Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Lasagne – Layered Comfort, Slow Simmered Perfection

Slow cooked beef ragu lasagne is my favorite kind of therapy

Slow cooked beef ragu lasagne isn’t just a meal it’s an experience. From the moment the onions hit the olive oil to the final bubbling layer of cheese, I feel grounded, focused, and connected to tradition. The first time I made this slow cooked beef ragu lasagne, it was inspired by a dish I had in a quiet corner of Tuscany, and it’s now become a slow-cooked ritual in my kitchen.

What sets this dish apart is the ragu. We’re not just browning meat and tossing it into sauce. We’re talking about rich, tender chuck steak simmered slowly in red wine, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs. After hours of low, slow heat, it turns into something magical beef that practically melts as you stir.

I usually turn to this recipe when I want to cook with intention. The kind of dish that fills the house with aroma and makes everyone ask, “What’s in the oven?” And while it takes time, it’s no harder than making a basic bolognese you just let time do the heavy lifting.

If you enjoy meals that cook low and slow but deliver big, bold flavor, you’ll also love my slow cooker lasagna soup. It’s another comfort-filled twist on classic Italian comfort.

Why slow cooked beef ragu lasagne is worth the wait

Making slow cooked beef ragu lasagne means taking your time with each layer the deep richness of the meat, the silky bechamel, the soft but structured pasta. It’s a celebration of doing things well and with care.

This is the lasagne you bring to the table when you want to show love. It’s not fast. It’s not flashy. But it’s unforgettable.

Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Lasagne – Layered Comfort, Slow Simmered Perfection

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• Author: Mouny
• Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings

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Description

Slow cooked beef ragu lasagne is a rich, layered Italian dish made with shredded chuck steak simmered in red wine and tomato, creamy bechamel sauce, and golden melted cheese.

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Ingredients

Beef Ragu:

2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin)

1 kg chuck steak, cut into 3cm cubes

2 onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 × 400g canned tomatoes

250 ml beef stock

250 ml red wine

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs thyme

Bechamel Sauce:

60g butter

1/3 cup plain flour

750ml full cream milk

200g vintage cheddar cheese

2 heaped tbsp grated parmesan cheese

Sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Lasagna Assembly:

375g lasagna sheets

180g mozzarella cheese

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Sauté onions in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Sear beef in batches until browned. Don’t overcrowd the pan.

3. Return onions and garlic to the pot. Add tomatoes, wine, stock, tomato paste, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir well and bring to a simmer.

4. Cover and slow cook in oven for 3 hours. Then shred beef with a spatula.

5. For bechamel, melt butter and stir in flour over low heat for 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk until thick and creamy.

6. Stir in cheddar and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Preheat oven to 180°C. Begin lasagna layers: pasta sheets, ragu, pasta sheets, bechamel. Repeat.

8. Top final layer with mozzarella.

9. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

10. Let rest 10–15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Ragu can be made ahead and frozen or refrigerated. Add a few tablespoons of water if reheating to loosen it.

Stir bechamel constantly to prevent burning. Don’t leave the stove.

Follow the packet instructions for lasagna sheets—some need pre-steaming or soaking.

Leftovers freeze beautifully and reheat best in the oven.

• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
• Category: Slow Cooker & Instant Pot Bowls
• Method: Slow Cook
• Cuisine: Italian

Building the Flavors of Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Lasagne

My go-to ingredients for deep, slow-cooked flavor

A dish like slow cooked beef ragu lasagne only works when every layer brings something to the table literally. That’s why I never rush the base. The ingredients are rustic but deeply flavorful, and the time they spend simmering is where the real transformation happens.

Here’s what I use to build my slow cooked beef ragu lasagne from the ground up:

For the Beef Ragu:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 kg chuck steak (cut into 3cm cubes)
• 2 onions, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 × 400g canned tomatoes
• 250 ml beef stock
• 250 ml red wine
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs of thyme

For the Bechamel Sauce:

• 60g butter
• ⅓ cup plain flour
• 750ml full cream milk
• 200g vintage cheddar
• 2 heaped tbsp grated parmesan
• Sea salt + black pepper

For Lasagna Assembly:

• 375g lasagna sheets
• 180g mozzarella

If you’ve already tried my slow cooked lasagna crock pot, you’ll know that layering is a big deal in slow-cooked pasta dishes. That same logic applies here but with a richer, more luxurious ragu and the creamy lift of bechamel to balance it all out.

And don’t skip the wine it adds depth that canned sauce alone just can’t match. Every bite of this slow cooked beef ragu lasagne carries slow-built flavor from hours of simmering and layers of love.

Step-by-Step – Building Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Lasagne Like a Pro

Cooking the beef ragu low and slow

The soul of this slow cooked beef ragu lasagne is the ragu. I always start this dish early in the day because it rewards patience with melt-in-your-mouth flavor. Here’s how I bring the meat to life:

I preheat the oven to 150°C, then sauté onions in olive oil until soft low and slow. After about 10 minutes, I add the garlic and let it bloom for just a minute. Then, I set the onions aside and focus on the beef.

Chuck steak goes in next, in batches, searing each side to lock in flavor. It’s tempting to rush, but this step gives your slow cooked beef ragu lasagne that deep, meaty body. Once seared, I return the onions and garlic to the pot, add wine, beef stock, tomato paste, herbs, and tomatoes, then stir it all together and bring it to a simmer.

The ragu then goes into the oven, covered, for 3 full hours. No peeking. After that, I break the beef apart with a spatula into beautiful shredded meat.

Layering the lasagne the right way

Now that the ragu is ready, it’s time to build the slow cooked beef ragu lasagne. I preheat the oven again—this time to 180°C.

I layer it like this:

1. Lasagna sheets
2. Ragu
3. More sheets
4. Bechamel sauce
5. Repeat
6. Finish with mozzarella over the final bechamel layer

The creamy sauce and shredded beef stack into perfect harmony. When I want to go meatless, I’ll swap in my vegetable lasagna slow cooker version. The process is nearly identical but packed with mushrooms and spinach instead of beef.

Once assembled, I bake it for 30 minutes until golden and bubbly on top. It comes out looking like something you’d serve at a trattoria and tastes like it, too.

Serving Up Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Lasagne with Love

How I serve and store my lasagne

Once baked to golden, bubbling perfection, I let my slow cooked beef ragu lasagne sit for 10–15 minutes. This helps the layers firm up so they slice beautifully. It’s rich, savory, and filling so I often serve it with something fresh and simple, like a green salad or garlic-roasted veggies.

For a more indulgent spread, I sometimes pair this lasagne with something sweet and savory like my slow cooker honey garlic butter chicken thighs. The sweet heat of the chicken is a perfect contrast to the deep, slow-simmered richness of the beef ragu.

Leftovers? Even better the next day. I store them in individual portions in airtight containers and reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes. You can also microwave it, but oven reheat gives the top that lovely crisp again. And yes slow cooked beef ragu lasagne freezes like a dream.

Final thoughts from my kitchen

There’s something deeply rewarding about crafting a dish like slow cooked beef ragu lasagne. It’s a labor of love, yes but it’s also a kind of self-care. I cook it when I want to slow down, to fill the house with warmth, and to feed people well. This isn’t just lasagne it’s the kind of meal that leaves a memory.

If you enjoy slow-cooked, flavor-packed meals like this one, I think you’ll love my chicken wings slow cooker honey garlic too. It’s another comfort favorite that’s perfect for cozy nights and easy crowd-pleasing.

Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. I hope this recipe brings as much joy to your table as it does to mine.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooked Beef Ragu Lasagne