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Home » Recipes

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

With the busy holiday season upon us, I thought it would be a great time to come up with a new slow cooker dinner recipe. Oh boy, how I love it when dinner is magically ready at the end of a busy day, thanks to a little prep work that I did earlier in the morning! So, inspired by some recipes I saw when browsing online, I decided to turn my Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce from my Fast & Fabulous Cookbook into a (meat-based) ragu Sauce.

I first have to tell you that my 8th grader is not a huge meat person—she could easily survive as a vegetarian. She is not a big fan of dishes like my Slow Cooker Steak Chili, which I love, yet she'd choose Veggie Chili over that any day. And she's also not too thrilled when I make chicken too many nights in a row. It's always fun as a parent keeping up with all these different, ever-changing preferences (can you relate?)—not that I always accommodate!

So, I honestly held my breath when she walked over to the slow cooker to see what was for dinner while I was making this new ragu recipe. I was waiting for a complaint and was shocked when she said, "Oh, this looks good!" I actually thought she must be talking about something else next to the slow cooker.  But low and behold, she loved seeing the mix of carrots and celery in the meat sauce, and she said she really liked it when we put a little dollop of ricotta on top of the finished dish. So, I now have a new crowd-pleasing, meaty dinner to add to my slow cooker arsenal. I'll for sure be making this one again and again!  You will also love this family-favorite Pot Roast in a Dutch Oven!

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu from 100 Days of Real Food

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Slow Cooker Beef Ragu from 100 Days of Real Food

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu

I've reinvented my marinara sauce into a hearty slow cooker beef ragu. Even my sometimes meat-averse daughter loves this one!
4 Reviews / 5 Average
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 hours hrs
Total Time: 10 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Course: Dinner, Holiday
Cuisine: American
Method: Slow Cooker
Diet: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Peanut/Tree Nut-Free
Print Recipe
Servings: 6 people
Save Recipe Saved!

Ingredients
  

  • ½ yellow onion (diced)
  • 1 ½ pounds flank steak
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 large carrots (peeled and diced)
  • 2 ribs celery (trimmed and diced)
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

FOR SERVING

  • whole-wheat pasta ((optional))
  • parmesan and ricotta cheeses (if desired)

Instructions
 

  • Layer all the ingredients in the slow cooker, starting with the onion and ending with the canned tomatoes. Turn on high for 5 or 6 hours, or low for 8 to 10 hours. You can take the lid off for a bit at the end to help reduce the sauce down to make it thicker (or spoon some liquid off the top).
  • Divide the sauce evenly over beds of cooked whole-wheat noodles, top with parmesan and ricotta cheeses (if desired), and serve.

Notes

There is no need to cut the meat before adding to the slow cooker as it will be nice and tender when done (it easily pulls apart with a fork on the plate). However, you could cut the meat across the grain into a few pieces prior to placing in the slow cooker if you want smaller pieces.
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Amount Per Serving
Calories 166 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 68mg23%
Sodium 459mg20%
Potassium 451mg13%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 25g50%
Vitamin A 70IU1%
Vitamin C 1.7mg2%
Calcium 46mg5%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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552 shares

About Lisa Leake

Lisa is a wife, mother, foodie, blogger, and #1 New York Times Best-selling author who is on a mission to cut out processed food.

Comments

  1. Mandy Cheshire says

    July 13, 2019 at 8:26 am

    5 stars
    This is an easy and delicious meal for busy days. Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Naomi says

    December 19, 2018 at 9:57 am

    Is there any other cut of beef that will work besides flank steak? I have quite a store of beef in my freezer that I'd like to use up before I purchase any more.

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      December 21, 2018 at 4:09 pm

      I think stewed beef would be the next best choice.

      Reply
      • Naomi says

        December 24, 2018 at 12:40 am

        Okay, thanks bunches!

  3. April says

    December 11, 2018 at 1:19 pm

    Questions is the pasta not considered processed?

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      December 11, 2018 at 2:18 pm

      April, since it's whole-wheat pasta, it falls under the 100 Days of Real Food Rules. :)

      Reply
  4. yoga teacher training courses nepal says

    December 03, 2018 at 5:15 am

    5 stars
    I really want to try this at home.

    Reply
  5. Ariana Johnson says

    November 30, 2018 at 12:31 am

    5 stars
    Hey Lisa!

    What's the white fluffy cream that you added on top of it? Can you provide it's recipe also?

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      December 01, 2018 at 12:11 pm

      Ariana - She topped it with ricotta cheese!

      Reply
  6. Tanya says

    November 29, 2018 at 8:54 am

    5 stars
    Nice blog post

    Reply
  7. Julie Scott says

    November 28, 2018 at 6:27 am

    Hi Lisa, every time I use flank steak I always find it so tough to chew. What are your tips?
    Thanks,
    Julie

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      November 28, 2018 at 10:54 am

      Make sure you shred it into thinner pieces for this recipe and when possible, a good quality, organic piece is best. - Nicole

      Reply
    • Jason Leake with 100 Days of Real Food says

      November 28, 2018 at 12:34 pm

      Hey Julie - For this recipe, slow-cooking makes it so tender that it easily shreds with a fork. For other methods, such as grilling, cut in thin strips across the grain when after cooking. - Jason

      Reply
  8. Sue says

    November 27, 2018 at 10:41 pm

    So you put the slab of meat in there as is or cut it up? The finished product appears its shredded?

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      November 28, 2018 at 10:50 am

      Yes, place it in whole, and then use a fork to shred it when it's done. - Nicole

      Reply
  9. Jen says

    November 27, 2018 at 7:43 pm

    Do you cut the meat before cooking or is it easy to shred at the end? It looks so delicious! I think it might be friday’s dinner.

    Reply
    • 100 Days Admin says

      November 28, 2018 at 10:51 am

      Shred it at the end! - Nicole

      Reply
  10. Lindsay Untherbergus says

    November 27, 2018 at 1:39 pm

    Your daughter sounds like such a healthy eater! How did you do that? :) I'll definitely be trying this recipe, I love that it has very few ingredients!

    Reply

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Meet Lisa! Lisa is a best-selling cookbook author, wife, mother, and passionate home cook. Lisa began blogging in 2010 and has created a community of millions of people who share her love of healthy living, real food ingredients, and family recipes.

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