Description
Rich, hearty, and soul-warming, this Sunday Dinner Slow Cooker Beef Ragu is the comfort food your family craves when the weekend winds down. It’s a true “set it and forget it” easy dinner recipe that delivers bold flavor with minimal effort. Perfect for cozy dinner ideas, meal prep, or when you want a food idea that tastes like it simmered all day—because it did.
Ingredients
3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
0.5 teaspoon black pepper
0.25 cup grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Cooked polenta or pasta, for serving
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef chuck roast with salt and pepper, then sear on all sides until browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
2. In the same skillet, add a bit more olive oil if needed. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for another minute.
3. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Add cherry tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, red wine, beef broth, bay leaves, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8–10 hours or HIGH for 5–6 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
5. Remove bay leaves. Shred the beef in the slow cooker with two forks and stir everything together. Let simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes to thicken slightly.
6. Serve over polenta or pasta, garnished with Parmesan and parsley.
Notes
Browning the beef before slow cooking builds deeper flavor—don’t skip this step.
Letting the sauce simmer uncovered at the end helps it thicken and intensify.
This recipe is freezer-friendly—store extra portions in sealed containers for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion (1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 510
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 660mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 42g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
Keywords: slow cooker, beef ragu, Sunday dinner, hearty dinner ideas, Italian comfort food