Slow cooker minced beef ragu

Slow cooker minced beef ragu is the basic recipe that you can use to make lasagna, stuffed aubergine, moussaka, pasta bolognese…

It is super simple to make and just adjusting the spices you can use it to make lots of different dishes. You could also store it in the freezer in single portions and use it any time you need it.

The minced beef ragu will be ready in your freezer to make delicious pasta, moussaka, lasagna…

What kind of minced meat should I use?

You can go for a 100% beef minced meat or half beef and half pork to make it extra tender and juicy. As pork meat has more fat, will make the ragu extra juicy.

Of course, you can also use chicken or turkey minced meat, bit it will more on the dry side.

How can I use minced beef ragu?

A classic option will be to use it for lasagna, moussaka or pasta bolognesa. All great and delicious options when you have a homemade ragu.

Also amazing to make some delicious nachos at home. You can arrange a layer of nachos on a baking tray, cheese and top it with some slow cooker beef ragu. Bake it for 15 minutes and top it with some jalapeños. Serve with some homemade guacamole. It is an amazing option if you host a party, everyone will love it. The best part is that you had slow cooker beef ragu in the freezer, so you didn’t even had to cook that.

Let’s start!

Slow cooker minced beef ragu

Recipe by Enara ParraCourse: MainCuisine: Slow cookerDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

3

hours 

Ingredients

• 500 g ground meat (beef or half beef and half pork)

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, chopped

• 1 carrot, chopped

• 1 celery stalk, chopped

• 400 g canned tomato

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• 1/2 cup red wine

• salt

• pepper

• Moussaka spices

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 6 cloves

• Lasagna spices

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 bay leaf

Directions

• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-size pan over medium heat.
• Stir in the chopped onion, garlic, celery and carrot and sauté, until softened. About 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on the same medium-size pan over high heat.
  Season the meat with salt and pepper. Stir in the ground meat and sauté for 3 minutes or until slightly golden.
• Pour the red wine or port wine and cook for 2 minutes or until it evaporates.
• Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 3 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker.
• Add the spices, cover with the lid and cook for 3 hours on HIGH.
• Discard the cinnamon and bay leaf.

Notes

• You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days in a closed container or in the freezer for 4 months.
• The best is to freeze it is single portions so you can use it for different recipes.

More slow cooker recipes here.