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Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef Mince Ragù with Hidden Vegetables | DadTheFoodie

Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef Mince Ragù with Hidden Vegetables recipe photograph

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain off excess fat if necessary.
Add the onion, carrots, celery and red pepper to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the tomato purée and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. Tip everything into a 3.5-litre slow cooker.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes, passata and beef stock. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, oregano, bay leaf, black pepper and salt.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick and rich. Remove the bay leaf and taste, adjusting the seasoning if needed.
Near the end of the cooking time, cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain well; do not leave cooked pasta in the slow cooker.
Spoon the ragù over the pasta and finish with Parmesan or Cheddar and parsley, if using. Serve immediately.

Equipment needed

Recommended slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5-litre slow cooker
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon
Saucepan
Colander

Swaps and substitutions

Beef mince → Turkey mince
Use the same quantity; the finished sauce will be lighter and less rich.
Red pepper → 150 g finely diced courgette
Add it with the onion, carrot and celery.
Parmesan or mature Cheddar → A dairy-free hard cheese alternative
Omit it for a dairy-free serving.
Spaghetti → Tagliatelle, penne or baked potatoes
Choose according to preference.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes
Batch cooking: Suitable for batch cooking
Storage: Cool the ragù promptly, transfer it to a covered container and refrigerate within two hours. Keep for up to 3 days. Store cooked pasta separately and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Defrost: Defrost the frozen ragù in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a saucepan until piping hot throughout. Do not defrost it at room temperature or cook it from frozen in the slow cooker.
Reheating: Reheat the ragù in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water if needed. Reheat only once. Cook fresh pasta when possible; if reheating cooked pasta, make sure it is piping hot throughout.
Leftover ideas: Use leftover ragù in a baked pasta dish, layer it with lasagne sheets and white sauce, or spoon it over a baked potato.

Allergen information

The optional cheese contains milk. Pasta usually contains wheat and may contain egg; check the packet if catering for an allergy. Stock cubes can contain celery, wheat or other allergens, so check the label.

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

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Recipe info

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 360 min
Servings: 4

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Ingredients

Recipe serves 4

Adjust servings

Cooking time may not change in direct proportion to serving size.

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
500 g lean beef mince
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
1 red pepper, deseeded and finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely grated or crushed
2 tablespoons tomato purée
2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
500 ml passata
150 ml beef stock, made with ½ stock cube
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
400 g dried spaghetti or other pasta, to serve
30 g finely grated Parmesan or mature Cheddar, to serve (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, to serve (optional)

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Slow cooker

Tags: Slow cooker, Beef mince, Pasta, Family dinner, Freezer friendly, Batch cooking

Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef Mince Ragù with Hidden Vegetables

Name: Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef Mince Ragù with Hidden Vegetables
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 360 min
Total time: 380 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil; 500 g lean beef mince; 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped; 2 carrots, finely diced; 2 sticks celery, finely diced; 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely diced; 3 cloves garlic, finely grated or crushed; 2 tablespoons tomato purée; 2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes; 500 ml passata; 150 ml beef stock, made with ½ stock cube; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 bay leaf; ½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; ½ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste; 400 g dried spaghetti or other pasta, to serve; 30 g finely grated Parmesan or mature Cheddar, to serve (optional); 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, to serve (optional)

This family-friendly beef mince ragù combines onion, carrot, celery and red pepper with tomatoes, garlic and a little balsamic vinegar for a rich, gently sweet sauce. Serve it with spaghetti, tagliatelle or baked potatoes for an easy weekend dinner.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 6 hrs
Total: 6 hr 20 min
Servings: 4

Equipment

Slow-cooker size: 3.5 litre

3.5-litre slow cooker
Large frying pan
Wooden spoon
Saucepan
Colander

Ingredients

1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
500 g lean beef mince
1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely diced
2 sticks celery, finely diced
1 red pepper, deseeded and finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely grated or crushed
2 tablespoons tomato purée
2 x 400 g tins chopped tomatoes
500 ml passata
150 ml beef stock, made with ½ stock cube
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
400 g dried spaghetti or other pasta, to serve
30 g finely grated Parmesan or mature Cheddar, to serve (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, to serve (optional)

Substitutions

Beef mince → Turkey mince (Use the same quantity; the finished sauce will be lighter and less rich.)
Red pepper → 150 g finely diced courgette (Add it with the onion, carrot and celery.)
Parmesan or mature Cheddar → A dairy-free hard cheese alternative (Omit it for a dairy-free serving.)
Spaghetti → Tagliatelle, penne or baked potatoes (Choose according to preference.)

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain off excess fat if necessary.
Add the onion, carrots, celery and red pepper to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the tomato purée and smoked paprika and cook for 1 minute. Tip everything into a 3.5-litre slow cooker.
Pour in the chopped tomatoes, passata and beef stock. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, oregano, bay leaf, black pepper and salt.
Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick and rich. Remove the bay leaf and taste, adjusting the seasoning if needed.
Near the end of the cooking time, cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions. Drain well; do not leave cooked pasta in the slow cooker.
Spoon the ragù over the pasta and finish with Parmesan or Cheddar and parsley, if using. Serve immediately.

Storage and leftovers

Freezer friendly: Yes

Suitable for batch cooking

Cool the ragù promptly, transfer it to a covered container and refrigerate within two hours. Keep for up to 3 days. Store cooked pasta separately and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Defrost: Defrost the frozen ragù in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat in a saucepan until piping hot throughout. Do not defrost it at room temperature or cook it from frozen in the slow cooker.

Reheat the ragù in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot throughout. Add a splash of water if needed. Reheat only once. Cook fresh pasta when possible; if reheating cooked pasta, make sure it is piping hot throughout.

Use leftover ragù in a baked pasta dish, layer it with lasagne sheets and white sauce, or spoon it over a baked potato.

Allergen information

Always check ingredient packaging and labels if you or someone you are cooking for has an allergy.

Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef Mince Ragù with Hidden Vegetables

Instructions

Equipment needed

Swaps and substitutions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

My private notes

Slow Cooker Balsamic Beef Mince Ragù with Hidden Vegetables

Equipment

Ingredients

Substitutions

Instructions

Storage and leftovers

Allergen information

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