By Becky Hardin
Updated May 9, 2025
Cozy, comforting, and packed with flavor, this Beef Ragu is so satisfying! Chuck roast cooked low and slow in a rich tomato and red wine sauce= pure joy! I’ve always loved beef ragu at restaurants, but now making it at home is even better.
5-Star Review
“Made this with some creamy cheesy polenta….OH MY WORD!!! It was soooo very good! Friends and family loved it! Thank you for this gorgeous recipe!” -Michelle
Rich and Delicious Beef Ragu Recipe
Beef Ragu is a classic Italian dish that’s loaded with goodies! Beef chuck roast is cooked slowly in a large pot, then smothered in a red wine sauce, which has a wonderful depth of flavor. I serve with pasta for a super hearty meal. It’s perfect for a filling weeknight or special occasion dinner.
The rich and delicious flavors in the beef ragu come out of a low and slow cook, giving this beloved pasta dish an incredible taste. The beef is super tender and the whole dish comes together in a large pot or Dutch oven. Your friends and family will go gaga for this lip-smacking ragu!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into large pieces. Other great cuts include beef brisket, beef shanks, or beef short ribs.
- ▢ kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- ▢ 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- ▢ 1 onion chopped
- ▢ 2 ribs celery chopped
- ▢ 2 carrots chopped
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic minced
- ▢ ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ▢ ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ▢ 2 bay leaves
- ▢ 1 cup red wine Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chianti, or lighter Cabernet
- ▢ 1 cup low-sodium beef broth bouillon cubes will also work
- ▢ 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
- ▢ 1 pound cooked pappardelle pasta for serving (1 box), any other ribbon pasta will work. Or, learn how to make homemade pasta !
- ▢ chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
- ▢ freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional, for garnish
Video
Instructions
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. 3 pounds beef chuck roast, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Sear the beef for a few minutes on each side until a rich, brown crust forms on the exterior. Set aside on a plate.
- Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pot.
- Add in the onion, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes. 1 onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 carrots
- Add in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves and cook for another minute. 4 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, 2 bay leaves
- Pour in the red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. 1 cup red wine
- Add in the beef broth, meat, and crushed tomatoes. 1 cup low-sodium beef broth, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- Bring everything to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer.
- Cover the pot, and cook for 2½-4 hours, until the beef can be easily shredded with a fork.
- Remove the bay leaves and beef from the pot.
- Shred the beef. Then, return it to the pot and stir it into the sauce and pan juices.
- Let the beef simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavors deepen.
- Serve the beef ragu over cooked pappardelle pasta. 1 pound cooked pappardelle pasta
- Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired. chopped fresh parsley, freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Becky’s Tips
- Red Wine: Cooking wine will work in a pinch, but we recommend breaking out the good stuff for this sauce. Enjoy a glass with dinner!
- For the best-tasting ragu, prepare the recipe 1 day in advance and let the flavors develop in the refrigerator overnight.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Beef Ragu Step by Step
Sear the beef: Season 3 pounds of beef chuck roast generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Sear the beef for a few minutes on each side to create a brown crust. Set aside on a plate.
Cook the aromatics: Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into the same pot. Add in 1 chopped onion, 2 chopped ribs of celery, and 2 chopped carrots. Sprinkle with salt and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the spices: Add in 4 minced cloves of garlic, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary, and 2 bay leaves, and cook for another minute.
Deglaze with wine: Pour in 1 cup of red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Cook the sauce: Add in 1 cup of low-sodium beef broth, the seared beef, and 28 ounces (1 large can) of crushed tomatoes. Bring everything to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer. Cover the pot, and cook for 2½-4 hours, until the beef can be easily shredded with a fork.
Shred the beef: Remove the bay leaves and beef from the pot. Shred the beef. Then, return it to the pot and stir it into the sauce and pan juices.
Simmer the sauce: Let the beef simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavors deepen.
Garnish and serve: Serve the beef ragu over 1 pound of cooked pappardelle pasta. Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Variations
There’s so much more to ragu than meets the eye. This low-and-slow cooking process lends itself well to many different meats. Try one of these other great dishes:
- Bolognese: Use ground beef, veal, lamb, pork, or a combination of any of those meats, and add nutmeg and milk. Use white wine in place of the red. Serve over tagliatelle or in a lasagna.
- Ragu di Prosciutto: Use prosciutto as the meat and add more extra-virgin olive oil. Omit the carrots and celery, and use white wine in place of the red. Serve over pappardelle or tagliatelle.
- Ragu d’agnello: Use ground lamb as the meat. Omit the carrots, celery, and onion. Serve over tagliatelle.
- Sugo di Carne: Use ground beef, pork, or a combination of both, optionally with porcini mushrooms. Serve with penne, rigatoni, farfalle, or fettuccini.
- Amatriciana: Use guanciale (cured pork jowl) and diced tomatoes. Omit the carrots, celery, and onions. Add hot peppers, if desired, and toss together with either spaghetti or bucatini pasta.
How to Store
Beef ragu is a great make-ahead recipe because many argue it is best to let the ragu cool to room temperature, then store it overnight in the refrigerator. This helps the flavors to develop, creating a richer tasting ragu.
Store leftover beef ragu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Gently reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until simmering. Freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious pasta dish is a meal in its own right, but you can certainly add sides to make this a real feast. We like to start with a classic Olive Garden salad and add some easy cheesy garlic bread for sopping up any leftover sauce.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
Goulash (American Style) Recipe
Baked Mostaccioli
Seafood Lasagna
Baked Spaghetti
Beef Ragu Recipe
Equipment
- Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast cut into large pieces. Other great cuts include beef brisket, beef shanks, or beef short ribs.
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 carrots chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup red wine Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chianti, or lighter Cabernet
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth bouillon cubes will also work
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 large can)
- 1 pound cooked pappardelle pasta for serving (1 box), any other ribbon pasta will work. Or, learn how to make homemade pasta !
- chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish
- freshly grated Parmesan cheese optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. 3 pounds beef chuck roast, kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. 3 tablespoons olive oil
- Sear the beef for a few minutes on each side until a rich, brown crust forms on the exterior. Set aside on a plate.
- Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pot.
- Add in the onion, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and cook until softened, about 5-6 minutes. 1 onion, 2 ribs celery, 2 carrots
- Add in the garlic, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves and cook for another minute. 4 cloves garlic, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, 2 bay leaves
- Pour in the red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. 1 cup red wine
- Add in the beef broth, meat, and crushed tomatoes. 1 cup low-sodium beef broth, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- Bring everything to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer.
- Cover the pot, and cook for 2½-4 hours, until the beef can be easily shredded with a fork.
- Remove the bay leaves and beef from the pot.
- Shred the beef. Then, return it to the pot and stir it into the sauce and pan juices.
- Let the beef simmer for about 20 minutes to let the flavors deepen.
- Serve the beef ragu over cooked pappardelle pasta. 1 pound cooked pappardelle pasta
- Finish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired. chopped fresh parsley, freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Video
Notes
- Red Wine: Cooking wine will work in a pinch, but we recommend breaking out the good stuff for this sauce. Enjoy a glass with dinner!
- For the best-tasting ragu, prepare the recipe 1 day in advance and let the flavors develop in the refrigerator overnight.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
