Beef Short Rib Ragu
This Beef Short Rib Ragu is a restaurant quality sauce you can easily make at home. Tender shreds of beef are smothered in a rich tomato and red wine sauce and served over your favorite pasta. 
I truly think that there is nothing more comforting than a big bowl of pasta smothered in a rich shredded meat and red wine sauce. There is something about the shredded meat, whether it be beef, lamb or duck and it’s rich depth of flavor that really elevates it above a typical bolognese made with ground meat. It’s one of those dishes that can be enjoyed as both a comforting weeknight dinner, or fancy enough to serve over fresh pappardelle for a fancy dinner party. Whenever I make this Short Rib Ragu I always double the recipe and store the majority in freezer-safe containers for quick and easy meals throughout the winter months. This ragu is fantastic served over your favorite type of cooked pasta, spaghetti squash, or zucchini noodles for a comforting meal.
Why You Will Love This Beef Short Rib Ragu Recipe
- The rich flavor of the tender, shredded meat mixed with your favorite pasta is truly addictive and smells incredible!
- Make this great recipe on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or the instant pot to accommodate your level of busyness.
- Make a double batch of this beef ragu recipe and freeze some for a quick and easy dinner on a busy night.
- This Italian comfort food is one your whole family will love and beg you to make over and over again.
- It is perfect for most diets; it’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, Paleo, Keto and Specific Carbohydrate Diet legal and if you skip the red wine it’s Whole30 too!
Ingredients You Will Need For This Short Rib Beef Ragu
- Bone-in beef short ribs: I used approximately 4 lbs of smaller short ribs, which ended up being 14 short ribs. Look for short ribs that are super meaty and well marbled for the richest, fall-apart, maximum-flavor results.
- Veggies and Aromatics: For a rich, well-balanced flavor to the sauce, you simply need carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. I like to finely chop the carrots, celery, and onion, but you can chop them as big as you want. For the garlic, you want to make sure you mince the garlic cloves well to release all the amazing flavor. You can also use a garlic press or pre-minced garlic.
- Tomatoes: For the perfect rich tomato combination, I use a large can of chopped tomatoes and tomato paste to give a thick, concentrated tomato flavor that is divine with the red wine. You can also use fresh tomatoes. I recommend a meaty tomato, like Beefsteak or Roma tomatoes.
- Red wine: Red wine provides a rich base of flavor that is perfect for this braised short rib ragu. Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or your favorite red wine can be used. Many people use Chianti for a classic Italian red wine for ultimate richness.
- Beef broth: I use beef stock to help blend and balance all the ingredients together for the meat to slow cook in. You can alternatively use chicken broth or chicken stock if you don’t have beef on hand.
- Herbs and Seasonings: I use salt, black pepper, dried rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Together with the other bold ingredients, these herbs make everything shine beautifully and a classic for this Italian dish.
You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below
Kitchen Tools You Need
- Cutting Board
- Sharp Knife
- Dutch Oven or heavy pot
- Tongs
- Wooden Spoon
How To Make This Beef Short Rib Ragu
- Blot the short ribs dry with paper towels and then generously season them with salt and pepper. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs for approximately 3-4 minutes per side, working in batches so they are evenly spread out and not touching, until all are browned. Set the beef short ribs aside on a plate.
- Add the veggies to the pot and saute for 5 minutes until softened. Add in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, broth, herbs, and seasonings. Stir before adding in the red wine to deglaze the pot. Be sure to scrape up all those delicious browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Add in the short ribs and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Leave to cook covered for 2 hours, uncover, and cook for an additional hour.
- Remove the meat from the Dutch oven and shred on a large plate or cutting board. Discard bones and return the shredded short ribs to the sauce, stir, and serve over pasta.
Ways To Modify This Beef Short Rib Ragu
- You can switch beef short ribs for a different cut of beef with a lot of connective tissue which will break down as it cooks and result in super tender shredded beef. I recommend using beef chuck roast cut into large pieces or ox tail which will both result in equally delicious ragu.
- You can use beef stock in place of the beef broth for an added health benefit. Homemade beef stock is of course amazing, but store-bought stock would also work wonderfully. If in a pinch you only have chicken broth, that will also work well.
- Fresh tomatoes vs canned tomatoes is a big debate. I think both work wonderfully though. San Marzano is a great canned option for the rich sauce, in my opinion.
- You can definitely use fresh thyme and fresh rosemary if you prefer fresh herbs. If you want to swap them out for basil or oregano or fresh parsley, those would both work well too.
- Add freshly grated Parmesan Cheese or a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a finishing touch.
Dietary Customizations
- If your diet does not allow alcohol, you can leave out the red wine, although the alcohol does cook out in the slow cooking process. But, it will still have a delicious, bold flavor.
- If you have an allergy to onion or garlic, you can leave them out.
Can I Make This Short Rib Beef Ragu in the Oven
Slow cooking this in the oven is a great idea for another cooking alternative and will give you great flavor. After browning your short ribs, set them aside on a plate and saute your veggies, garlic, and onion for 5 minutes until softened. Add in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, broth, herbs, and seasonings. Stir before adding in the red wine to deglaze the pot. Be sure to scrape up all those browned bits. Return the seared beef to the Dutch oven, stir everything together, and place in the oven at 325 degrees. Braise for 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours until the beef falls off the bone. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongs from the large pot and shred beef off the bone on a cutting board or a large plate. Return to the pot, stir into the flavorful beef ragu sauce, and serve over your pasta of choice.
Can I Make This Beef Short Rib Ragu in the Slow Cooker
Slow cooker beef ragu is such a great idea! I highly recommend not skipping the beginning steps though because you’ll miss out on the incredible flavors released. To start, cook the short ribs in a large pot until browned to perfection. Place the browned short ribs in the slow cooker and saute the veggies, onion, and garlic for about 5 minutes until they start to soften. Place the veggies, broth, tomatoes, tomato paste, and wine, herbs, and seasonings and stir everything well. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. When the meat falls off the bones, remove the short ribs from the slow cooker to shred. Return meat to the slow cooker and stir everything together. If it seems too runny, remove the lid and turn to high until it’s the thickness you want. Serve over a bed of pasta and enjoy!
Can I Make This Beef Short Rib Ragu in the Instant Pot
You can enjoy this incredible dish even faster using an electric pressure cooker/instant pot. Add your beef short ribs to olive oil and brown on all sides using the saute option. Remove the ribs while you saute your onion, garlic, and veggies for 3-4 minutes. Add in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, broth, wine, herbs, and seasonings and stir well, while scraping up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. Return the short ribs to the instant pot. Cover and seal the pressure cooker and cook on manual high pressure for 50 minutes. Allow the pressure cooker to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully flicking the valve to its venting position to vent out any remaining pressure. Remove the meat from the instant pot, shred on a cutting board or plate, and return to the instant pot to mix with the incredible sauce.
What Should I Serve With This Beef Short Rib Ragu
-I love any pasta with this dish, but rigatoni works incredibly well. Another popular option for this dish is Pappardelle pasta. You can also serve this over creamy polenta or gnocchi. Spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles are also an excellent and nutritious option if you want to stay low-carb. I also like to serve this ragu alongside a simple side salad tossed with your favorite homemade dressing, and don’t forget the slice of crusty bread.
Can I Make This In Advance
Making this delicious slow-cooked beef ragu in advance is a great idea! The flavors tend to deepen and meld together after a day or two, making it even more delicious. After making it according to the directions on the recipe card, allow it to cool to room temperature and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also make the pasta 3-4 days in advance and then store in a separate container. Place the pasta in a colander and run under hot water to bring it back to life and remove the stickiness. Gently reheat the ragu on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a little broth or water if necessary to loosen the sauce.
What About Leftovers
You can store the leftovers of this beef short rib ragu in the fridge for 3-4 days. Store in an airtight container after bringing it to room temperature. If you want to store it in the freezer, you can store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. To reheat, warm on the stove over medium-low heat until heated through. You may need to add broth or water to bring it back to its original glory.
Here are a few more beef recipes that you will love:
- Ribeye Steak Sandwich with Caramelized Onions and Herb Mayo
- Hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew
- Air Fryer Roast Beef
- Grilled Hanger Steak with Tomato Salsa
- Tender Shredded Sirloin Tip Roast
If you make this short rib ragu recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Beef Short Rib Ragu
Ingredients
- 4 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 cup finely diced carrot
- 1 cup finely diced celery
- 1 medium size yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- ½ tsp dried rosemary
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
Instructions
- Generously season the short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large dutch oven on medium high heat. Add enough short ribs to the pot so that they are evenly spread out and not touching (you will likely have to work in 2 batches) Sear the short ribs for approximately 3-4 minutes per side until browned and then set the short ribs aside on a plate and repeat with the second batch until all are nicely browned.
- Add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic to the pot and saute for 5 minutes until softened
- Add in the tomato paste and stir before adding in the red wine to deglaze the pot. Leave to cook for 2 minutes before adding the beef broth, herbs and canned tomatoes. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add in the short ribs ensuring they are all covered in liquid. Put a lid on the pot and leave to gently simmer on low/medium low heat for 2 hours. Remove the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour uncovered until the short ribs are fall apart tender. If the sauce reduces too much, add a splash of beef broth.
- Once the short ribs are tender remove them along with the bay leaves from the pot using tongs, and use two forks to shred the beef into pieces, discarding any excess fat or bones. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and stir. Serve over pasta of choice garnished with grated parmesan.
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