Slow Cooker Ragu Sauce (Printable version)
Rich Italian meat sauce simmered slowly with herbs and wine for deep, savory flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (or half beef, half pork)
02 - 3.5 oz pancetta or smoked bacon, finely diced
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
03 - 1 large onion, finely chopped
04 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
05 - 2 celery stalks, diced
06 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
→ Liquids
07 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
08 - 3 tbsp tomato paste
09 - ½ cup dry red wine
10 - ½ cup beef or chicken broth
→ Seasonings
11 - 2 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1 tsp dried basil
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Finishing
16 - 2 tbsp olive oil
17 - Fresh parsley or basil, chopped, for serving
# How to Prepare:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta, onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef (and pork if using), breaking it apart with a spoon. Brown until no pink remains, about 5 minutes.
04 - Move the meat and vegetable mixture into the slow cooker.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, broth, oregano, basil, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.
06 - Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours until thickened and flavorful.
07 - Remove bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Serve warm over pasta, garnished with fresh parsley or basil.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- You can prep everything in 20 minutes and then forget about it—perfect for busy weekends when you want restaurant-quality results without the stress.
- The slow cooker does all the heavy lifting, melding flavors so deeply that every spoonful tastes like it's been perfected over generations.
- It freezes beautifully, so making a big batch means you have weeknight dinners sorted for the next month.
02 -
- Don't skip browning the meat and sautéing the vegetables—that initial step on the stovetop builds complexity that long slow cooking alone won't create.
- Low and slow beats high heat every time; cooking on HIGH will make the sauce thin and taste rushed, while LOW develops those deep, almost sweet undertones.
- Taste the sauce before serving and adjust seasoning boldly—slow cooking mutes flavors, so you almost always need more salt or pepper than you think.
03 -
- If your sauce breaks or looks oily, whisk in a tablespoon or two of water to emulsify it back together, or stir in a small dollop of cream.
- The darker and more deeply browned your meat is before it hits the slow cooker, the richer and more complex your final sauce will taste—patience here pays off in flavor.