pasta. This Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle may be the king of all pastas. It is hands down one of my all time favourite pastas ever!
Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce
There’s this annoying thing that’s been a thorn in my backside all my working life. This thing called pride.
I’m not a professional food photographer, or food stylist, videographer or a chef for that matter. But that doesn’t matter. What does matter is being proud of everything that I have on my website, knowing that even if there are people out there who can take better photos and make better videos, that I’ve done the best I can do and I’m proud of what I’m sharing.
3 years into blogging with over 500 recipes, I still get butterflies when I hit Publish on a new or updated recipe.
And having rewritten, rephotographed and made a video for this Shredded Beef Ragu which I first shared over 2 years ago, yes I’m going to have butterflies when I hit Publish on this (again!) because it’s one of my all time personal favourites. 🙂
I have a weakness for all things slow cooked, but hands down this shredded beef ragu is one of my all time favourites. I’d dare say I love it even more than traditional Ragu Alla Bolognese. It’s the shredded beef that seals the deal for me. The way it soaks up the sauce and clings to the pasta. It’s an absolute ripper!
I’m pretty sure I first learned how to make Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle from Lidia Bastianich. Years ago, her show “Lidia’s Italy” was one of the few cooking shows on free-to-air TV and I used to watch them over and over again. Almost everything I know about Italian cooking (including the reason why I was hunting down Kale a decade before it became “cool”) is because of Lidia Bastianich. Old school, real deal Italian. 🙂
Best Pasta to serve with Ragu
The question of what type of pasta to serve with different pasta sauces is a question that I get asked quite regularly. Generally, most pasta sauces will pair perfectly well with most common pasta types, like spaghetti, fettuccine, linguine, penne / ziti, macaroni, shells etc.
And while this Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce will be great with any type of pasta, the best pasta for a rich sauce like this ragu is pappardelle. This wide, flat pasta is especially great for this recipe because the shredded beef clings to the wide strands.
For pappardelle, I am quite particular about which brand I use because I’ve had problems in the past with uneven cooking. I use San Remo which is a well known trusted brand here in Australia. The pappardelle is bundled into nests so they are fully submerged when dropped into boiling water, and the nests are loose enough so the bubbling water separates the strands and the pappardelle cooks evenly.
You’ll find San Remo pappardelle at all the major supermarkets as well as fresh produce stores and delis. And here’s a photo for size context – giant pasta in my Baby Hands…..
Oh – and the other reason San Remo Pappardelle is my pasta of choice for ragu is because it’s an egg pasta. The addition of egg makes the pappardelle stronger so it doesn’t break when tossed in the thick, rich sauce.
If you’ve just invested hours of patience, slow cooking the sauce to tender perfection, you’ll make me cry if you just dump cooked pasta in a bowl and spoon over the sauce. And the entire nation of Italy will cry with me. 😉 Please promise me you will toss the ragu with the pasta before serving! It is worth it, I promise. Look how every strand of the pappardelle is beautifully coated in that luscious ragu!! – Nagi xx
Watch How To Make It
Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Sauce with Pappardelle recipe video!
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Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta
Ingredients
Ragu
- 1.2kg / 2.5 lb chuck beef or other slow cooking beef cut, cut into equal 4 pieces (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp salt
- Black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 1 onion , diced
- 1 cup carrots , diced (Note 2)
- 1 cup celery , diced (Note 2)
- 800g / 28oz crushed canned tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled (Note 3)
- 1 cup / 250ml red wine , full bodied (like merlot, cabernet sauvignon), or sub with beef broth/stock
- 1 1/2 cups / 375 ml water (Note 3)
- 3/4 tsp dried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 dried bay leaves
To Serve (Not all Sauce is used)
- 1 lb /500g dried pappardelle , or other pasta of choice (Note 4)
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano
- Fresh parsley , finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper
- Sear Beef: Heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high heat in a heavy based pot. Add beef and sear each piece aggressively on all sides until very browned (3 – 5 minutes in total), then remove onto a plate.
- Turn stove down to medium low and add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
- Soffrito: Add garlic and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrots and celery and sauté slowly for 5 minutes.
- Add remaining Ragu ingredients and return the beef to the pot (including pooled juices). Turn the stove up and bring it to a simmer, then turn it down to low so it’s bubbling very very gently. (Note 7)
- Slow cook: Cover the pot and let it cook for 2 hours or until beef is tender enough to shred. (Note 5 for slow cooker and pressure cooker).
- Shred: Remove beef then coarsely shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes until sauce is reduced and thickened – beef will soften slightly more during this step.
- Final season: Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning to your taste with salt and pepper. ALSO, add 1/2 tsp sugar if sauce is a bit sour for your taste (Note 6). Place the lid on and set aside until ready to serve (it’s even better the next day and freezes well for months!).
To Serve (Note 4):
- Bring a very large pot of water with 1 tbsp of salt to the boil.
- Add pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the recommended cooking time as per the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, place 5 cups of the Ragu in a very large fry pan, dutch oven or use 2 normal size fry pans. Heat over high heat while the pasta is cooking.
- When the pasta is ready, transfer it directly from the pot into the fry pan using tongs.
- Add 3/4 cup of pasta water into the fry pan.
- Gently toss the pasta (I use 2 wooden spoons) for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce water evaporates and leaves you with a thick Ragu sauce that coats the pasta.
- Yell for your family to sit down at the dinner table because you need to serve it immediately!
- Serve with plenty of freshly grated parmesan, or even better, with parmigiano reggiano.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Today’s recipe is brought to you with thanks to San Remo. When they asked if I would consider showcasing one of their products in a recipe, it seemed meant-to-be because I wanted to republish this Slow Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu and in fact, I had made the video using San Remo pappardelle pasta before they approached me! I figured it was a sign. ❤️ San Remo is Australia’s most well known pasta brand and is available at supermarkets all around Australia, including the pappardelle I recommend using for this recipe.
Life Of Dozer
Pappardelle pup. (Try saying that 10 times real fast after a few glasses of wine.)
Nagi, I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. Beyond delicious. I was meant to be cleaning the kitchen afterwards but ended up standing next to the slow cooker helping myself to additional spoonfuls (and by spoon I mean giant serving spoon) until there was hardly enough left for a second meal!
So pleased you enjoyed it James! Thanks for letting me know! N xx❤️
Amazing recipe. Made it for the first time last winter. I decided to make this for the second time today and it presently cooking away slowly. It’s a cold melbourne good friday, my heater is on and my cosy apartment is filling with the delicious aroma. Can’t wait for dinner tonight!
Ooooh! This is my FAVORITE slow cooked pasta, I hope you love it! 🙂 N xx
I plan to cook this in a slow cooker. Do you still suggest cutting the beef into 4 pieces? Thanks!
Hi Nichole! Yes, that way you won’t end up with enormously LONG shreds when you shred it! 🙂
I made this as a ragu the first time….delicious! The second time I cut the beef into smaller cubes, used less water and added red wine and made it as a stew. The timing was pretty much the same, I found. I cooked potatos, onion, and carrots separately and added them at the end. The vegetables still had their inherent flavor but were covered in the lovely sauce.
Thought I’d share in case someone else was wondering.
Thanks Nagi!
Thanks so much for sharing that tip Carol! So pleased to hear you enjoyed this 🙂 Been meaning to republish this for a while with a video, it’s so good I want to SHOW everyone how incredible it is with more than just photos!! 🙂
I have grass fed brisket flat (leaner part of the brisket). Would you recommend using for this recipe?
Thanks!
Hi Mike! It will shred great but will be a bit leaner, I would still use it 🙂
This is awesome. I used chuck steak (very big pieces) and 50/50 red wine / water. Cooked it for 4.5 hours by which time the beef shredded under normal stirring. Really, really good. And so easy. Thank you Nagi
Woo hoo! I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed it Richard, thanks for letting me know! N x
This recipe was our Valentine’s Day dinner. I’m so happy I found this recipe because it is excellent. I followed the directions exactly, including the soffritto, and could not have been happier with the results! Thank you for sharing your talents.
I’m so pleased to hear that Hildy, thanks for letting me know! N x
I made this over the weekend and I have to say that in almost 35 years of cooking for my family, this is the best pasta sauce I have ever made. Rich, luscious and simply delicious. I was amazed at the flavour, considering just the addition of bay leaves – I did however add the carrot and celery ‘soffritto’ as recommended. I served it over home-made gnocchi and it was sensational. Summer here in Melbourne but I think this comfort food can be eaten whenever you please – even when it’s 38 degrees! Thanks for a great recipe Nagi.
Fantastic to hear Donna, what a compliment! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Hello! I would like to make this in the slow cooker but have a question. Would you recommend searing the meat before hand or even cooking the veggies slightly before. Or can I literally throw it all in at the same time and let it do its thing? Thanks!
Hi Amanada! I really recommend searing 🙂 Adds so much extra flavour! The recipe has slow cooker directions when it comes to the simmering part 🙂 Hope that helps!
Hi Nagi! I’m Candice and one of your newest fans! Just wanted to know if I can use a huge a big wok instead of the fry pan for the emulsifying part?
Hi Candice! Absolutely! I actually do that when I want to make large quantities – easier to toss! Works best on gas flame though because of smaller base area 🙂
Making this for the third time so whilst it’s on the hob I thought i would comment.
I’ve tried quite a few ragu recipes but this is definitely my favourite and now my ‘go to’ recipe here in the UK so thank you Nagi!
To make it even more luxurious i substitute 1/3 of the water with red wine. Yum.
So anyone that’s scanning comments before deciding to make it – do it! Nagi’s recipe is easy and delicious.
I’m glad you love this recipe too Paddie! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Can I what the cup measurement is? The cup I have is 250ml, is this correct?
Hi Sam! Yup, one cup is 250ml 🙂
Made this tonight, it was amazing! The sauce was really rich and I have some to freeze for another day!
So glad to hear that Sam! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Just tried this for lunch today…. so we ate this in the middle of a hot summer day but I don’t even care. That sauce is so rich and delicious that I wanted to swim in it (is that gross? Sorry!). Thanks for sharing!!
That’s not gross at all! And I am totally with you – I don’t let the weather dictate what I eat! So glad you enjoyed this Phyllis, thanks for letting me know! N x
Can this be done in a cast iron Dutch Oven in the oven? If so, what temp and how long?
Hi Rob! Perfect for a dutch oven 🙂 I’d say 2 hours at 300f/150C, then another 30 minutes uncovered. Just watch the water level when uncovered, that’s why I prefer to do this on the stove. 🙂
Hi Nagi,
We recently tried this recipe and LOVED it! Your notes on using the slow cooker were spot on, so thanks for including them. And you’re right, the leftovers did freeze quite well!
I’m so glad to hear that K! Thank you for letting me know! N x
Hi Nagi, can I ask why you chose not to include herbs (apart from bay leaves) ? I see many ragu recipes with added herbs like thyme or rosemary or parsley… Did you do a test and they taste better without? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca! To be honest, the sauce is so rich and complex that I just don’t feel it adds anything more / isn’t needed. The flavour of herbs is very subtle with slow cooked dishes, unless you use loads like bouquet garnis in French dishes, or if you use strong flavoured herbs like rosemary and thyme sprigs. But you can definitely add herbs if you want a hint of flavour!
Thanks for your reply. I can’t wait to give this recipe a go this weekend. 🙂
It was really yummy my kids gobbled it all up. I was out of beef broth sooooo i subbed some beer I had in the fridge. Sam adams cherry wheat. Added a little suga. Next time i will definitely use the slow cooker. My rump roast could have used a little extra cook time but it worked!
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it Lahunha, thanks for letting me know! N x
I bought a beef chuck cross rib roast 3.5 lbs. that I will cut in big chunks size of baseball. Should I do a recipe and a half for the size of meat. I’m having a dinner party for 6 males and didnt know if 2.5 lb of meat was enough?
Hi Charlene! Yes you can multiply the recipe 🙂 For boys it’s always wise to make MORE!!
It was a big hit. I used rotini noodles. For leftovers of the sauce with meat I added diced carrots, zucchini, peas and made a shepherd pie and top with mashed potatoes. Yum. Thank you agaiin.
Woo hoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed this Charlene, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Have leftover beef roast – wasn’t very tender. Can I start with that? Will it affect the flavor? If I can, how long do you recommend to “cook” roast in sauce? Or do you have any other ideas for something similar? Thanks – Deb
Hi Deb! Using leftover beef that’s not tender isn’t the best for this, I’m sorry to say! But you could definitely try it – just add all the sauce ingredients and simmer to try to soften your beef. 🙂
I made this for dinner tonight, using a cheap piece of potroast, but I used tagliatelle instead of spaghetti, and I opted to use the beef stock and water combo in lieu of boullion. Unbelievably good! The sauce took on a creamy texture and taste when combined with the pasta in the pan. I can’t wait to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this Kevin! Thanks for letting me know! N x