Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta Meal Prep

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta Meal Prep is an effortless and hearty meal to be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. Gluten-Free. 

Can you tell we have been on a kick with recipes that are easy and made in the Crock-Pot? Basically, these kinds of recipes are ideal for people less enthusiastic about cooking. Or if you just don't want to spend a lot of time on the weekend chopping, prepping, and all the rest. Here's the deal. This beef ragu does its thing in your kitchen on a Sunday afternoon while you go about your business. This ragu makes your house smell awesome, and then dinner is ready for that night. Or for meal prepping.

This Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta Meal Prep recipe is super easy, but still has all of the rich, hearty flavors of a classic ragu. It is served over a high-protein, gluten-free pasta for a complete meal for lunch or dinner. This comforting dish will appeal to the whole family. It feels filling and nostalgic, which is a winning combo for us.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta

Everything goes in your slow cooker. This beef ragu earns the award for the fastest description we've ever written for a dish.

But seriously, there's one exception, and that's the pasta. Resist the temptation to do your pasta in the slow cooker. It just won't work. That's why you make the pasta separately. This kind of appliance just doesn't exactly excel at starches like pasta and rice, with a few exceptions.

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta Meal Prep Ingredients

• 1 (1.5-pound) sirloin cap roast
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup beef broth
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 5 sprigs fresh thyme)
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1 pound Banza pasta
• Grated Parmesan cheese or cheese powder and chopped parsley for serving, optional

How to Store Beef Ragu

Meal prep as directed. This beef ragu is so hearty, it will keep for about five days or so. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. (Hint: Dishes with pasta do better reheated on the stovetop in a little bit of extra sauce or water. The microwave can make pasta gummy).

Freeze any beef ragu pasta leftovers in freezer-safe containers or zip-close bags.

How to Serve Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta

We like serving this not only with pasta, but with some fresh kale or spinach mixed into the dish at the last minute. The heat from the dish will soften the greens, so don't think of it as quite like adding a salad to your pasta.

Substitutions and Alterations

• You could use a pork shoulder if this dish, for something different.  The pork will be fall-apart tender and delicious.
• Regular pasta can be used instead of chickpea/gluten-free pasta.
• Serve over rice, whether it's cauliflower, white, or brown rice, instead of pasta. Just cook the rice at the same step in the recipe instead.

READ MORE: Need a reason to use your slow cooker? How about 31 Slow Cooker Meal Prep Recipes? 

Make all the meals!! Slow cooker meal prep recipes save time and taste SO GOOD! No dry meat here

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta Meal Prep

Slow Cooker Beef Ragu Pasta Meal Prep. An effortless and hearty meal to be enjoyed for lunch or dinner. Gluten-Free. 

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 16 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Course: Lunch, Main Dish

Cuisine: American, Italian

Keyword: Beef, Meal Prep, Pasta

Servings: 8 meals

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Meal Prep on Fleek

Ingredients

• 1.5 pound sirloin cap roast
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup beef broth
• 3 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 medium carrots chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 5 springs fresh thyme
• 3 dried bay leaves
• 1 pound chickpea pasta or pasta of choice

Optional

• grated Parmesan cheese
• parsley

Instructions

• Rub sirloin cap roast with oil and generously sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Transfer into a slow cooker, fat cap side down.
• Pour crushed tomatoes on top. Add the beef broth, garlic, onion, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves around the roast.
• Cook covered on low for 8 to 9 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours. Remove the thyme sprig (if using) and bay leaves. Remoe the beef to a cutting board and shred it, using two forks.
• Cook chickpea pasta according to package instructions and transfer to serving bowls. Pour on the ragu and serve hot with extra vegetables, such as spinach or kale.
• Alternatively, add the pasta and the sauce into separate meal prep containers and save for later.

Notes

WW Smart Points= Green:8  Blue:8  Purple:2

 

Nutrition for 1 out of 8 servings:

40g Protein, 12g Fat, 44g Carbs

Nutrition

Serving: 1meal | Calories: 444kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 12g

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