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Beef Ragu Pasta

Beef Ragu Pasta

Beef Ragu Pasta is the ultimate comfort food—rich, hearty, and deeply satisfying. Slow-cooked beef melts into a velvety tomato-based sauce, coating every strand of pasta with irresistible flavor. Perfect for family dinners, special occasions, or a cozy night in.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 620
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Ragu Sauce
  • 1.2 kg chuck beef or other slow-cooking beef cut, cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 tbsp salt plus freshly cracked black pepper, for seasoning
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup carrots, diced (about 2 medium carrots)
  • 1 cup celery, diced (about 2 stalks)
  • 800 g canned crushed tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled (or beef stock concentrate)
  • 250 ml beef stock substitute for red wine
  • 375 ml water
  • 0.75 tsp dried thyme or 3 fresh sprigs
  • 3 leaves dried bay leaves
To Serve
  • 500 g pappardelle or other pasta of choice
  • to taste freshly grated Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • optional fresh parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Method
 

  1. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then season generously with salt and black pepper.
  2. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Sear beef on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.
  3. Lower heat to medium-low. Add remaining olive oil, garlic, and onion. Sauté 2 minutes. Add carrots and celery, cook 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, beef stock, water, bouillon cubes, thyme, and bay leaves. Return beef to pot and bring to a gentle simmer.
  5. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours until beef shreds easily (or 8 hours in slow cooker, 1 hour in pressure cooker).
  6. Remove beef, shred with forks, return to sauce. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes until thickened.
  7. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and ½ tsp sugar if needed to balance acidity.
  8. Cook pasta in salted boiling water 1 minute less than package directions.
  9. Transfer pasta into skillet with ragu. Add ¾ cup pasta water. Toss over high heat 1–2 minutes until sauce coats pasta.
  10. Serve hot topped with Parmesan and parsley.

Notes

Use beef stock instead of red wine for an alcohol-free version. Add a Parmesan rind while simmering for extra depth. Pappardelle holds the ragu best, but tagliatelle or fettuccine are good alternatives. The ragu tastes even better the next day and freezes beautifully.