Oven-Braised Beef Ragu

This oven-braised beef ragu recipe is one of my favorite comfort food meals for winter. I keep my house pretty chilly through the season, at around 67℉. So letting the ragu simmer all afternoon not only fills my home with an incredible aroma but also warms it up, creating a perfect coziness. 

I use my Dutch oven, which creates a beautiful caramelized effect on the food, adding depth while keeping the cooking process pretty hands-off, similar to a slow cooker recipe. The result is a rustic beef ragu with fall-apart tender beef and a rich, savory tomato sauce that feels elevated yet comforting, especially when served over pappardelle and finished with grated Parmesan cheese.

How Is Beef Ragu Different From Bolognese?

Beef ragu and Bolognese are both slow-cooked meat sauces, but they differ in ingredients, texture, and how they’re traditionally prepared. Beef ragu typically features larger pieces of meat that are cooked in a tomato-base sauce until they’re fall-apart tender, then shredded and tossed back into the sauce, creating a rustic texture.

Bolognese sauce, on the other hand, is a more finely textured sauce made with ground meat, finely minced veggies, a smaller amount of tomato, plus added dairy, such as milk or cream. As a result, it’s richer and silkier than ragu.

Key Ingredients

This beef ragu recipe comes together with just a handful of ingredients, most of which I typically have on hand. Here are a few of my notes about the main components:  

• Beef chuck roast: Some ragu recipes call for ground beef or short ribs, but I always use a chuck roast, finding it works best for braising. I look for high-quality red meat with good marbling for extra flavor and a tender texture. Before cooking, I make sure to trim excess fat to reduce the amount of saturated fat and trans fat, and prevent the meat from being tough or stringy. Then, I slice the roast into 5-6 large chunks to promote even cooking.
• Red wine vinegar: This adds acidity, helping to tenderize the beef and add a rich, slightly tangy flavor to the sauce without the need for wine.
• Tomatoes: I use both tomato paste and canned tomatoes to form the base of the sauce, creating a thick consistency with a bold, acidic taste.
• Beef broth: I always recommend low-sodium broth to prevent the ragu from tasting too salty.
• Carrots and celery: Diced into tiny bits and combined with onions, these form a mirepoix, adding sweetness and depth along with a rustic texture. It’s also a great way to sneak in a few extra veggies, giving the dish a boost of nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin C.

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Use A Dutch Oven

An oven-safe Dutch oven is essential for making this oven-braised beef ragu. A regular large pot just won’t cut it. I recommend using a 5 to 6-quart Dutch oven, like the Lodge 6-quart Dutch oven or Staub 5.5-quart Dutch oven, which is large enough to comfortably sear the beef, hold the full volume of sauce, and allow everything to braise evenly in the oven without bubbling over.

The heavy-bottomed construction helps retain heat, promotes even cooking, and creates the subtle caramelization that gives this ragu its depth of flavor. A tight-fitting lid is also important, as it traps moisture during the long oven braise while still allowing the sauce to slowly reduce and concentrate. After years of making slow-cooked meals this way, I find a Dutch oven delivers richer flavor and better texture than a slow cooker, especially for hearty dishes like beef ragu.  And it just feels different than using a slow cooker — like a bit more elevated. I feel like I’m channeling my inner modern-day Julia Child when I make it. 

How To Make Beef Ragu (Step-By-Step)

This beef ragu recipe comes together with just 20 minutes of prep time. Then, the oven does the rest, leaving me free to prep a few healthy sides and relax. Here are the quick steps: 

1. Heat the Dutch oven: Warm the Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Once it’s very hot, mist it with a generous amount of cooking spray, plus add oil, swirling it around the bottom. The oil will smoke, which is okay.
2. Sear the beef: Pat the beef chunks dry with a paper towel, and season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then, sear the pieces until they’re browned on both sides, and transfer the beef to a plate.
3. Saute the veggies: Add more oil to the pot, reduce the heat, and cook the onion, carrots, and celery until they begin to soften. Then, add several cloves garlic, and continue to cook until fragrant, scraping any browned bits from the bottom if needed.
4. Combine the sauce ingredients: Next, add the tomato paste and Italian seasoning, stirring to coat the vegetables. Then, add the crushed tomatoes and broth, and bring the liquid to a boil.
5. Transfer to the oven: Remove the pot from the heat, and add the browned beef, followed by the bay leaves. Cover the pot, and transfer it to a preheated oven, cooking until the beef is tender. I keep an eye on the ragu as it cooks, adding more broth if the sauce loses too much liquid.
6. Shred the beef: Shred the cooked meat into pieces, remove the bay leaves from the pot, and stir in the red wine vinegar.
7. Serve it warm: Spoon the ragu sauce over cooked pappardelle pasta, and garnish with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy warm.

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

For Serving

I typically serve beef ragu the traditional way by spooning the meaty pasta sauce over cooked pappardelle, which is a wide ribbon-style pasta that pairs beautifully with the rich, hearty sauce. Fettuccine, rigatoni, tagliatelle, or other pasta shapes work well, too. And gluten-free noodles are an easy swap in, if needed. For a unique twist, ragu is tasty over polenta, too.

I finish each bowl with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley or fresh thyme. And I sprinkle a generous garnish of grated Parmesan cheese over top. For my plate, I often include a dash of red pepper flakes for a kick of heat, too. Then, for a well-rounded meal, I add a veggie side option, like a kale Caesar salad or roasted carrots.

Storage Directions

Ragu is a great make-ahead dish, staying fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I actually find that the flavors continue to develop as the leftovers chill. Meaning they taste even better when reheated over the next few days.

For a longer-lasting option, I freeze this ragu for up to 3 months. To serve, I thaw it in the fridge overnight. Then, I reheat portions in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat. If needed, I add a splash of beef broth or water to loosen the sauce. Or, I heat single servings covered in the microwave.

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The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.

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