Slow Cooker Ragu Sauce (Printable)
Rich Italian meat sauce simmered low and slow for robust flavors and tender texture.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
02 - 9 oz Italian sausage, casings removed
→ Aromatics & Vegetables
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
07 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - ½ cup dry red wine
10 - ½ cup beef or chicken broth
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Herbs & Seasonings
12 - 2 tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 tsp dried basil
14 - ½ tsp dried thyme
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - 1 tsp salt
17 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
18 - 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Finishing
19 - ¼ cup whole milk or heavy cream
20 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
21 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and sausage, breaking up the meat with a spoon, and cook until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
02 - Add onion, carrots, and celery to the skillet. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
03 - Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to the slow cooker.
04 - Incorporate crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, broth, oregano, basil, thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and optional red pepper flakes. Stir to combine evenly.
05 - Cover and cook on LOW heat setting for 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 hours, stirring once or twice during cooking if possible.
06 - Remove the bay leaf. Stir in milk or cream and adjust seasoning to taste.
07 - Serve warm over cooked pasta, garnished with fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You basically set it and forget it—the slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you get your day done.
- The longer it simmers, the more the flavors deepen into something you can't achieve any other way.
- It fills your whole house with the kind of smell that makes people want to stay for dinner.
02 -
- Browning the meat isn't optional—it's what gives ragu its deep, savory character that you can't get any other way.
- That milk or cream at the end seems like a small thing, but it's what transforms a good sauce into one that people ask about.
03 -
- Use a slow cooker with a wide base rather than a tall narrow one—it helps the sauce reduce and concentrate better.
- If your sauce seems too thin after cooking, remove the lid for the last hour to let some liquid evaporate and flavors concentrate.