Slow Cooker Beef Ragu (2024)

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This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu recipe is easy to prep andsimmered in the most delicious tomato sauce. Serve it over pasta, polenta, or whatever sounds good. ♥

Whew, October, you have been quite the rideso far.

I’ve had a somewhat steady month — well, minus finding a note on the door aweeks ago saying that our loft building hadsold and that the new owners were raising my rent 50% (yes,50) effective December 1, which was so disheartening, to say the least. Still trying to figure out what to do there. But honestly, I feel like that’s small potatoes compared to what some of my friends are going through.

Literally, in just this past month or so, some of my closest friends’lives have been this roller coaster of incredible highs and heartbreakinglows. We’ve celebrated new jobs, engagements, signing leases and mortgages on new homes, bridal showers, new puppies and more. And then right alongside those, I’ve had some dear friends walking through the first stages of divorce, family members’ passing,sadmedical news, lost jobs, depression, and — now — it looks like most of my favorite neighbors are going to be forced to move out of their homes in my building. Of course,all of these sorts of highs and lows in life have a way of overlapping in some of the most beautiful and brutal — or as Glennon says, “brutiful” — of ways, don’t they?

My heart’s definitely a little overwhelmedright now, mostly just wanting to love and support those who are struggling. I always wish there was a magic button to know what the most helpful thing is to do or say in a situation. But I’ve learned — as we probably all have by this point in life — that the most important thing is usually just tobe there and listen and love one another as best we all can. And that it’s often the seemingly simplethings — like, swooping in to clean a friend’s house and do their laundry, or babysitting the kids for a few hours — that can be most helpful, if there is anything to be “done”. But, I’ve also learned that just abouteveryone appreciates a quick drop-off of a freezer meal that they can stash away for later. Whether it’s a friend in the final weeks of wedding prep, or the friend who just lost hisjob, quick and easy freezer meals always seem to come in handy. And I love any chance to feed and nourish and bring a smile to a friend’s face. ♥

So last week as I was flipping through my friend, Gina’s, new cookbook and trying to decide what to make, I spotted this easy Slow Cooker Beef Ragu recipe that I knew would bring a smile to a friend’s face. And I also happened to notice that the ingredients would freeze well. So before the weekend, Icooked up a batch with lots of love, and then spooned it up in some tupperware to share with a good friend who needed a good meal. And Gina did a great job with the recipe — it really was a good one.

Actually, this entire cookbook — Skinnytaste Fast and Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix and Slow Cooker Recipes — seems to befull of good ones. :)

I’m guessing that most of you are familiar with Gina, creator of the wildly popular blog, Skinnytaste, and author of now TWO New York Times bestselling cookbooks. (Freaking amazing – yayGina!) But ifher blog and cookbooks are new to you, I would wholeheartedly recommend that you pop over and check them out. Her feel-good recipes are beautiful, healthy approachable, family-friendly, and every single one that I’ve tried is consistently delicious. And Gimme Some Oven readers, Iknow how much you love your Crock-Pots. So if you’re looking for some new slow cooker recipes this winter, I feel like her new cookbook would be right up your alley. Just sayin’.

Gina also happens to be one of my favorite bloggers behind-the-scenes — always humble, always generously supporting and encouraging those around her, and always just such adelight to be around. And during a few moments in the past when I’ve been the one having a hard time with something, she has definitely been that friend who has offered a kind listening ear and just the words I needed to hear. So it seems extra apropos that her recipes be some of the ones that I get to share with friends…and with you all today!

I think you’re going to love it. You pretty much just toss some flank steak (a leaner choice for ragu) and a bunch of veggies in the Crock-Pot, then let it work its magic while you’reworking during the day. Then come dinnertime…

…this amazing pot of ragu will be ready to shred…

…serve up over pasta or polenta or whatever sounds good…

…andenjoy.

And if you feel like sharing or saving some for later, this recipe also freezes very well. And I can vouch that it’stotal comfort food.

So thanks to Gina for a great recipe and congrats on the new cookbook! And to everyone else, I say hug your loved ones a little extra longer this week. Becauseit’s our privilege to do this life thing together, and we need all the love we can get. Hugs to each of you today!