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Hands down our favourite dish when dining at an Italian restaurant is tagliatelle with a beef ragu sauce. I have vowed for years to figure out how to make beef ragu at home and I think I have finally hit the jackpot with my most recent recipe.
This sauce is bold and rich so you are going to want to choose a pasta that’s going to stand up to the sauce. A tagliatelle or pappardelle noodle is your best bet. The wide, flat noodles allow for the shredded beef to stick ensuring every bite is packed with flavour.
I can’t explain why, but I don’t seem to have a sensitivity to Italian pasta. I noticed this when we were in Italy and had made it my mission to devour every dish I laid eyes on because the stomach ache was going to be worth it. But the stomach aches never came despite how much I gorged myself on pasta and bread. So strange! Luckily, we have an awesome Italian Deli in the city where we can pick up Italian pasta and enjoy these dishes the way they were meant to be enjoyed.
I am amazed by how simple it was to make this sauce given how delicious it turned out. Now, I’m excited to eat in when we have an Italian craving by making this dish and pairing it with a lovely Italian red.
Shredded Beef Ragu and Tagliatelle
Ingredients
- 1 (3lb.) beef roast
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, separated
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 cup diced carrot
- 1 (28 oz) can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 3 bay leaves
- pappardelle or tagliatelle noodles
- Parmigiano Reggiano
Tools You’ll Need
Instructions
- Cut roast in 3 or 4 chunks and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil on high heat in a heavy pot like a Dutch Oven or skillet.
- Sear all sides of the beef until very brown.
- Remove from stove and set aside.
- Turn down stove to medium heat and add remaining 2 tbsp of oil.
- Add garlic and onion and sauté for about 2 minutes.
- Add celery and carrots and sauté for another 3-5 minutes.
- Turn the heat back up to high, add the red wine and let simmer for about 3 minutes.
- Transfer all the ingredients (except noodles and cheese) to a slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
- Remove beef from the pot once cooked and coarsely shred with 2 forks or meat claws.
- Return meat to slow cooker and simmer on high for 30 minutes.
- Bring a large pot of water with 1 tsp. of salt to boil.
- Add pasta and cook for about 1 minute less than package instructions. With the noodles I used I cooked for 5 minutes.
- Place about 5-6 cups of ragu sauce in a large skillet or dutch oven and heat on high while the pasta is cooking.
- Once pasta is cooked, transfer from pot to skillet or dutch oven and add 3/4 cups of pasta water to the skillet.
- Gently toss noodles in ragu sauce until the pasta water evaporates.
- Plate in your favourite pasta bowls and top with Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
- The last time we ordered beef ragu with tagliatelle at a restaurant they had topped the dish with ricotta cheese and parsley. It was so savory and decadent that I will definitely try this next time.
- You could make this recipe in an Instant Pot too. Pressure cook on high for 40 minutes and then simmer the shredded beef on the Sauté setting on low while you make the noodles. Be careful not to burn the sauce on the bottom of the Instant Pot.
