Slow Cooker Ragu Sauce (Printable version)
Hearty Italian meat sauce simmered slowly to create rich, savory flavors perfect for pasta dishes.
# What you'll need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (or a mix of half beef, half pork)
02 - 3.5 oz pancetta or smoked bacon, finely diced
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
→ Liquids
07 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
08 - 3 tbsp tomato paste
09 - ½ cup dry red wine
10 - ½ cup beef or chicken broth
→ Seasonings
11 - 2 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1 tsp dried basil
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Finishing
16 - 2 tbsp olive oil
17 - Fresh parsley or basil, chopped, for serving
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta, onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef (and pork if using), breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
04 - Move the sautéed mixture into a slow cooker to continue preparation.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, broth, oregano, basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir thoroughly.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours until thickened and flavorful.
07 - Remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Serve the sauce hot over pasta, garnished with freshly chopped parsley or basil.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It practically cooks itself while you do literally anything else.
- The flavors deepen in ways that rushed cooking never achieves, and your whole house smells incredible.
- Makes enough to freeze, turning a single cooking session into future meals.
02 -
- Don't skip the initial sauté—caramelizing the pancetta and vegetables gives the sauce its backbone flavor that slow cooking only amplifies.
- If you're tempted to peek and stir constantly, resist; lifting the lid lets heat escape and stretches the cooking time unnecessarily.
03 -
- Brown your meat properly in the initial pan step—those caramelized bits are liquid gold that the slow cooker will build flavor upon.
- Save a ladleful of pasta water before draining; stir it into the ragu right before plating to loosen the sauce and help it cling to every strand.