Create the delicious taste and texture of a slow-cooked beef ragu in under an hour with this Instant Pot Beef Ragu recipe. It’s rich, comforting, and perfect served with pappardelle pasta, creamy cheesy polenta, or your favorite pasta or vegetable base for an easy Italian weeknight meal.
Table of contents
- Why you’ll love this recipe
- Ingredients
- Instructions
- Ways to serve it
- What to serve with it
- Storage and reheating
- More Instant Pot recipes
Introducing an improved Instant Pot beef ragu that captures the deep, braised flavor of a slow-cooked ragu in a fraction of the time. After extensive testing, this version delivers tender shredded beef in a thick, flavorful tomato sauce while keeping the recipe approachable for busy weeknights. The combination of Italian seasoning, fresh rosemary, tomato paste, and a splash of red wine builds a layered, savory sauce that pairs beautifully with wide noodles, polenta, or ravioli.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Perfect texture. The Instant Pot breaks down chuck roast into tender, shreddable strands while the sauce reduces to a thick, meaty consistency—no watery ragu here.
- Rich, balanced flavor. Tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, aromatics, and herbs create depth and umami; red wine adds a fuller body if you choose to include it.
- Quick and easy. Achieve slow-cooked flavor in under an hour with simple steps: sear, deglaze, pressure cook, shred, and simmer to finish.
Ingredients
- Beef chuck roast – 2 pounds, trimmed and cut into large chunks. This cut braises and shreds beautifully.
- Italian seasoning – about 2 tablespoons. A blend of dried basil, parsley, oregano, and other Italian herbs works well.
- Olive oil – for searing and sautéing (divided).
- Onion – 1 cup diced (about one small onion).
- Carrots – ½ cup peeled and diced.
- Celery – ½ cup peeled and diced.
- Garlic – 4 cloves, minced.
- Red wine – ¼ cup, optional; use a full-bodied red like cabernet. Omit and replace with ¼ cup extra beef broth if preferred.
- Kosher salt and black pepper – to taste (about 1 teaspoon each for this recipe).
- Beef broth – 1 ½ cups. Use a good-quality stock for best flavor.
- Tomato paste – 6 ounces (one small can) for concentrated tomato flavor and body.
- Crushed tomatoes – 15 ounces (one can) to form the base of the sauce.
- Fresh rosemary – 2 sprigs (substitute thyme if desired).
Instructions
Below are the streamlined, easy-to-follow steps to make Instant Pot beef ragu. Follow the recipe quantities listed in the ingredients section for best results.
- Season and sear the beef. Toss the chuck roast chunks with the Italian seasoning. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté (Normal). Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and, when hot, sear the beef in batches until browned on all sides, about 1–2 minutes per side. Remove the seared pieces and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Sauté the diced onion, carrots, and celery for about 4 minutes until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Deglaze and add liquids. Pour in the red wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the beef to the pot, then add beef broth, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste. Season with kosher salt and black pepper, and nestle the rosemary sprigs on top.
- Pressure cook. Secure the lid and set the steam release to sealing. Cook on High Pressure (Manual) for 30 minutes. When the timer finishes, allow a 10-minute natural release, then release any remaining pressure and open the lid.
- Shred and reduce sauce. Remove and discard rosemary sprigs. Transfer the beef to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return the shredded beef to the pot. Use the Sauté (Normal) setting and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens to your liking. While the sauce reduces, cook pasta or prepare your chosen accompaniment.
Ways to serve it
This beef ragu is versatile and satisfying. Serve it over wide noodles or polenta, use it as a lasagna filling, spoon it over ravioli, or top roasted vegetables for a comforting meal.
- With pappardelle pasta – wide ribbons catch the meaty sauce; finish with grated Parmesan.
- Over creamy cheesy polenta – rich and comforting, a great gluten-free option.
- In lasagna – use as the meat layer for a bold, flavorful lasagna.
- Over ravioli – quick and decadent when paired with fresh cheese ravioli.
- With spaghetti squash – a low-carb alternative that pairs well with the rich sauce.
No matter the pairing, the hearty, slow-simmered flavors make this ragu hard to resist.
What to serve with it
Keep sides simple to complement the ragu: a crisp salad and warm bread for sopping up sauce are perfect. Some favorite side options include garlic bread, pull-apart rolls, garlic knots, and a fresh Italian or Caesar-style salad.
Storage and reheating
Store leftover ragu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze cooled ragu in freezer-safe containers for up to 6 months.
To reheat on the stove: warm the ragu in a pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through (about 5–7 minutes for refrigerated portions).
To reheat from frozen: thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then reheat gently on the stove over medium-low heat for 30–45 minutes, or in a slow cooker on Low for 1–2 hours, until warmed through.
More Instant Pot recipes
If you enjoy this Instant Pot beef ragu, try other one-pot favorites made the same way, such as pulled pork, buffalo chicken, Instant Pot ribs, mashed potatoes, mushroom risotto, or chicken stroganoff. These recipes share the convenience and depth of flavor that pressure cooking delivers.
Instant Pot Pulled Pork
Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
Instant Pot Ribs
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto
Instant Pot Chicken Stroganoff
Instant Pot Beef Ragu
6 people
20 minutes
40 minutes
1 hour
Whitney Bond
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into large chunks
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup onion, diced
- ½ cup carrots, peeled and diced
- ½ cup celery, peeled and diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup red wine (optional)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups beef broth
- 6 ounce can tomato paste
- 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or thyme)
Instructions
- Slice the chuck roast into large chunks and toss with the Italian seasoning.
- Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot and set to the Normal setting.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When hot, sear the seasoned chuck roast pieces about 4 minutes, or until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery for 4 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits.
- Return the beef to the pot. Add salt, pepper, beef broth, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine and place rosemary sprigs on top.
- Cancel Sauté and secure the lid. Set the steam release to sealing.
- Cook on High Pressure (Manual) for 30 minutes. When the time is up, wait 10 minutes, then release any remaining pressure and unlock the lid.
- Remove and discard rosemary. Shred beef with two forks and return to the pot.
- Use Sauté (Normal) and cook down the sauce for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Serve hot over pasta, polenta, or your chosen base.
Notes
- Red wine: Use a full-bodied red like cabernet for best results. If skipping wine, add an extra ¼ cup beef broth.
- Serving suggestions: Serve with pappardelle, creamy cheesy polenta, ravioli, or spaghetti squash.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 5 days; freeze up to 6 months once cooled. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stove over medium heat until bubbly, or microwave individual portions for 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Nutrition Facts
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