Slow Cooker Red Wine Ragu Pasta. Turning a classic cozy fall/winter recipe into an easy slow cooker pasta using hearty beef short ribs, red wine, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and pappardelle pasta…finished off with fresh burrata cheese! This slow-cooked dinner is a hearty and delicious meal to come home to at the end of a busy day. And the best part? It’s an easy dinner to prepare that everyone loves. You simply can’t go wrong with a dinner like this red wine Ragù. Bonus? You can also make this in the Instant Pot or slow braise in the oven.
Slow Cooker Red Wine Ragu Pasta. Turning a classic cozy fall/winter recipe into an easy slow cooker pasta using hearty beef short ribs, red wine, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and pappardelle pasta…finished off with fresh burrata cheese! This slow-cooked dinner is a hearty and delicious meal to come home to at the end of a busy day. And the best part? It’s an easy dinner to prepare that everyone loves. You simply can’t go wrong with a dinner like this red wine Sunday Ragù. Bonus? You can also make this in the Instant Pot or slow braise in the oven.
Here are the details.
Making this ragù is EASY. You can do it in the slow cooker, the instant pot, or even slow braise the sauce in the oven. My preferred method is the slow cooker, but any of the three options are GOOD.
First up, I do recommend searing your short ribs before slow cooking. Yes, I know what a messy pain this is, but I also know that the additional flavor and texture that comes from searing the ribs adds so much to a dish like this. If you don’t have time, I get it, but please try to find it. Searing the ribs adds so much flavor to this ragù.
In addition to the ribs, there’s also bacon. The bacon adds a richness to this sauce, making it much closer to a true Italian style ragù.
Also, if you have a fancy slow cooker that has the ability to sear meats, that’s awesome. You should definitely use that function!
Once the ribs and bacon are set, the rest is simple as can be. Everything gets stirred together in the slow cooker then cooked low and slow all day long.
Nothing is better than the smells that will soon be coming from your kitchen. Like nothing. That’s why this Slow Cooker Red Wine Ragu Pasta is so perfect for Sunday. You can throw it together in the morning, go off and do your Sunday thing. and come home to a house that smells like grandmas, with a hearty warming dinner just waiting to be served.
By the time the ragù has finished cooking, the ribs should be falling off the bone. Just remove and discard the ribs, shred the meat, and toss with the sauce. Add a little butter and grated parmesan cheese. Trust me here, you need these two ingredients to complete your sauce.
The butter makes the sauce smooth, while the parmesan adds flavors.
The final thing you need to do:
Pasta. My favorite cut of pasta for this style ragù is a wider cut pappardelle pasta, but tagliatelle is an equally great option. If you have a hard time finding either one, simply use whatever cut of pasta your family enjoys.
Boil-off the pasta, toss with butter, and then toss with the sauce.
And that’s it – you’re ready to serve. Just be sure to add the burrata cheese and a little additional parmesan.
Oh, and a couple of chunks of rustic bread for mopping up all that sauce. DELICIOUS.
And one more thing…maybe add a glass of your favorite red wine too.
Do you have to wait until it’s cold outside to make this?
Of course not! You can make this tonight or any time of the year…
But here’s my tip. Make this on Sunday for Sunday night dinner. This recipe feeds eight, so chances are you’ll have leftovers. And those leftovers…they are amazing. Probably better than the “fresh” sauce because the longer the sauce sits, the more time the flavors have to develop.
More Recipe Suggestions:
Pappardelle with Mixed Mushroom Ragu
Creamy Chicken, Mushroom, Spinach and Gnocchi
Slow Cooker Sausage and Peppers
Hearty Beef Chuck Roast with Carrots, Celery, and Rich Beef Broth
If you make this slow cooker red wine Ragù pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Slow Cooker Red Wine Ragù Pasta
Equipment
- Crock Pot / Slow Cooker (Optional)
- Instant Pot (Optional)
- Vegetable Chopper (I love this!)
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds bone in beef short ribs
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon chopped
- 1 1/4 cups dry red wine such as Sangiovese
- 1/2 cup low sodium beef broth
- 2 28 ounce cans crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic finely crushed or chopped
- 3 ribs celery finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- 1 stick 8 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese save the rind
- 1- pound dry pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta
- 8 ounces burrata cheese at room temperature, for serving
Instructions
Slow Cooker:
- Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon. If there’s excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the short ribs and sear on both sides. Remove the ribs and transfer to the slow cooker along with the bacon.
- To the slow cooker, add the parmesan rind, wine, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic, celery, carrot, thyme, sage, red pepper flakes, 4 tablespoons butter, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
- Once done cooking, remove the short ribs, let cool slightly, then shred the meat and discard the bones, parmesan rind, and thyme. Add the shredded meat and parmesan, toss with the sauce. Keep on warm.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and toss the pasta with 4 tablespoons butter.
- Divide the pasta between plates, add the ragù, and toss well. Top each serving with burrata and additional parmesan.
Instant Pot:
- Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon. If there’s excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the short ribs to the skillet and sear on both sides. Remove the ribs and transfer to the instant pot along with the bacon.
- To the instant pot, add the parmesan rind, wine, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic, celery, carrot, thyme, sage, red pepper flakes, 4 tablespoons butter, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.
- Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function. Remove the short ribs, let cool slightly, then shred the meat and discard the bones.
- Meanwhile, set the Instant pot to sauté. Bring to a boil, boil 5-10 minutes or until the liquid reduces just slightly. Turn the instant pot off. Remove the thyme and parmesan rind and discard. Add the shredded meat and parmesan, toss with the sauce. Keep on warm.
- Finish as directed above for the slow cooker.
Stove-Top:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Cook the bacon in a large oven-safe braiser or cocotte over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon. If there’s excess bacon grease, drain off all but 1 tablespoon. Add the short ribs and sear on both sides. Add the bacon back.
- To the pot, add the parmesan rind, wine, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, onion, garlic, celery, carrot, thyme, sage, red pepper flakes, 4 tablespoons butter, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours or until the short ribs are tender and falling off the bone.
- Once done cooking, remove the short ribs, let cool slightly, then shred the meat and discard the bones, thyme, and parmesan rind. Add the shredded meat and parmesan, toss with the sauce.
- Finish as directed above for the slow cooker.
Notes:
- Wine Replacement: I recommend an equal amount of pomegranate or cranberry juice. If you don’t have that on hand, use additional beef broth.
- Searing the Short Ribs: if short on time, you can skip this step, but it does add great flavor. Also, if you have a fancy slow cooker that can also sear meats, that’s amazing, and you should use that function!
