Instant Pot Beef Ragu is a cozy hearty dish made up of ribbons of thick pasta coated in a red sauce full of tender shredded beef. This is the perfect meal for a cold fall or winter day!
Instant Pot Beef Ragu is the meal you need to make if you’re in the mood for a filling comforting pasta dish. The pressure cooker makes this dish come together much quicker while still resulting in ultra tender beef and amazing flavor. For more Instant Pot beef recipes, try Instant Pot Beef Stew, Instant Pot Beef Tips & Gravy, and Instant Pot Pot Roast.
Pressure Cooker Beef Ragu
What’s better than a ground beef meat sauce? A shredded meat sauce! Holy cow this shredded Beef Ragu is amazing! It is packed with so much flavor and the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender. It’s a meal the whole family will love and is great for serving to dinner guests.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Beef Ragu:
- Chuck Roast– This cut of beef is a more affordable cut. It is very flavorful but contains a lot of tough connective tissue that requires long slow cooking to melt and tenderize the meat.
- Oil– Any cooking oil can be used in this recipe (olive oil, vegetable, avocado, or canola).
- Onion, Carrot, Celery– This combination of aromatic vegetables is called mirepoix when cooked together in butter or oil. They are cut to roughly the same size and used in a 2:1:1 ratio of onion: carrot: celery. They become sweet and caramelized giving the dish it’s first flavor profile to build off of.
- Garlic– This adds so much flavor and is found in many cuisines. Fresh minced or pressed garlic adds the best flavor!
- Red Wine– Red wine has bold flavors that compliment beef and pork. The alcohol assists in releasing flavor molecules which enhances the flavor and aroma of the ingredients in the dish.
- Crushed Tomatoes– Crushed tomatoes makes up a lot of the sauce and adds a thick texture. If needed, tomato sauce can be used instead.
- Tomato Paste– This concentrated puree of tomatoes adds a bold tomato flavor without thinning the sauce.
- Beef Broth– Bouillon and water can be used as a replacement. This adds a depth of flavor to the dish.
- Thyme– This aromatic herb has an earthy, minty, sweet and savory flavor. It pairs well with oregano and rosemary and is often found in various dishes of meats, stews, and vegetables. If using dried, use only 1/2 teaspoon in this recipe.
- Bay Leaves– This dried flavorful leaf is often used in soups, stews, and sauces to add a depth of flavor. It has a tough texture and remains intact even after long cooking so they are removed before serving as to not be a choking hazard.
- Pappardelle Pasta– These long wide noodles are made with eggs like traditional pasta. They are typically served with chunky meaty sauces.
How to make Beef Ragu:
Time needed: 1 hour and 20 minutes
- Sear Beef
Turn pressure cooker to sauté function and heat 1 tablespoon of oil. When pot is hot, add the beef and sear for 3-4 minutes per side (will release easily from pot when seared enough). Remove from pot.
- Saute Vegetables
Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and and cook onion, carrots, and celery for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 60 seconds or until fragrant.
- Deglaze
Add the wine and deglaze the pan (scraping all the browned bits off the bottom) for 3 minutes.
- Add all Ingredients
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, thyme, bay leaves, and salt. Add the beef.
- Pressure Cook
Top with lid, close valve, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural release. Use a spoon to open valve and release remaining pressure before removing the lid.
- Shred Beef
Discard thyme and bay leaves. Remove beef and shred. Add beef back to sauce.
- Cook Pasta
Cook pasta according to directions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add sauce to the pasta along with 1/4 to 1/2 cup pasta water and turn heat to high. Toss for 1-2 minutes until sauce is thickened and coats the pasta.
- Garnish & Serve
Garnish with ricotta, fresh parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), and parsley.
FAQs
Wine is used in cooking to enhance and accent the flavor of the other ingredients in the dish. While cooking, the alcohol evaporated and the wine’s flavor, acidity, and a sweetness become concentrated.
Red wine can be substituted with gape juice, cranberry juice, and beef or vegetable broth.
Starchy pasta water helps a sauce cling to the pasta noodles. This method is used by chefs and is an easy way to take your dish up a notch.
TOOLS USED TO MAKE THIS INSTANT POT BEEF RAGU:
- Instant Pot Pressure Cooker– As much as I love my slow cooker, you can make things way faster (1/8 the time!) in the pressure cooker. It’s truly amazing! You can make anything in it from soup to rice to fall-off-the-bone tender ribs.
- Knife Set– This set comes with all the knives you need and they are of great quality (going on 12 years in my home!).
- Cutting Board– I love having various sizes of cutting boards and these are awesome because they won’t slip and slide around on the counter.
- Garlic Press– Fresh garlic tastes best and this is the best garlic press! I love how easy it is to use and clean!
LOOKING FOR MORE MEATY PASTA DISHES? CHECK OUT THESE:
- Skillet Lasagna
- Baked Ziti with Sweet Italian Sausage
- Creamy Beef Pasta
- One Pot Tortellini & Sausage
- Easy Beef, Spinach, and Cheese Manicotti
- Slow Cooker Spaghetti Meat Sauce
Instant Pot Beef Ragu
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 4 pieces
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 cup yellow or sweet onion, finely diced (~1/2 onion)
- 1/2 cup carrots, finely diced (~1 carrot)
- 1/2 cup celery, finely diced (~1 stalk)
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine, (cabernet sauvignon or merlot)
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pound pappardelle pasta
- fresh parmigiano reggiano, grated
- ricotta cheese
Instructions
- Turn pressure cooker to sauté function and heat 1 tablespoon of oil. When pot is hot, add the beef and sear for 3-4 minutes per side (will release easily from pot when seared enough). Remove from pot.
- Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and and cook onion, carrots, and celery for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 60 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the wine and deglaze the pan (scraping all the browned bits off the bottom) for 3 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, thyme, bay leaves, and salt. Add the beef.
- Top with lid, close valve, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes followed by a 10 minute natural release. Use a spoon to open valve and release remaining pressure before removing the lid.
- Discard herbs. Remove beef and shred. Add beef back to sauce.
- Cook pasta according to directions. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add ragu sauce to the pasta along with 1/4 to 1/2 cup pasta water and turn heat to high. Toss for about a minute until sauce is thickened and coats the pasta.
- Garnish with ricotta, fresh parmigiano reggiano (parmesan), and parsley.
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