Name: Slow cooker lamb ragu recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 375 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1kg lamb mince; 1 brown onion, diced; 2 carrots, peeled and diced; 2 stalks celery, diced; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 1/2 cup red wine; 700g tomato passata; 1 cup chicken or beef stock; 1 bay leaf; Tagliatelle or pappardelle, to serve; Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve

by Greer Worsley Last updated on 02/06/2025

Set this delicious lamb ragu simmering in your slow cooker in the morning, and you’ll come home to the most delicious aromas. Then all you need to do is cook your pasta and serve.

How to make slow cooker lamb ragu: key tips

So simple, you only need to brown the mince and the vegies and then toss everything into the slow cooker. You can dice the onion, carrot and celery nice and small if you (or the kids) prefer it that way, or you can cut the vegies into chunkier bite-sized pieces for a heartier ragu. Given the long cooking time, the vegies will cook through no matter their size.

If your ragu isn’t as thick as you would like at the end of the cooking time, keep on cooking with the lid off until the liquid reduces to the consistency you desire.

Key ingredients in this slow cooker lamb ragu recipe

I adore lamb ragu but, if you feel like a change, you could make this recipe using beef or veal mince.

Red wine deepens the flavour of this ragu and adds a subtle sweetness. A cabernet sauvignon, cabernet, merlot or shiraz are all good options.

Tagliatelle and pappardelle are both wide pastas which allow enough surface area for the ragu to cling to. You could also serve this ragu with any short pasta including spirals and penne.

Love a slow cooked anything? Here are some more slow cooker recipes to entice you. And if you’re searching for more meals that use scrummy lamb mince, these 40 easy ways with lamb mince will have you running to the supermarket more often to replenish your stash!

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

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1kg lamb mince
1 brown onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
700g tomato passata
1 cup chicken or beef stock
1 bay leaf
Tagliatelle or pappardelle, to serve
Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve

Method

Step 1

Heat oil in a frypan and brown mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Transfer to the bowl of a slow cooker. In the same frypan, cook onion, carrots, celery and garlic for 5 minutes until starting to soften. Add tomato paste and cook off for 1 minute, then pour in wine and allow to bubble up. Transfer all of this to the slow cooker and stir through the lamb. Season well with plenty of salt and pepper. Pour in passata and stock and stir again. Tuck bay leaf in under the surface. Cover with a lid and cook for 6 hours on high, 8 hours on low, until ragu is thick and delicious.
Step 2

Cook pasta according to packet instructions. Serve topped with ragu and plenty of grated parmesan cheese.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

How else can I use this slow cooker lamb ragu?

This ragu makes a wonderful sauce for lasagne. As lasagne requires a more watery sauce to soak into the pasta sheets, you’ll just need to add a little extra stock to the finished ragu.

Can I cook this slow cooker lamb ragu ahead of time?

This is one of those dishes where the flavour develops over time. Cool the ragu first and place in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This ragu is also freezer-friendly. Store in portions in an airtight container or sealable bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and then gently reheat in a saucepan on the stovetop.