Beef Ragu Rigatoni (Oven Baked Chuck Roast)
Beef Ragu Rigatoni (Oven Baked Chuck Roast) is a comforting pasta dinner that delivers fork-tender shredded beef, rich slow-cooked sauce, and easy oven preparation with almost no hands-on work. This beef ragu rigatoni recipe starts with a chuck roast baked slowly in olive oil and beef broth until it becomes tender enough to shred, then it’s combined with marinara to create a pasta sauce that coats rigatoni perfectly.
Servings: 8
Calories: 622kcal
Equipment
- Large ceramic casserole dish
- Aluminum foil
- Two forks (for shredding)
- Large pot (for pasta)
- Large serving bowl
Ingredients
- 3 to 3½ pounds chuck roast trimmed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup beef broth or water
- 3 to 4 cups homemade marinara sauce or store-bought
- 1 pound rigatoni pasta
- fresh parsley chopped
- parmesan cheese grated (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. If the chuck roast has a very thick exterior fat cap, trim off some of the larger pieces before cooking, leaving a thin layer for flavor.
- Place the roast in a casserole dish and season generously on all sides with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Drizzle the olive oil over the meat.
- Pour the broth or water into the bottom of the dish. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil.
- Transfer the covered dish to the oven and cook for about 3 to 3½ hours, until the beef is very tender and easily pulls apart with a fork.
- Remove the dish from the oven and carefully remove the foil. Use two forks to shred the beef directly in the casserole dish. As you shred the meat, remove and discard any large pieces of fat or connective tissue that did not fully render during cooking.
- Pour off the excess cooking liquid and fat, leaving about ½ cup of the beef juices in the pan to enrich the sauce. Stir in the marinara sauce and return the dish to the oven uncovered for 10–15 minutes to warm the sauce.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente. Reserve about ½ cup pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- Transfer the rigatoni to the baking dish with the shredded beef and marinara sauce. Toss gently to combine. Add a splash of reserved pasta water only if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Divide the pasta among bowls and spoon extra beef and sauce over the top. Finish with chopped parsley and grated Parmesan if desired.
Video
Notes
Cooking Notes:
Cook the chuck roast low and slow, so the connective tissue fully breaks down. This creates tender, shredded beef that blends naturally into the pasta sauce.
Tips for Best Results:
- Cook the roast covered so moisture stays trapped in the casserole dish.
- Leave some of the beef cooking juices to enrich the sauce.
- Let the beef cook long enough so it shreds easily.
- Cook pasta just shy of al dente, so it finishes in the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 622kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 946mg | Potassium: 1068mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 424IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 6mg
