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Beef Ragu is a delicious pasta sauce with very beef-forward flavor! It’s cooked low and slow in the oven until fork-tender with deep, rich flavor.
What is Ragu?
Ragù (pronounced ra-GOO) is an all-encompassing term for an Italian meat-based sauce served with pasta. It can be made with beef – as we did in today’s Beef Ragu recipe – or a variety of other meats, plus aromatics such as onions and garlic, wine, and tomatoes.
The key difference with a ragu versus other Italian pasta sauces is that the flavor is very meat-forward even if there is tomato sauce in the recipe.
A ragu is braised for a long time, so the flavors have a chance to deepen and meld together, and the meat becomes super tender.
Side note: French cuisine also has a ragout (pronounced the same way) but it’s more of stew with larger pieces of meat and vegetables. It can be served with potatoes, over polenta, or as a standalone dish.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beef Chuck – This is a cut of beef from the front shoulder area of the steer. There are 13 different cuts from the shoulder, but the boneless chuck roast is best for this type of recipe. It’s a budget-friendly cut with a lot of flavor, so it is ideal for a recipe with a long, slow cooking process like this Beef Ragu.
- Oil – For searing the meat and sauteing vegetables. We cook with a light olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Yellow Onion
- Fresh Garlic
- Canned Whole Tomatoes
- Beef Stock – Canned or homemade.
- Red Wine – We used a Cabernet, but any bold red wine will work.
- Seasonings – Kosher salt, black pepper, dry oregano and dry basil.
- Rigatoni Pasta – Or other favorite sturdy pasta shape.
- Tomato Paste
Tips & Tricks
- While beef chuck is an ideal cut of beef for this recipe, you can also use 7-Bone Pot Roast (remove bones after cooking), Arm Pot Roast, Blade Roast or Under Blade Pot Roast. All of these come from the shoulder area of the streer.
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Beef Ragu
Beef Ragu is a delicious pasta sauce with very beef-forward flavor! It’s cooked low and slow in the oven until fork-tender with deep, rich flavor.
Ingredients
2 pounds beef chuck roast
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons light olive oil, or vegetable oil
½ cup red wine
1 large yellow onion, trimmed and cut in half top to bottom and cut into half-moon thick slices
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 cups of beef broth or stock
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes (We like Cento brand San Marzano tomatoes)
1 teaspoon dry basil
1 teaspoon dry oregano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
12 ounces of dry rigatoni, or any other tube-shaped thick pasta with ridges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Salt and pepper both sides of the beef.
- Heat Dutch oven over high heat and add the oil.
- Sear the seasoned beef on all sides then remove it to a platter.
- Lower heat to medium and add red wine to deglaze. Stir and scrape bottom with a wooden spoon and cook until most of the wine has evaporated.
- Place onions and garlic into the pan, along with broth, canned tomatoes. basil, and oregano.
- Add the beef back in and push it down to submerge.
- Heat just until the liquid starts to bubble. Cover and place it into the oven for three hours.
- 15 minutes prior to the beef being done, start cooking the rigatoni in salted water.
- Remove the pot from the oven and using tongs, remove the beef to a platter and shed with two forks.
- Add the tomato paste and Parmesan cheese to the pot and stir with tongs to break up the whole tomatoes and stir in the paste and cheese.
- Drain the rigatoni but save a cup of pasta water.
- Pour drained pasta back into the pot it was cooked in and add the shredded beef as well as the sauce and stir to combine.
- Add some pasta water if it is too thick or if the pasta needs additional cooking.
- Serve with more Parmesan cheese over portions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Beef Ragu ahead of time? You can cook the beef ahead of time, but we suggest waiting to cook the pasta until just before serving.
- How do I store leftovers? Store sauce covered in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- How do I reheat leftovers? Reheat sauce in a saucepan or microwave.
- Can I made Beef Ragu in a slow cooker? Technically yes, but we feel the oven-braised cooking method will yield the best and most developed flavor.
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