This Instant Pot Beef Ragu is like a mashup of Italian bolognese sauce and beef stroganoff. Served over pasta this sauce is hearty, rich and totally satisfying.
Rich and Hearty Beef Ragu
In the darkest, coldest part of winter, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a big bowl of pasta tossed in a rich, beefy sauce. And this Instant Pot Beef Ragu is the ultimate rich, beefy sauces. Unlike most American-style pasta sauces, which tend to start with ground beef, this ragu starts with chuck roast as its base. Combined with aromatic vegetables, san Marzano tomatoes and a hearty hit of red wine, the meat gets so tender it shreds with the slightest touch, creating a thick, velvety sauce that’s irresistibly warming and hearty.
Instant Pot Perfect
Traditionally, a sauce like this would sit on the back of Grandma’s stove all day in preparation for Sunday supper with the family. That unctuous, melt-in-your-mouth beefy texture could only be achieved through hours and hours of cook time. Lucky for us, we live in the modern age. The electric pressure cooker changes everything. This Instant Pot Beef Ragu can be ready in about an hour.
Of course, if you don’t have an Instant Pot (or another brand of electric pressure cooker), this recipe works beautifully in the slow cooker too. You’ll need to start the recipe in a pan on the stovetop to brown the beef and sauté the vegetables, then move everything to the slow cooker and plan to let it cook for at least 7 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
Perfect for Pasta or Sandwiches
This recipe makes a TON of Beef Ragu. You’ll have enough to serve with at least two pounds pasta and still have leftovers (It freezes beautifully). As far as the type of pasta, a wide, flat noodle is perfect. I made mine with tagliatelle but papardelle or fettuccine would all work great. You might also want to serve some garlic bread on the side to catch every last bite of this beefy ragu.
In fact its so beefy, it also makes a fantastic sandwich topping — sort of like a saucy Italian beef sandwich. One afternoon, I piled some on a French roll and topped it with banana peppers for a very satisfying lunch.
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Instant Pot Beef Ragu
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This Instant Pot Beef Ragu is like a mashup of Italian bolognese sauce and beef stroganoff. Ragu is a staple in Northern Italy, typically made with beef, tomatoes, garlic, carrots and onions, stewed to a rich consistency and flavored with herbs and red wine. Served over thick pasta like tagliatelle or pappardelle, this sauce is hearty, rich and totally satisfying.
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds beef chuck roast, or beef stew meat cut into 1.5-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1-cup red full-bodied red wine such as chianti, merlot, or cabernet sauvignon
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano tomatoes)
- 3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil, thyme and oregano)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1–2 tablespoons sugar (to your taste)
- 1 to 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar
- Additional salt and pepper to taste
For Serving (uses about half of the sauce):
- 1 lb dried pappardelle, tagliatelle or other pasta of choice
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese or parmigiano reggiano
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
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Pat beef dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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Set Instant Pot or another electric pressure cooker to high “sauté” and heat 1 tbsp olive oil until shimmering hot. Add beef in batches and sear each piece on all sides until browned (around 3 minutes in total), then transfer to a plate. *If using a slow cooker, heat olive oil in a large, heavy bottom skillet over high heat and follow instructions above.
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Add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil to Instant Pot (or skillet for slow cooker). Add onion and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the carrot and tomato paste and sauté slowly for 5 minutes. Stir in red wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. *If sautéing mixture in a skillet, transfer to a SLOW COOKER.
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Add remaining Ragu ingredients (except extra salt and pepper) and add the beef to the pot (add the juices too).For PRESSURE COOKER: Select manual setting; adjust pressure to high, and set time for 45 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release according to manufacturer’s instructions. For SLOW COOKER: Cover with lid and set slow cooker to at least 7 hours on the low setting or 4 hours on the high setting and let it cook until beef is tender enough to shred.
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Remove beef from the pot and shred with 2 forks. Return beef to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately, tossed with cooked pasta and garnished liberally with cheese and parsley if desired.
Notes
Leftover sauce (and there will be leftovers) can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for several months
Keywords: Beef Ragu, Italian, Pasta Sauce, Beef, Instant Pot
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