Name: Slow-cooked beef ragu with rigatoni recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 135 min
Total time: 155 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 1 cup plain flour to coat; 1kg chuck beef steak, cubed; 2 tbs olive oil; 2 tsp garlic minced; 1 onion diced; 2 celery sticks diced; 2 carrot diced peeled; 1 sprig fresh thyme; 400g canned diced tomato; 250.00 ml beef stock (liquid); 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar; 1 tbs tomato paste; 400g rigatoni pasta; 1 tbs parmesan cheese *to serve

by Tan.bjr Last updated on 04/11/2025

Tender pieces of beef dancing in a silky gravy and tossed through al dente pasta, this dish is worth staying in for. Slow-cooked in the oven, the aromas will be wafting through your home alerting the whole household of the deliciousness to come. Don’t forget the crusty bread to sop up every last bit left in the bowls.

How to make this slow-cooked beef ragu with rigatoni: key tips

This ragu has been cooked in the oven, but you could easily use a slow-cooker (see notes, below) or even your stovetop. You may just need to adjust the cooking times and liquid in the slow cooker.

The chuck steak pieces are dusted in plain flour and then browned in a frying pan before they are added to the casserole dish. Browning helps seal the juices inside the meat, and the flour coating helps to thicken the gravy. Adding the flour in this way means you won’t need to stir in a cornflour slurry later on to help the gravy thicken.

The vegetables are also browned in the frying pan before being added to the casserole dish. This step ensures maximum flavour throughout the ragu.

If your meat isn’t seriously tender after 3 hours of cooking, or the gravy isn’t thick enough, then simply keep on cooking until you’re satisfied.

Key ingredients in this slow-cooked beef ragu with rigatoni recipe

Chuck steak has been used for this recipe because it is a good cut for slow cooking. In other words, it will become meltingly tender after cooking for several hours. Other slow-cooker cuts include round steak, blade steak, topside, silverside, skirt steak and shin (gravy) beef.

I always like to use fresh herbs, if I have them, for flavour and a little colour, but dried herbs also work in a ragu and are less expensive to buy. If you’re using dried, remember that a lot goes a long way, so stir in a little and then taste before adding any more. Aside from thyme, you could also use rosemary, oregano and parsley.

To get the best results when slow cooking, browse these tips on the best cuts of meat for slow cooking, and then find out how you can cook 1 month of slow-cooked dinners in 1 day to take the stress out of everyday meal planning.

This recipe was originally submitted by Tan.bjr, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

1 cup plain flour to coat
1kg chuck beef steak, cubed
2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp garlic minced
1 onion diced
2 celery sticks diced
2 carrot diced peeled
1 sprig fresh thyme
400g canned diced tomato
1 cup beef stock (liquid)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tbs tomato paste
400g rigatoni pasta
1 tbs parmesan cheese *to serve

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 170C (150C fan-forced).
Step 2

In a plastic bag, combine flour, salt, pepper and herbs.
Step 3

Add beef and toss to coat.
Step 4

Heat half the oil to frypan until hot but not smoking.
Step 5

Brown the beef on all sides.
Step 6

Transfer beef to a bowl and cover with foil to rest.
Step 7

Lower heat to medium high and add remaining oil to pan. Add onion and garlic, cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 8

Add celery and carrot, cook for 3-4 minutes until vegetables just start to brown.
Step 9

Add thyme, tomatoes, stock and balsamic vinegar and cook gently for approximately 4 minutes.
Step 10

Return beef to pan and bring to the boil.
Step 11

Transfer to casserole dish, cover and bake for 2½-3 hours until meat is tender and sauce has reduced.
Step 12

Cook rigatoni according to packet instructions, just before the ragu is ready.
Step 13

Drain rigatoni, return to saucepan.
Step 14

Add ragu and a tablespoon of tomato paste, toss to combine thoroughly.
Step 15

Spoon into large serving bowls and garnish with parmesan cheese.
Step 16

Serve with warm crusty bread.

Equipment

1 frying pan
2 bowl
1 casserole dish
1 saucepan

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Can I cook this beef ragu with rigatoni in a slow cooker instead of the oven?

Of course, but you will need to make a couple of adjustments. Your slow cooker has a tightly sealed lid and so the liquid won't evaporate as it would in a stock pot. Therefore, it's best to reduce the liquid by about a third. The liquid should just cover the meat and vegetables.

Can I make this slow-cooked beef ragu with rigatoni ahead of time?

You can make the ragu (minus the pasta) and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the ragu for up to 3 months. To serve, reheat the ragu in a large saucepan and toss through freshly cooked pasta.