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Slow Cooker Red Wine Sunday Ragù 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 Sunday 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.
A Sunday night recipe…that’s equally great any day of the week. I just love the sound of a slow-cooked “Sunday Sauce” – don’t you?
You do, you do! And speaking of Sunday, I hope you all had a very lovely fall weekend (using the word lovely today because I use the words great and amazing way too much). Hoping it was also much warmer than mine. While Saturday was sunny, it was COLD, and then it snowed all day today. So, all in all, it was a bit of a chilly weekend.
I spent most of the weekend getting ready for the launch of HBH Super Simple. I did a lot of online shopping. And plenty of chit-chatting back and forth with you all via Instagram (my favorite thing to do!).
I can’t say that I’m well-rested, but I’m ready for the week ahead. And so ready to share one of my favorite recipes, this Sunday Ragù Sauce! Some of you may recall my original Sunday Sauce recipe. I shared it more than a few years back. It’s still a staple recipe for me…and for many of you as well (it’s a pretty popular recipe).
Today’s recipe is the updated version. It’s similar…ish, but also so different. Today’s ragù is a bit more classic. It has a richer deeper flavor, less spice, and most importantly, it’s made with red wine…and served with burrata.
Every twirl of pasta is so good.
Here are the details.
Making this Sunday 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! I have my eye on this all in one browning slow cooker from All-Clad.
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 ragù 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 Sunday to make this?
Of course not! You can make this tonight or any night of the week…
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.
Obviously, you can use the ragù to served over pasta. But you can also serve it over creamy mashed potatoes, or even buttery polenta. All would be such great options, and very easy weekday meals since the sauce is already made. So you see what we did here? We just Sunday meal prepped…and it was so EASY.
Ok, and finally, this is also a great recipe for the upcoming holiday craze. Serve this to family, serve this up at your next dinner party, or even plan to serve this over Christmas. Again, you can’t go wrong. This is the EVERYTHING ragù you need in your back pocket for busy times, dinner parties, and holiday entertaining.
If you make this slow cooker red wine Sunday 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 Sunday Ragù Pasta.
Servings: 8 8
Calories Per Serving: 2037 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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
- 1. 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. 2. 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. 3. 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. 4. 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.6. Divide the pasta between plates, add the ragù, and toss well. Top each serving with burrata and additional parmesan.
Instant Pot
- 1. 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.2. 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.3. 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.4. 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. 5. Finish as directed above for the slow cooker.
Stove-Top
- 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.2. 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.2. 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.3. 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. 4. 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! I have my eye on this all in one browning slow cooker from All-Clad.
This post was originally published on October 21, 2019
I made this yesterday and this recipe made a lot of sauce! It was absolutely delicious. I was a bit concerned because I had to use two pots to get it all into the oven at once. I will definitely be making this again. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, Tieghan!
Thank you for trying this Rebecca! So glad it turned out so well for you! xTieghan
So cozy and perfect for Sunday night!
Yes! Thank you Laura! xTieghan
Do you remove the fat layer from the beef short ribs or leave it on?
Hi Heather, I leave the fat on, but usually remove it after cooking so we don’t eat it. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Hi Tieghan!
My kids loved this recipe and we indulged on a Monday night because our Sunday was sports crazed! You would love that when I make a new recipe they ask “Is this Tieghan?? LOL” I am freezing the remaining sauce for a quick weeknight dinner with pasta in the future! Thanks!
Thank you so much Jenn! This is so sweet to hear! xTieghan
Good morning Tieghan. Re the Parmesan rind – the recipe instructions don’t mention what to do with it. Assuming from the pics that it goes into the slow cooker in the beginning with most of the ingredients versus with the shredded Parmesan toward the end? Can’t wait to make this! Sadly, it’s supposed to get into the high 80’s this week in the SF Bay Area – ugh – but as soon as it cools back down, I’m pulling out the slow cooker 🙂
Hey Marcie! Yes, you are correct!! I have fixed the recipe, so sorry about that! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe and I hope it cools down for you soon! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Perfect sauce, anxious to make. Surprised you didn’t include onion, but. I’ll try it this way….love this type of dinner.
Thank you so much Joyce! I am so glad you loved this recipe! xTieghan
Oh my goodness, this sounds amazing! Like the most cozy, warming meal to make on a chilly fall evening. Definitely going on my to-be-made list and I also really appreciate the wine substitutions listed. We are a no alcohol household and while I know that the alcohol cooks off, I still prefer not to use it in cooking. Thanks again and I can’t wait to make this!
Thank you so much Sara! I am so glad you like this recipe and I hope it turns out amazing for you! xTieghan
Would love to try this literally some Sunday. I don’t see where I can save this to my recipe box. Did I miss something?
Hey Shelli! The recipe box button is just under the final steps at the very bottom of the recipe. Do you see it? It has large green text. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Absolutely making this next weekend! Looks great!!!
Best of luck this week with the book launch, can’t wait til we get our copy.
Take Care,
Matt
Thank you so much Matt! xTieghan
Just wondering if you would suggest an alternate cut of meat. Here in Canada short beef ribs are extremely expensive. Thanks
Thank you Lori! xTieghan
I couldn’t wait to log on this morning to see what recipe you posted. I was hoping for something JUST LIKE this. I am in Florida, so I’m just forcing my autumn-ready self to cook cozier foods, regardless of the temperature!! Thank you so much!
YES! Such perfect timing! I hope you love this recipe, Andie! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan. This recipe looks amazing. In your ingredient list, you have “1 pound low sodium beef broth”. Can you clarify? Thanks.
Hey Linda! I am so sorry, it is 1 cup of broth. Recipe is fixed! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Can’t you sear meat in an InstaPot? I don’t have one but thought I read that was a feature they had.
Hey Charlotte! Yes, you can sear the meat in the instant pot, but for something like short ribs and especially 5 pounds of short ribs, I just find it easier to sear on the stove. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Just to clarify…is it 2 -28oz cans of tomatoes (56 oz total) or 28 oz total?
This looks incredible – one for next weekend I think! Also, your photos are particularly on point in this post!
Thank you so much Rachel! I am so glad you like them! xTieghan
this is so perfect!!!!
Thank you Ruth! xTieghan