This juicy slow cooker lamb ragu is incredibly tender, rich, and SO DELICIOUS! I will guide you through the easy steps to achieve a melt-in-your-mouth mouthwatering result! A perfect hearty meal that the whole family will enjoy. Ideal to make a big batch and store portions! Gluten-free.
Slow-cooked lamb ragu with pappardelle pasta is one of my favorite pasta dishes! It is rich and hearty, and always a winner!
For more slow-cooked meat recipes, check out my award-winning slow cooked BBQ pulled pork or my slow cooked BBQ beef brisket. And for a beef version of the ragu, try this slow cooked beef ragu. For a simple pasta dish that hits the spot check out this 25-minutes kale & bacon gnocchi.
Jump to:
- Why you will love this hearty lamb ragu
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and variations
- How to make this slow-cooked lamb ragu recipe
- What to serve with this slow cooker lamb ragu
- How do you thicken ragu in the slow cooker?
- Equipment
- Storage
- Top tips to make this lamb ragu!
- Slow cooked lamb ragu FAQ's
- More hearty meat recipes
- Love this recipe? Let's stay connected!
- Easy Slow Cooker Lamb Ragu Recipe (Gluten-Free)
- See what other people think about this recipe!
Why you will love this hearty lamb ragu
Hearty and super tasty, this rich lamb ragu is the ultimate comfort food!
Ideal for special occasions or to be the star of your dinner party.
Perfect for batch cooking to store portions, or for a large family feed.
The flavors of this recipe deepen as this dish rests, so it will be even tastier the next day!
Ingredients
The ingredients list for this gluten-free lamb ragu is nice and simple!
- Lamb shoulder - remove the big chunks of fat, but make sure to leave some! Cut in big pieces
- Brown/yellow onion - finely diced
- Garlic cloves - finely diced
- Celery stalk - finely diced
- Carrot - finely diced
- Tomato passata - tomato purée (see below for more tomato substitutions)
- Red wine - dry red wine (like Pinot Noir) works best, but feel free to use what you already have at home
- Beef stock or lamb stock
- Fresh rosemary stalks
- Sea salt
- Ground black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and variations
- Use another type of tomato for the sauce: canned chopped tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, or a simple tomato sauce would work as a substitute for the tomato passata.
- Tomato paste - can be a great addition to reinforce the tomato flavor and add depth to the sauce
- Add other fresh herbs - like bay leaves or fresh thyme.
- Worcestershire sauce (gluten-free) - is also a fantastic add-on to enhance the flavor of the sauce
How to make this slow-cooked lamb ragu recipe
Preparing this braised lamb ragu is super easy following some simple steps. So please don't be scared by the long cooking time, once the ingredients are on the slow cooker you are pretty much done! Set the slow cooker and wait until it's ready.
Start by searing the lamb: add a generous drizzle of olive oil to a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the pieces of lamb leaving space in between, and sear on all sides until nicely browned (approx. 5 minutes per side). Don't add salt to the meat yet! Sear in batches until you've done all the lamb bits, and set aside.
Cook the veggies: in the same oil where you've cooked the lamb, add the onion, garlic, celery, and pinch of salt. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes until the onion starts to become transparent (approx. 5 minutes). Add the carrot and another pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cook for another 5-8 minutes until the carrot is soft.
Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker: add the tomato passata, beef stock, red wine, veggies, ground black pepper, and salt to the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Make sure to pour the juices and browned bits on the bottom of the pan too! Add the rosemary stalks and browned lamb, cover with a lid, and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 5 hours.
Pull the lamb: pull the lamb into small pieces using two forks. You can either do it directly in the slow cooker (less cleaning!) or take the bits of lamb out, and pull them on a plate or chopping board. If you take them out, put the shredded lamb back in the slow cooker and combine it with the sauce. Taste and adjust the amount of salt if required. Cook for another 15-20 minutes more and it's ready!
Tip: don't skip searing the lamb!! It is where the depth of flavor starts to build up, so don't skip it!
What to serve with this slow cooker lamb ragu
My favorite way to enjoy this hearty lamb ragu is with pappardelle pasta. In my opinion, pappardelle is the best pasta for lamb ragu, however, feel free to use your favorite type of pasta!
Other pasta shapes work well with lamb ragu: rigatoni (big penne) or fettuccini work great as well. Whatever pasta shape you go for, make sure to cook it al dente! Serve with a bit of parmesan (vegan if dairy-intolerant) and chopped parsley on top.
If you want to go for a low-carb option cauliflower mash is a great side dish to have with lamb ragu.
How do you thicken ragu in the slow cooker?
If your rich sauce ends up more liquid than what you'd like, you can thicken it using a slurry made with tapioca flour or cornstarch.
To prepare the slurry simply mix ½ - 1 teaspoon of tapioca flour or cornstarch with a tiny bit of water. Stir well to combine and pour over the lamb ragu. Combine well and cook for another 30 minutes or so, until it thickens.
Equipment
All you need to make this delicious and rich lamb ragu is...
- Chopping board
- Sharp knife
- Timber spatula
- Large saucepan or frying pan to brown the lamb and cook the veggies
- Slow cooker
- Forks
Storage
Leftover lamb ragu? Happy days!! Lamb ragu gets tastier as it rests in the fridge making delicious leftovers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days.
This recipe is suitable for freezing. I recommend freezing portions in glass jars or airtight containers, it will last up to three months.
Top tips to make this lamb ragu!
Sear the lamb before transferring to the slow cooker!! This is non-negotiable and my biggest tip! While it might be tempting to throw all the ingredients raw in the slow cooker to save time, searing the meat is an essential step. It is where the depth of flavor starts to build up, so don't skip it!
Go for a good-quality lamb! Grass-fed antibiotic-free lamb is best. You will be contributing to more sustainable farming practices and enjoying an extra-rich flavor. You can taste the difference from happy animals 🙂
Slow cooked lamb ragu FAQ's
Lamb ragu is a hearty Italian dish that is made of lamb in a rich sauce of tomato, carrot, onion, celery, red wine, stock, and rosemary. It is slow-cooked for hours to develop a rich and delicious flavor. It is ideal to serve with large pasta like pappardelle or rigatoni al dente.
The best cut of lamb for lamb ragu is a fatty cut like lamb shoulder. You can make ragu with other cuts of lamb though! Lamb shanks or leg of lamb can work well too. Some people cook ragu with lamb mince too.
YES!! You should 100% sear the lamb very well before transferring it to the slow cooker. This is non-negotiable and my biggest tip! While it might be tempting to throw all the ingredients raw in the slow cooker to save time, searing the meat is an essential step. It is where the depth of flavor starts to build up, so don't skip it!
YES! You can slow-cook lamb ragu on the stovetop in a Dutch oven or a regular large pot with a lid. If you go for the stovetop method, follow the same steps as the instructions but with a pot/dutch oven instead of the slow cooker. Cook with the lid on low heat for 3 hours or until the lamb is tender enough to pull apart.
More hearty meat recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Easy Slow Cooker Lamb Ragu Recipe (Gluten-Free)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main course
- Method: Slow cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
This juicy slow cooker lamb ragu is incredibly tender, rich, and SO DELICIOUS! A perfect hearty meal that the whole family will enjoy. Ideal to make a big batch and store portions! Gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1kg lamb shoulder (excess fat removed, see notes) cut in big pieces
- 1 large brown onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves diced
- 1 celery stalk diced
- 1 large carrot diced
- 1 cup of red wine
- 1 cup of beef or lamb stock
- 2 cups of tomato passata
- 4 rosemary stalks
- Sea salt to taste
- ½ tsp of ground black pepper
Instructions
- Start by searing the lamb: Add a generous drizzle of olive oil to a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the pieces of lamb leaving space in between, and sear on all sides until nicely browned (approx. 5 minutes per side). Don't add salt to the meat yet!Sear in batches until you've done all the lamb bits, and set aside.
- Cook the veggies: In the same oil where you've cooked the lamb, add the onion, garlic, celery, and pinch of salt. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes until the onion starts to become transparent (approx. 5 minutes). Add the carrot and another pinch of salt and stir to combine. Cook for another 5-8 minutes until the carrot is soft.
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker: Add the tomato passata, beef stock, red wine, veggies, ground black pepper, and salt to the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Make sure to pour the juices and browned bits on the bottom of the pan too! Add the rosemary stalks and browned lamb, cover with a lid, and cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 5 hours.
- Pull the lamb: Pull the lamb into small pieces using two forks. You can either do it directly in the slow cooker (less cleaning!) or take the bits of lamb out, and pull them on a plate or chopping board.
If you take them out, put the shredded lamb back in the slow cooker and combine it with the sauce. Cook for another 15-20 minutes more and it's ready!
- Serve with your favourite type of pasta or potato/cauliflower mash.
Notes
Lamb fat: remove the big chunks of fat, but make sure to leave some!
Tomato passata substitutions: canned chopped tomatoes, San Marzano tomatoes, or a simple tomato sauce would work as a substitute for the tomato passata.
You should 100% sear the lamb very well before transferring it to the slow cooker. It is where the depth of flavor starts to build up, so don't skip it!
To thicken the sauce: If your rich sauce ends up more liquid than what you'd like, you can thicken it using a slurry made with tapioca flour or cornstarch.
Serve with your favourite pasta: in my opinion, pappardelle is the best pasta for lamb ragu. Other pasta shapes like rigatoni (big penne) or fettuccini work great as well. Whatever pasta shape you go for, make sure to cook it al dente!
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, or in the freezer for up to three months.
Julia says
Great recipe! Very easy to follow and super rich flavor. I love preparing a batch of lamb ragu to have portions to eat throughout the week and leftovers to freeze!