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.)
It turned out amazing. I have a gas stove, but it definitely didn’t bubble the entire time on low. I had to turn it up a couple of times and then turn it down if it seemed to be too bubbly. It’s probably a matter of sorting out this exact stove. We’re an army family, so we have to get used to all new stuff every couple of years. I think adding that clarification will help. Thanks for the quick response.
YAY! I’m SO GLAD!! 🙂
Looks wonderful! Have you ever made it with red wine? I’ve seen a lot of recipes that add wine for extra flavour. Yours doesn’t look like it needs any extra flavour, but I want to try the recipe and was wondering if wine would add or detract from the recipe…
Hi Agnes! Red wine is a wonderful addition and will make the sauce even richer. I don’t feel it is needed simply because the way this is made it creates so much flavour in the sauce, but if you wanted to add the extra dimension, feel free to add wine! I would reduce the water by 1 cup and add 1 1/2 cups of wine. Let it simmer with the lid off for an extra 10 minutes to cook out the “wine” smell before lowering heat and putting the lid on. 🙂
Looks wonderful! Have you ever made it with red wine?
Thankyou Nagi I have just found this recipe My Family are big fans of Italian food and Love Spag bog ( you can tell I’m an Aussie lol ) I cook it for them but don’t eat much my self as Minced Meat grosses me out but now I too can enjoy a Great Spag bog too The meat looks Heavenly
Kylie!! You will loooooove this….it is so much more delicious than traditional Spag Bog!! It’s posh Spag Bog – you’ll pay $20+ for this at fancy Italian restaurants!! Be sure you tell you family that when you serve it up to them 😉
Lovely dish! Would it work with a pressure cooker?
Thank you
Hi Karen! Yup, it sure will. 🙂 Follow the steps up to searing the beef and cooking the onion, then tip is all into the pressure cooker. Reduce the water from 3 cups to 2 cups and pour it into the fry pan and bring it to a boil, scraping the brown bits off and then pour all that into the pressure cooker. I think 50 minutes on high will do the job nicely. The trick will be to pour the liquid into a saucepan (or simmer it if you pressure cooker has that function) to reduce it down to a thick sauce, enough to coat the shredded beef. You’ll need to do this step because pressure cookers release no water at all so the liquid doesn’t reduce while cooking. 🙂
I hope that helps! I’ve made this in the pressure cooker and slow cooker before and the result is very very similar. 🙂
Thanks for the tips Nagi 🙂
There are few pasta sauces that beat a ragù, as far as I’m concerned. One of my absolute faves. Delish!
I’m with you John!! It is worth every second of patience while it slow cooks! 🙂
OMG! I made this recipe yesterday and it was DEElicious! I got too lazy so I didnt use the celery or carots, but even wthout them, it turned out sooo good. The only thing I did different, was to add 1-1/2 tsp of sugar to the ragu. My sister stopped by and I made her a bowl, and said “I normally don’t eat pasta, but this is excellent” – She left with a tupperware full to take home! Thank you s o much for sharing your eicious recipes!
Hi Liz! I am sooooo happy you liked it, isn’t it amazing?? Real Italian food 🙂 Ooh, you were right to add sugar to the ragu if you thought it needed it, I should have put that tip in. Passata/canned tomatoes really differ in sweetness (rule of thumb being the more expensive, the sweeter!) I must add that tip, thanks for reminding me!
And once again, thank you so much for coming back to share your thoughts on this! I am so glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
NAGI!!! Hello! What a recipe! I have a bit of frozen sofrito in my freezer that I may add? I do not know, I know I will be making this SOON! and with the oven NOT WORKING I can make on the stove top. Oh luscious thick sauced beef over pasta… I bet any pasta would do… having bits of the sauce getting inside and bursting with a bite- OH my I am hungry!
I will give you a run down on how it worked when I make, and I LOVE left overs! YOU ROCK! Lisa, writing with doors open, sun shining high 60’s in PORTLAND!!! yay!
Hello Lisa!! It is so wonderful to hear from you! I do hope you try this – I was thinking you might like it as I was making the sofrito, remembering how you told me you made huge quantities of it and froze it! Sorry to hear your oven is not working – actually, mine has been having problems lately too, taking 40 minutes to come up to temperature!
And thank you for reminding me that I have to share the leftover pasta recipes! Oooh, the fritters were delicious! An Italian friend of mine gave me that tip! 🙂
SO HAPPY to hear the sun is out in Portland! YAY!!
Have a wonderful weekend Lisa!!
G’day What mouth watering photos Nagi and great recipe!
I am hungry right now and wish I could come through the computer to try!
Cheers! Joanne
Hi Joanne! Thank you very much, you’re so kind! Hope all is well down in SA! 🙂
Nagi checking out your blog in the morning is not a good thing at all -especially when I have to go to work. This is what am going to be thinking about the whole day. Beautifully Presented – Love it!!!!!!
Ha! That’s how I feel every time I visit YOUR blog! I make the mistake of doing it just after I’ve eaten and I’m instantly hungry again! 🙂
Love the use of brisket in this! Truth is you could have put anything in it and I still would have wanted it-judging by those photos. I am salivating!
Thanks so much Abbe! Actually, you can make this with pretty much any cut of beef – ground, cubes of it, even pork is great. 🙂 I had another reader tell me she makes this with pork chops – I love the sound of that! 🙂
Wow Nagi, what a heart meal…this pasta is packed with awesome flavor…you just reminded me that I should really start to use my slow cooker.
Have a great week…and thanks for the recipe 🙂
Thank you Juliana, you are so kind! I hope you have a great week too! 🙂
I think you just made my ideal comfort dish! How amazing does that ragu sauce look!
I am sure it doesn’t compare to the top notch Italian restaurants but it’s darn good for a home style version! 🙂
Nagi – you got me again! The soffritto makes this dish! I make a ragu with ground beef and pork and bucatini pasta. Try serving the leftover ragu over soft polenta – it is GOOD! Again, thank you!
Thanks Dorothy!! I’ve made ragu with ground beef before too. To be honest, I prefer the shredded beef!! Bucatini pasta is a great match, I only had spaghetti. Not strictly correct, but nevertheless still delicious! And YES to polenta! Anytime! 🙂
Seriously?! I have NEVER seen such beautiful photos of pasta before! You are INCREDIBLE! I almost licked the screen.
Awww Jessica, you are being way too nice! 🙂 But thank you. You’ve making me blush!!
This looks AMAZING. I make a similar dish in my slow cooker with thick cut boneless pork chops, only I serve the pork chops whole. They break apart easily with just a fork. Soooooo yummm!
I never thought to make this with type of dish with boneless pork chops! What an incredible idea. I can just imagine how tender they are and the awesome flavours! I must try it one day! 🙂
You just made my day, Nagi! Was looking for some inspiring recipes to surprise my daughter and when I saw your Beef Ragu Pasta, I stopped.. know what I am cooking! Beautiful and vibrant photos 🙂
Thank you Oana, for your kind words! I hope if you try it that your daughter approves!! 🙂
Hi Nagi, this is my first time commenting but I have been reading your blog for a while now. I love your recipes, your photos are gorgeous, and your writing style is right up my alley! I can’t wait to give this a try the next time I have all of the kids over for dinner!!
Hello Bobbi- it is lovely to see you here! Thanks for your lovely words, I’m glad you like the look of this! 🙂
OMG, this dish is stunning! I can’t stopping pinning because every single picture looks perfect!
I’m so agree with you on the slow cook and cook in big batch on this one. The small portion just won’t work. I usually use the leftover to make gratin, but the fritters idea sounds amazing! Can’t wait to read it 🙂
Gratin? I was quite tired after a long day but I perked up immediately reading that….how would you do a gratin with leftover pasta??
Two super lazy ways – (1) toss pasta with beef ragu, top with cheese and bake. (2) top steamed rice with the beef ragu and cheese, then bake.
Although I’d always want to try => sliced potato, sour cream, beef ragu, cheese. But just too lazy to do this with leftover (I should though)!
The rice one is gold! I never thought of adding rice into a bake but it would totally work!! I agree, the multiple layered one would be sensational…..let’s see which of us tries it first!! 🙂
This is brilliant pantry dish made with a little love. I bet your house smelled amazing and I would love to pull up a seat, enjoy a glass of wine and delicious pasta with you! Loving those action shots and thanks so much for your guidance and support on FBC. Your the best! Sharing, of course!
So pop on a plane and come join me!! You are welcome anytime 🙂 I hope to head over to HK again soon, I will definitely drop you a line!