Crock-Pot Beef Ragu with Penne and Ricotta

Name: Crock-Pot Beef Ragu with Penne and Ricotta
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 480 min
Total time: 500 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 pounds beef round roast; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 2 carrots, thinly sliced; 8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 4 tablespoons tomato paste; 24 ounces canned diced tomatoes; 1 cup red wine; 1 cup beef stock; 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped; 4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped; 2 bay leaves; 1.5 teaspoons salt; 1.5 teaspoons black pepper; 8 ounces penne pasta, uncooked; 1/2 cup ricotta cheese; Parmesan cheese for garnish; 3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Recipe GLPRb8dffe45e12f51

Italian

Main Course

500 min

277 cal

Servings: 10

Slow Cooker

Stovetop

A rich and comforting Italian-inspired beef ragu simmered slowly in a crock-pot with tomatoes, wine, and fresh herbs, served over tender penne pasta and topped with creamy ricotta cheese and fresh parsley.

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Ingredients

2 pounds beef round roast

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, thinly sliced

8 ounces mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons tomato paste

24 ounces canned diced tomatoes

1 cup red wine

1 cup beef stock

3 sprigs fresh rosemary, chopped

4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

2 bay leaves

1.5 teaspoons salt

1.5 teaspoons black pepper

8 ounces penne pasta, uncooked

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

Parmesan cheese for garnish

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef round roast generously with salt and pepper. Sear the beef on all sides until well browned, about 8-10 minutes total. Transfer the browned beef to your crock-pot.
In the same skillet, add the diced onion and sliced carrots. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to combine with the vegetables.
Deglaze the skillet with red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Pour the wine mixture into the crock-pot with the beef.
Add the canned diced tomatoes, beef stock, mushrooms, bay leaves, chopped rosemary, and chopped thyme to the crock-pot. Stir to combine all ingredients evenly.
Cover the crock-pot and cook on low for 8 hours, or until the beef is very tender and breaks apart easily with a fork.
Remove the bay leaves from the ragu. Using two forks, shred the cooked beef directly in the crock-pot and stir to distribute throughout the sauce.
While the ragu finishes cooking, cook the penne pasta according to package directions in salted boiling water. Drain and set aside.
To serve, divide the cooked penne pasta among serving bowls. Ladle the beef ragu generously over the pasta.
Top each serving with a dollop of ricotta cheese, a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.75

This is a slow-cooker classic that delivers: all ingredients are stocked at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, or Kroger without a special trip, and a bulk beef shoulder or chuck runs $5–7 per pound, keeping the per-serving cost around $3–4 for a hearty dish. The stated 500 minutes (just over 8 hours) is honest for low-and-slow cooking, though you need an extra 15–20 minutes to brown the beef and soften the aromatics beforehand, plus 10 minutes to cook the pasta at the end. This is a forgiving weeknight dish that rewards a morning start: builds flavor without hovering, reheats beautifully (especially if you refrigerate the ragu and sauce separately), and feeds a family of 10 with one pot. The only caveat is that red wine and fresh herbs may cost a touch more if you're building a small spice rack, and leftovers freeze better than the same-night serving.