This soul-warming Short Rib Ragu combines melt-in-your-mouth beef with rich Italian flavors for an unforgettable pasta sauce. In just 2 hours and 45 minutes, you’ll create a hearty, protein-packed dish that delivers restaurant-quality taste right from your kitchen.
Each serving offers the perfect balance of tender meat and satisfying carbs, making it an ideal choice for special occasions or cozy family dinners. The slow-cooking process transforms simple ingredients into a luxurious sauce that’ll have everyone asking for seconds.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Beef Short Ribs: 2.5 lbs bone-in, essential for rich flavor
- Base Aromatics: Diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic
- Liquids: 1/2 cup dry red wine, 1 3/4 cups beef broth
- Tomato Base: 28 oz whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano), 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, thyme sprigs, dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaves
- Enrichments: Parmesan rind, beef bouillon paste
- Pasta: 1 lb pappardelle or tagliatelle
- Olive Oil: 2 Tablespoons for searing
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Meat: Season short ribs with salt and pepper, then sear in hot oil until beautifully browned on all sides
- Build the Base: Sauté the aromatic mixture until tender and fragrant (3-5 minutes)
- Deglaze: Add wine and scrape up those flavorful browned bits
- Create the Sauce: Add broth, tomatoes, seasonings, and return meat to pot
- Initial Simmer: Cover and let it bubble gently for 2 hours until meat is tender
- Shred and Finish: Remove meat, shred it, and return to pot for 30 minutes more
- Pasta Magic: Cook pasta until almost al dente, then finish it in the sauce
- Final Touch: Serve in shallow bowls topped with fresh parmesan or burrata
Key Cooking Techniques
The magic of this ragu comes from two simple but powerful cooking steps. First, take your time with the searing – those beautiful brown bits on the bottom of the pot are pure gold for flavor! When you add the wine later, scrape up all those tasty bits (this is called deglazing).
Second, let the sauce simmer nice and slow. This gentle cooking helps the meat become super tender and allows all the flavors to mix together beautifully.
Make It Your Own
While short ribs are amazing in this recipe, you can use chuck roast or brisket if that’s what you have. Not a fan of wine? Just use extra beef broth instead.
The cheese rind adds richness, but if you can’t find one, just skip it – your ragu will still be delicious! Want it spicier? Add more red pepper flakes. For the pasta, any wide noodle works great – try regular fettuccine or even rigatoni if you can’t find pappardelle.
Serving Tips
This rich ragu loves simple sides! Try it with a light green salad and crusty bread to soak up every drop of sauce. While parmesan cheese is classic, that suggestion to add burrata on top is genius – it makes the dish extra special for guests.
A sprinkle of fresh basil adds color and freshness. Want to make it extra cozy? Serve it in warm bowls to keep everything hot longer.
Storage and Leftovers
The sauce gets even better the next day! Store it separate from pasta in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm it gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth if needed. You can even freeze the ragu (without pasta) for up to 3 months in a sealed container. Just thaw overnight in the fridge when ready to use.
Short Rib Ragu
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 1 large carrots finely diced
- 1 celery rib finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry red wine chianti, cabernet sauvignon, merlot
- 1 3/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons beef bouillon paste
- 28 oz can peeled whole tomatoes San Marzano recommended
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 parmesan cheese rind optional
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 lb pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta
Instructions
- Season short ribs all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Sear the short ribs, rotating every minute or so, until browned and seared on all sides. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Add red wine to deglaze the pan and cook for 3 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add beef broth, boullion, tomatoes (crush them with your hands or a potato masher), tomato paste, cheese rind, salt, pepper, oregano, basil, bay leaves and crushed red pepper. Nestle short ribs on top and top with fresh thyme sprigs.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for 2 hours.
- Remove bay leaves, thyme sticks and cheese rind. Remove short ribs and shred meat (discard bones).
- Return meat to the pot and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, to reduce some of the sauce. (If you like the sauce to be a thicker gravy consistency, scoop some into a cup and mix with ½ teaspoon cornstarch, then return to pot).
- Cook pasta according to package instructions in salted water. Once pasta is almost al dente, use tongs to remove it from the hot pasta water and add it to the ragu sauce. Toss to combine and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Spoon ragu and noodles into shallow bowls and garnish with fresh shredded parmesan cheese, for serving. (Or, if you’re feeling fancy top each bowl with a pinch of fresh burrata, sprinkle of flake sea salt and fresh chopped basil.)
