Slow-cooked boneless beef ribs are added to the crockpot with wine, vegetables, and herbs to create a flavorful crockpot beef ragu sauce recipe. Tender, fall apart beef is mixed with a delicious tomato sauce.
It is a hearty, comfort food meal that pairs well with pasta, polenta, and breadsticks. For a low-carb meal, you can serve this over spaghetti squash.
What we love about this Beef Ragu Recipe
- hearty – this sauce is a stick-to-your-ribs sauce that’s hearty and filling.
- flavorful – by searing the beef and adding in red wine and balsamic, the sauce becomes incredibly flavorful.
- make ahead – It is a great make-ahead meal. The next day it will thicken and flavors will intensify.
- versatile – it pairs well with a variety of things. You can add it as a sauce to pasta, serve it on polenta or rice, or even as an open-faced sandwich on french bread.
- low carb – this sauce only has 12g of carbohydrates per serving. You can serve it over spaghetti squash or zoodles for a low-carb meal.
Beef Ragu Slow Cooker Ingredients
- boneless beef ribs
- salt and pepper
- oil (I use avocado oil)
- red wine
- crushed tomatoes
- tomato paste
- carrots
- onion
- garlic
- balsamic vinegar
- sugar
- dried oregano
- fennel seeds
- marjoram
- dried basil
How to make Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Detailed instructions and measurements to make beef ragu sauce are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Take the boneless ribs and season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the ribs on all sides. You are not trying to cook them through, just a quick sear on each side.
- Remove the ribs from the pan and add the carrots, onion, and garlic. Saute briefly just until they begin to soften.
- Add the wine to the vegetable mixture and de-glaze the pan. Cook until the wine has reduced by half.
- Add the mixture to your crockpot along with the remaining ingredients. Mix to combine.
- Add the beef ribs to the crock pot and bury them in the sauce.
- Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 4-6 hours.
- Shred the beef into the sauce and mix to combine.
- Serve over your favorite pasta, polenta, or spaghetti squash! We like ours topped with fresh basil and parmesan.
Beef Ragu Crock Pot FAQ
You don’t have to sear the ribs first, but it really does add a lot of flavor. You will notice a difference.
Yes, you can. You’ll want to sear them in the same way as the boneless beef ribs. When they are done cooking, be sure to remove the bones when you shred the meat.
Any type of red wine works great as long as it isn’t sweet. Use whichever one you like best!
We like serving ours over pasta, polenta, and spaghetti squash.
Yes. The cooking time will be much less. You can make this in a Dutch oven.
Sear the beef in the Dutch oven and continue the rest of the recipe. Cover and cook the sauce over low heat for 1 hour.
I find that boneless beef ribs give the best results, but you could also use a boneless chuck roast.
A ragu sauce has a meat and minced vegetable base that has been cooked over time with wine and beef broth. It is thicker and heartier than most sauces.
How to serve Crockpot Beef Ragu
cooked pasta – Boil salted water over high heat in a large pot. Cook the pasta in the pasta water until al dente. Drain it and serve it with the ragu sauce. Pappardelle pasta pairs really well with this sauce.
spaghetti squash – Serve the beef ragu sauce over roasted spaghetti squash for a low carb dinner.
zucchini noodles – another low carb / keto option would be to serve this over zucchini noodles. They even sell them already spiralized in the store these days.
polenta – Bring salted water to a boil. Slowly pour in the polenta while constantly whisking. Reduce heat to low and simmer.
Place a lid on the pot and simmer for 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally. You can add a touch of butter or olive oil and serve topped with beef ragu.
breadsticks – we love dipping parmesan garlic breadsticks in this sauce. They soak it right up.
rice – slow cooked ragu sauce mixed with seasoned rice and a little bit of parmesan is heavenly.
gnocchi – Sautee or pan-fry your gnocchi instead of boiling it. Boiled gnocchi gets a slimy texture while sautéed gnocchi is fluffy and light.
bread – pile ragu sauce on toasted French bread halves and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Let the cheese melt and serve as an open faced sandwich.
substitutions
red wine – you can substitute the 1/2 cups of red wine with equal parts beef broth or stock. Be sure to get a flavorful, quality beef stock.
carrots – if you don’t like carrots, you can leave them out entirely. You can also replace them with spinach, celery, or turnips.
onion – you can replace the fresh onion with dehydrated onion flakes or onion powder if your family doesn’t like chunks of onion.
avocado oil – any high smoke point oil will work in this recipe.
boneless beef ribs – you can use any form of boneless beef that has a little fat to it. Some good substitutions would be beef brisket and beef roast.
How to store and freeze Beef Ragu
If you plan to freeze your ragu sauce, cook the entire dish until completed. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
Once it has cooled, store it in an airtight, freezer-safe container. You can use either a freezer zip-top style bag or a vacuum-sealed bag.
Mash it out flat, label your bag, and store in the freezer up to 6 months.
How to store Ragu Sauce in the refrigerator
Let the ragu sauce cool off and come to room temperature. Once it has cooled, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to reheat Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
From Frozen – thaw the ragu sauce overnight in the refrigerator. Once thawed, reheat in the crockpot or in a saucepan on the stove over low heat.
From Refrigerated – add the sauce to a crockpot or saucepan and heat over low until heated through.
How to lower calories or weight watchers points for Beef Ragu
- You can use a leaner cut of beef. Keep in mind that it will still need to be able to be shredded.
- Opt for a low-calorie or point-friendly wine. There are so many options out there!
- Serve it over roasted spaghetti squash. It’s so hearty that it pairs perfectly.
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Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless beef ribs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 3 whole carrots peeled and chopped
- 1/2 large onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
Instructions
- Season the boneless ribs with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and sear the ribs on all sides. You don’t want to cook them through, just a quick sear on each side.
- Remove the ribs from the pan and add the carrots, onion, and garlic. Saute briefly just until they begin to soften.
- Add the wine to the vegetable mixture and de-glaze the pan. Cook until the wine has reduced by half.
- Add the mixture to your crockpot along with the remaining ingredients. Mix to combine.
- Add the beef ribs to the crockpot and bury them in the sauce.
- Set the crockpot to LOW and cook for 4-6 hours.
- Shred the beef into the sauce and mix to combine.
- Serve over your favorite pasta, polenta, or spaghetti squash! We like ours topped with fresh basil and parmesan.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
