Slow Cooker Ragu With Instant Pot Instructions

This Slow Cooker Ragu recipe is easy to make, stick-to-your-ribs comforting, and makes a generous quantity that’s freezer-friendly. The whole family will love it! Here’s some more delicious Crockpot meals you may like: Slow Cooker Beef Tips, Melt in Your Mouth Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken, this Slow Cooker Missisippi Pork Roast (To Die For!), or this Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie.

Slow Cooker Ragu

Hi everyone! It’s Natasha here from Salt & Lavender. I’m excited to bring you this delicious Crockpot ragu sauce that is sure to be a great time-saver when you’re busy with back-to-school activities. I don’t have kids and I’m not in school, but I do know that I can always count on having some delicious meat sauce in my freezer when I just don’t feel like cooking. Nothing beats a quick, hot, and comforting meal after a long day of work/school! Fun fact: I’ve aimed to make this sauce fairly close to the the traditional Italian version, so there is not a lot of tomato in here, contrary to popular belief in North America of what ragu sauce is. Ragu is a hearty meat sauce with a splash of cream added at the end to lighten it and give it a wonderful richer flavor. The combination of the meats and mirepoix (sautéd carrots, onions, and celery) really make this sauce shine.

How to make Crockpot ragu

Ragu is traditionally served over spaghetti. I love to top it with a generous amount of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Fresh parsley is optional!

Can I make ragu in the Instant Pot?

Yes, you can. Sauté the carrots, onions, and celery in your Instant Pot using the “sauté” function for 3-4 minutes, then add the ground meat and continue cooking until it’s browned. Spoon out most of the fat. Add the remaining ingredients (except for cream and salt & pepper), close the lid, set the valve on “sealing” and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Stir in the cream and season with salt & pepper as needed.

A few recipe notes:

If you’re in a huge rush, you can just throw everything in the Crockpot and mix it together without doing the sautéing/browning step, but the sauce won’t be quite as flavorful, so I don’t recommend skipping that step unless totally necessary. If you don’t drink wine, you may leave it out. Just replace it with the same amount of beef broth. This sauce freezes well. I like to freeze it in individual portions. I prefer using a blend of beef and pork in this recipe. It’s what my mom did when I was growing up, and it just adds a nice balance of flavor. You could also trying making a mix with beef and sausage meat or ground veal. I haven’t tested it, but you could cook this sauce for 3-4 hours on high. I do prefer to cook it low and slow, though, for better flavor (at least 6 hours).

More meaty recipes you may like:

Instant Pot Pasta with Meatballs Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls Beef Barley Soup

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.