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    Home > Recipes > Slow Cooker

    Slow Cooker Puttanesca with Beef

    Published: Mar 30, 2020 · Modified: Mar 22, 2022 · by Jess Smith · Jump to Recipe · 1 Comment · This post may contain affiliate links.

    puttanesca sauce with beef in a slow cooker
    puttanesca with beef over pasta in a white bowl
    olives in puttanesca sauce in a blue dutch oven
    puttanesca sauce in a slow cooker, being stirred by a wooden spoon
    slow cooker beef puttanesca over pasta in a white bowl
    slow cooker beef puttanesca in a slow cooker
    Slow cooker puttanesca with beef
    Slow Cooker Puttanesca with Beef

    slow cooker beef puttanesca over pasta in a white bowl

    Slow Cooker Puttanesca with Beef is an Italian-style tomato sauce loaded with savory ingredients like kalamata olives, capers, and tender shredded beef. This rich sauce simmers all day in the slow cooker and is made using pantry staples. Serve it over pasta, rice, or polenta.

    There are few things better than a classic meat and tomato sauce simmering all day. The entire house smells like an Italian grandma’s kitchen and all I have to do at 6pm is cook some pasta and make a quick salad.

    beef in puttanesca sauce in a slow cooker

    In the meantime, Molly and Clara can bake some banana bread (in pjs of course) for a friend as part of a virtual birthday party. A bunch of our friends conferenced in (via Zoom...of course; hadn't even heard of it two weeks ago) to wish him a happy birthday and it was so fun. I wish it hadn’t taken a global health crisis for us to all do more of these virtual gatherings with friends who live far away!

    molly and clara, in pajamas, each holding a small cake with a candle

    But now, let’s talk Puttanesca!

    puttanesca sauce in a slow cooker

    At its heart, Puttanesca sauce is a classic tomato-based Italian sauce that is usually tossed with spaghetti. A few key ingredients help to develop layers of flavor as the sauce cooks. These ingredients are kalamata olives, capers, and anchovies.

    olives in puttanesca sauce in a slow cooker with a wooden spoon

    With these key ingredients you’ll have a classic Puttanesca, but, why not crank the flavors in this sauce up a notch. Like, for example, by adding beef and making it in the slow cooker! Here’s a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need to make this twist on the classic. I give you Slow Cooker Puttanesca with Beef.

    puttanesca with beef over pasta, in a white bowl with a fork

    Ingredients 

    • Boneless Beef Chuck Roast - I’ve found this boneless cut of beef to be ideal for the slow cooker. It is lightly marbled with fat that keeps it tender as it cooks and allows the meat to absolutely fall apart in the sauce. This is the same cut of beef used in Slow Cooker Mississippi Roast. I’ll often buy a large 3 to 4 pound chuck roast and slice it in half, freezing each half separately to make both of these meals down the road.
    • Crushed Tomatoes - You’ll need 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes (either one 28-oz can or two 14-oz cans). If you can’t find crushed tomatoes, you can also use tomato puree. Tomato puree is slightly thicker (closer to tomato paste) than crushed tomatoes, but it should work just fine. 
    • Tomato Paste - This concentrated paste adds thickness and rich tomato flavor to the sauce.
    • Kalamata Olives - Be sure to get pitted (meaning the pits have been removed) kalamata olives. Find them near the Italian ingredients / canned goods or at the olive bar. Drain these before adding them. If you prefer not to have whole olives in the finished sauce, you can roughly chop them before adding to the sauce. 
    • Capers - Just like olives, you can find these in jars near the canned goods or, often, at the olive bar. Drain them well before adding them. They add a great briny / salty flavor. 
    • Anchovies - These small fish come in tins, just like tuna, although anchovy tins are usually rectangular (instead of round). Although Americans don’t seem to use anchovies as often as they are used in Europe, they are a great addition to sauces like Puttanesca. The anchovies are chopped before being added to the sauce and, throughout the long cook time, they all but disappear, adding savory “umami” flavor. In the small amount they are used in this sauce, they do not make the sauce taste “fishy”. 
    • Red Wine Vinegar, Dried Oregano, Garlic, and Red Pepper Flakes - These pantry staples help to build flavor. Feel free to skip the red pepper flakes if you don’t want any spice. 

    anchovies in a can on a white table

    How to Make Slow Cooker Puttanesca with Beef

      1. Make Sauce - Combine sauce ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker.
      2. Sear Beef - Season the boneless beef chuck roast with salt and pepper and then sear until deep golden brown on both sides. Add to sauce.
      3. Slow Cook (Low) - Slow cook on low until the meat can be easily shredded with a fork, 10 to 12 hours. 
      4. Shred - Use two forks to shred the meat right into the sauce. Stir everything together.
      5. Serve! You can boil 1 pound of spaghetti according to package directions and then drain it and stir it directly into the sauce. Or just spoon the sauce over the cooked pasta.

    beef roast in a dutch oven on a white table

    puttanesca sauce with beef in a slow cooker

    Freeze This Meal

    To freeze: Combine the seared beef and sauce in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze it for up to 6 months.

    To cook: Defrost in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Transfer beef and sauce to the bowl of a slow cooker and cook according to directions.

    cooking pasta in a pot

    More Italian-Inspired Favorites

    • Simple Beef Ragu {Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, Stovetop} - Few things beat the heartiness and versatility of a classic Italian meat and tomato sauce like this Simple Beef Ragu. This version includes instructions for the slow cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop.
    • Chicken Parmesan Pasta Bake - If you like chicken parmesan, you’ll love this simplified baked version that comes together in an 8×8 pan. Full of melty mozzarella, tender chicken, classic marinara sauce, and topped with crunchy garlic-herb breadcrumbs, this is a weeknight pasta bake the whole family will love.
    • One-Pan Italian Turkey Meatballs with Marinara - One-Pan Italian Turkey Meatballs with Easy Marinara Sauce are seasoned with a blend of dried herbs and, using a few tips provided, come out tender and full of flavor. Once the meatballs have been formed, the dish comes together in a flash.
    • Lasagna Bolognese - Lasagna Bolognese is lasagna in its purest form. Just layers of tender noodles, beef ragu, and creamy béchamel all baked together into this classic, crowd-pleasing, make-ahead meal.

    Favorite Tools

    • KitchenAid 6-Quart Slow Cooker  – When I was testing slow cooker recipes earlier this year, I got a lot of questions about the “best” slow cooker. The truth is, I just followed the advice of other experts (including America’s Test Kitchen and Food and Wine). This $99 machine has been a staple in my kitchen for years and works better than any other slow cooker I’ve used.
    • Le Creuset Dutch Oven - A Dutch oven is great for getting a nice, golden-brown sear on the roast and the tall sides minimize grease splatter as it cooks.
    slow cooker beef puttanesca over pasta in a white bowl
    Print Recipe
    4.67 from 6 votes

    Slow Cooker Puttanesca with Beef

    Slow Cooker Puttanesca with Beef is an Italian-style tomato sauce loaded with savory ingredients like kalamata olives, capers, and tender shredded beef. This sauce simmers all day in the slow cooker and is made using pantry staples.
    This recipe should be made in a 6-quart slow cooker.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time10 hrs
    Total Time10 hrs 20 mins
    Course: Main Dish
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Italian, meat and sauce, ragu, slow-cooker
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 221kcal
    Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
    Cost: $12.00

    Equipment

    • 6-quart Slow Cooker

    Ingredients

    • 2 14oz cans Crushed Tomatoes (or use one large 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes)
    • 1 6oz can Tomato Paste
    • ½ cup Kalamata Olives, pitted and drained (see note)
    • ¼ cup Capers, drained
    • 2 Anchovy Fillets, chopped (from a tin of anchovies; these add great flavor to the sauce and don’t make it taste “fishy”, but feel free to skip them if you’d prefer)
    • 1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
    • 1 ½ teaspoon Dried Oregano
    • 8 cloves Garlic, chopped
    • ½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional; skip this if you don’t want any spice)
    • 1 cup Water
    • 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil (I prefer to use avocado oil or grapeseed oil for high-heat cooking and searing)
    • 2 lbs Boneless Beef Chuck Roast (see note)

    Instructions

    • In the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker, stir together crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, capers, chopped anchovies, red wine vinegar, oregano, garlic, red pepper flakes, and water.
    • Heat a Dutch oven or skillet with oil over medium-high heat.
    • While skillet is heating, season chuck roast on both sides with some salt and black pepper.
    • Add roast to heated skillet and sear on both sides until deep golden brown and lightly crusted, about 5 minutes per side.
    • Nestle beef into sauce in the slow cooker.
    • Cover and cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, until beef can be easily shredded with a fork. (Note: I do not recommend cooking the sauce on high. Tomato sauce has a tendency to burn if cooked on the slow cooker’s high setting. Even on low, you may still get some browning around the edges of the sauce.)
    • Use two forks to shred meat right in the slow cooker. Stir everything together to combine. Taste sauce and season with some salt and pepper, if needed.
    • Serve sauce over pasta, rice, or polenta. (Note: For an easy serving option for a crowd, cook 1lb of spaghetti and stir it directly into the sauce in the bowl of the slow cooker. You can leave the slow cooker on the warm function and serve the sauce and pasta whenever you’re ready.)

    Notes

    Boneless Chuck Roast - This boneless cut of beef is often sold in larger portions than the 2 lbs needed to make this sauce. If you have a larger cut, slice it in half and freeze half to make this recipe down the road or for Slow Cooker Mississippi Roast.  
    Kalamata Olives - Be sure to buy pitted kalamata olives so you don’t end up with the pits in your sauce. Look for these in jars near the canned goods or buy them from the olive bar. If you prefer not to have whole olives in the finished sauce, you can roughly chop these before adding them.
    To freeze: Combine the seared beef and sauce in a freezer safe bag or container. Freeze it for up to 6 months. Print and attach the label below so cooking instructions are ready when you are!
     
    slow cooker puttanesca

    Nutrition

    Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 381mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 3mg

    *This post contains affiliate links*

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    About Jess

    Hi! I'm Jess. I am the recipe creator and photographer behind the 900+ recipes you’ll find on Inquiring Chef. As a mom to three young kids and professional cook, my mission is to make every moment in the kitchen and around the table count. If you’re looking for easy, flavorful, family-approved recipes, you’ve come to the right place! Learn more about me here.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Pool Fencing

      April 25, 2020 at 4:39 am

      I really love these, Thanks for the recipe.
      I really love to try this.

      Reply

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