Beef short rib ragu is slow-braised alchemy in a pot. Sear the ribs to a deep mahogany brown, then slowly cook with onion, carrot, and celery to coax sweetness; build flavor with red wine, herbs, and quality San Marzano tomatoes. Braise until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and toss with wide pappardelle noodles or spoon over creamy polenta. Make it a day ahead: the flavors deepen, and it freezes beautifully.
The braising method shows how slow patient cooking teases deep, concentrated flavor from humble ingredients. Years ago I made a similar meat ragu with pork ribs and loved it. This beef short ribs ragu feels richer and more luxurious while staying true to that same, simple idea. Yes, it takes time, but most of it is hands-off and the payoff is a sauce so good you'll be thankful for leftovers (and it freezes beautifully).
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Why You'll Love Beef Short Rib Ragu
- Rich and hearty - Tender, fall-apart beef short ribs in a slow-braised ragu with red wine and tomatoes.
- Make-ahead friendly - Italian-style short rib ragu tastes even better the next day.
- Freezer-friendly - Freezes beautifully, keep this braised beef ragu ready for quick comfort meals.
- Versatile for serving - Perfect tossed with pappardelle pasta, spooned over creamy polenta, gnocchi, or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Beef short ribs - Buy bone-in beef short ribs, called English-cut, not flanken ribs. Rib notes below.
- Olive oil - For browning the ribs and vegetables, building a rich base.
- San Marzano tomatoes - Sweet and low in acidity, perfect for a smooth ragu base.
- Onion, carrot, celery - The classic soffritto, adding sweetness and depth.
- Garlic - Savory backbone that ties everything together.
- Tomato paste - Caramelized for concentrated richness.
- Red wine - Dry red wine like Chianti, Cabernet, or Merlot for depth and balance.
- Beef broth - Supports the braise volume and rounds out the sauce.
- Herbs - Bay leaves and fresh thyme for subtle, long-cooked herbal notes.
- Parsley - Fresh at the end for brightness.
- Balsamic vinegar - A finishing splash for balance and gentle acidity.
Please see the recipe card for measurements, salt, and black pepper.
Chef's Tip - Why San Marzano Tomatoes?
San Marzano tomatoes are prized for their balance of sweetness and low acidity, which makes them perfect for slow-cooked sauces like a short rib ragu. They're meaty with fewer seeds, so the sauce comes out smoother and richer without bitterness. They are worth finding, or look for high-quality canned plum or whole peeled tomatoes.
Best Cut of Short Ribs for Ragu
For the most flavor, always choose bone-in English-cut short ribs. The bones aren't just filler - they release collagen as they braise, which melts into the sauce and gives it that rich, velvety body. Think of it like making broth: bones equal great flavor.
Boneless short ribs can work in a pinch, and they're easier to shred, but they won't deliver the same luxurious texture and the sauce may not be as thick. If boneless is all you can find, you can boost the sauce by adding a piece or two of beef shank or even a marrow bone to the pot, adding collagen.
What about flanken-style ribs? These are cut thin across the bones, with several small bone pieces in each strip. While they add flavor, there isn't much meat, so they're better suited for grilling or soups than for a dish like this. For best results, stick with meaty, bone-in English-cut ribs for a braised short rib ragu.
Substitutions and Variations
- Red wine substitution - Use additional beef broth to deglaze the pan (½ cup), adding about a tablespoon of balsamic or red wine vinegar for acidity.
- Dried herbs - Substitute 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme or an Italian seasoning blend for fresh thyme sprigs. Add with the tomatoes so they have time to hydrate into the sauce.
- Tomatoes - Regular whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or a thick tomato purée can replace whole San Marzano; choose good quality for the best flavor.
- Extra umami and depth - Add a parmesan rind for a terrific flavor booster. Discard at end of cooking. Another trick is adding an ounce of soaked (30 minutes hot water), strained, and chopped dried porcini mushrooms.
Chef's Tip - Browning Short Ribs Properly
Use a heavy Dutch oven for proper searing and even browning. Don't worry if the pot looks full: a 5 ½-quart Dutch oven can handle 4 pounds of short ribs. Searing develops flavor through caramelization, so take your time and let a deep golden crust form before turning the ribs. That crust becomes the base of this braised beef ragu. Those delicious bits stuck to the bottom are called a "fond", and add greatly to flavor.
How to Make Beef Short Rib Ragu
Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. Ready a 5 ½ quart Dutch oven with a tight fitting lid.
- Season all sides of the beef short ribs with salt and pepper.
- Over medium-high heat, add olive oil to the pan, when hot, brown short ribs well on sides and ends. Remove ribs to a plate.
- Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat, lower heat, saute onion, carrot, and celery until soft, 6-8 minutes, add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste, cook until a deep brick red, 2 minutes.
- Add the wine (or extra broth) to deglaze and stir, scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan. Cook and reduce by half.
- Pulse tomatoes and their juices in a blender briefly to break them up, pour into the pan.
7. Add the herbs and broth. Simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Nestle the beef short ribs into the braising liquid, they should come up at least half way but not submerge.
9. Place a lid on the pot and put in the oven for 2 ½-3 hours. When done rib meat will be falling off the bone, bones should pull out easily.
10. Remove the ribs to a plate, cool until you can handle them then shred the meat. Wear disposable gloves as this is messy. Discard bones and extra fat.
11. Degrease the top of the sauce, skimming off with a large spoon. You can also place a paper towel gently on top to soak up more fat.
12. Add shredded meat back into sauce and stir. Ready to serve. If it is thicker than you want, add a little more broth.
How to Serve Short Rib Ragu
This ragu is rich, hearty, and flexible. Serve it the classic way over wide pappardelle pasta. If you follow a gluten-free diet, look for brands like DeLallo that make gluten-free pappardelle, or use GF tagliatelle, fettuccine, or even penne.
This sauce is thick. To loosen the ragu for tossing with pasta if needed, stir in a little of the reserved pasta water until the sauce coats the noodles.
Creamy polenta is another traditional pairing, and it's just as delicious spooned over gnocchi or buttery mashed potatoes. Don't forget crusty bread (or gluten-free garlic toast) on the side to soak up every drop of sauce.
Make-Ahead & Freezing
Beef short rib ragu is one of those dishes that actually improves with time. The flavors meld and deepen overnight, so it's perfect to make a day ahead. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, portion into airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat gently on the stovetop, covered on low heat, until warmed through. As this ragu is very thick, you'll need to loosen it up with some pasta water or hot broth to serve.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. For the Instant Pot, use the sauté function (or brown ribs on the stove), then pressure cook on high for 45-50 minutes with natural release. Check capacity first - 4 pounds of ribs may be too much at once. A slow cooker also works: 8-9 hours on low or 5-6 on high, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. See recipe card for more details.
Yes. Braised short ribs actually taste better the next day. See the Make-Ahead & Freezing section above for full storage and reheating instructions.
No. Red wine adds depth and acidity, but you can deglaze with beef broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar to add acidity.
Braised rib ragus are rich and release a lot of fat. Degrease by skimming off excess fat before adding shredded meat back in, and by placing a paper towel on top to sop up any extra. Another option: refrigerate sauce separately from meat, refrigerate, and remove fat after it solidifies.
More Pasta Sauce Recipes
If you love this short rib pasta sauce, try these pasta sauce recipes as well! From a meaty tasting mushroom sauce to a quick weeknight pasta sauce, these recipes are a great solution to what's for dinner.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this beef short rib ragu, let me know how you enjoyed it. Please leave a comment, I love to hear from you. And please consider leaving a star rating. They all help other readers.
📖 Recipe
Beef Short Rib Ragu
Equipment
- 5 ½ quart Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 4 pounds meaty beef short ribs English cut not flanken
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- ½ tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 28 ounces canned whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups chopped onion 1 large onion
- ¾ cup chopped carrot
- ¾ cup chopped celery
- 3 large garlic cloves chopped fine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine chianti, cabernet, merlot
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- fresh chopped parsley optional garnish
- balsamic vinegar optional for finishing
Optional add-ins
- parmesan rind
- 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms hydrated, strained, chopped fine
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325°F. Ready a 5 1/1 quart Dutch oven. If using porcini mushroom option, soak the mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes, strain, and chop. Add when cooking the vegetables.
Brown ribs
- Pat ribs dry, season generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a dutch oven until hot over medium to medium-high, add the ribs and sear on all sides until well-browned. Remove ribs to a plate. Drain off and discard all but 2 tablespoons of fat.
Cook vegetable base
- Turn heat down and sauté onion, carrot, celery until softened, 6-8 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds, add tomato paste and cook until deep brick-red, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Cook until reduced by half.
Build the braise
- Pulse tomatoes in blender to break them down. Add tomatoes, broth, and herbs. Nestle ribs back in. Liquid should come about halfway up the ribs. Bring to simmer. Add the parmesan rind if using.
- Cover the pot and transfer to the oven for 2½-3 hours, until meat is fall-off-the-bone tender. Test at 2 ½ hours. Ragu is done when the bones are easily pulled out of the meat and falling apart. Remove spent rind.
Shred meat, finish the ragu
- Remove rib meat and place in a bowl. Discard bones and extra fat. While the meat is cooling enough to handle and shred, use a large tablespoon to skim excess fat from the surface of the sauce. Taste and add the balsamic if desired. When the meat is cool enough to handle, use disposable kitchen gloves and shred the meat by hand into small pieces. Add back to the sauce and heat through for serving if needed. Garmish with fresh chopped parsley.
Notes
- Instant Pot: Use the sauté function to brown the ribs in batches, or brown them on the stove and transfer. Be sure your pot can handle the volume of 4 pounds of ribs. Add ribs and liquid, then pressure cook on High for 45-50 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release.
- Slow Cooker: Brown the ribs first on the stove for best flavor, then transfer with liquid. Cook on Low for 8-9 hours or High for 5-6 hours, until the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and easy to shred.
Nutrition
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