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<\/p>\nBeef Ragu in the slow cooker, made with lean ground beef, sausage, onions, carrots, and celery is perfect over pappardelle or your favorite pasta.<\/p>\n
<\/noscript> Slow Cooker Beef Ragu<\/h2>\nMy slow cooker recipes are so popular this time of year. I have a delicious slow cooker beef ragu in my Fast and Slow<\/em> cookbook, made with chunks of beef that mimic short ribs. For this recipe, I wanted to make it with ground beef, which is more economical. I don\u2019t typically like lean ground beef in sauce, but the slow cooker\u2019s low heat makes it so tender you won\u2019t know the difference. Serve it over your favorite pasta, roasted spaghetti squash, or, my favorite\u2026 a combination of whole wheat spaghetti and spiralized zucchini. More slow cooker ground beef recipes<\/strong> you may love are this Crock Pot Bolognese, Madison\u2019s Slow Cooker Beef Tacos, and Slow Cooker Picadillo. <\/p>\n <\/noscript><\/p>\nWhat is the difference between beef rag<\/strong>u<\/strong> and Bolognese?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\u201cRag\u00f9\u201d is the Italian word for meat sauce, so Bolognese, originally from Bologna, Italy, is a type of ragu. Ragus are typically thick meat sauces.<\/p>\n
Ways to Serve Beef Ragu<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nPasta:<\/strong> Serve ground beef ragu with pappardelle or any other kind of pasta with a dollop of ricotta and grated cheese<\/li>\nVolume Eating:<\/strong> Serve it with a combination of whole wheat spaghetti and spiralized zucchini, for a healthy serving of veggies and bigger portions.<\/li>\nVeggies:<\/strong> Or serve it over spiralized zucchini or\u00a0 roasted spaghetti squash.<\/li>\nComfort Food:<\/strong> Serve it over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes.<\/li>\nUse it in a homemade lasagna<\/li>\n Side dish:<\/strong> Add an arugula salad or roasted vegetable to complete the meal.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nBeef ragu ingredients:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\nGround Beef: <\/strong>I use 90% lean ground sirloin.<\/li>\nSausage:<\/strong> Using a spicy Italian chicken sausage link (I love Premio) gives the ragu extra flavor without adding a ton of ingredients. You can also use sweet if you prefer.<\/li>\nVegetables: <\/strong>Chopped onion, carrot, and celery<\/li>\nTomatoes:<\/strong> Use one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes. The Tuttorosso brand is my favorite.<\/li>\nParmesan Rind:<\/strong> I listed this as optional, but I highly recommend using it!<\/li>\nFlavor:<\/strong> Bay leaves, and kosher salt flavor the sauce. To elevate the dish, add a few thyme sprigs to the beef.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nHow to Make Beef Ragu in the Slow Cooker <\/strong><\/h2>\nUsing the slow cooker for beef ragu makes most of the cooking hands-off. Start it in the afternoon, and all you have to do right before dinner is boil some pasta. Perfect for a busy weeknight!<\/p>\n
\nBrown the ground sirloin and sausage <\/strong>in a large skillet over high heat and season with salt. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker.<\/li>\nSaut\u00e9 the vegetables <\/strong>in the skillet on medium-low for a few minutes and then put them in the crock pot.<\/li>\nAdd the tomatoes, bay leaves, and parmesan rind, <\/strong>cover the slow cooker, and cook on low for four to six hours. If you cook it any longer, the sauce will burn. Discard the bay leaves and rind before serving.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nHow to Store and Freeze<\/strong><\/h2>\nYou can store this Italian beef ragu in the refrigerator for three or four days and in the freezer for up to 6 months in airtight containers. Thaw the dish in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stove.<\/p>\n
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<\/noscript> <\/noscript><\/p>\nMore Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes<\/strong><\/h2>\nYour comments are helpful! If you\u2019ve tried this healthy\u00a0Slow Cooker Beef Ragu<\/strong>\u00a0recipe or any other on Skinnytaste, don\u2019t forget to\u00a0rate the recipe<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0leave me a comment<\/strong>\u00a0below. And if you took a photo of it, share it with me on\u00a0Instagram\u00a0so I can reshare on my Stories!<\/p>\n\n
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Slow Cooker Beef Ragu<\/h2>\n 4<\/span><\/p>\n\n176<\/span> Cals<\/span><\/span> \n16<\/span> Protein<\/span><\/span> \n15<\/span> Carbs<\/span><\/span> \n7<\/span> Fats<\/span><\/span>\n<\/p>\n