Description
A rich and hearty slow-braised beef short rib ragu, featuring tender, fall-off-the-bone short ribs in a flavorful tomato-based sauce with red wine and aromatics. Perfect served with pasta like pappardelle.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 lb English-cut beef short ribs
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 stalk celery, finely diced
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 package fresh poultry herb blend (or rosemary, sage, thyme sprigs)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 parmesan rind (optional)
- 14 oz crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth or water
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 24 oz pasta (like pappardelle, rigatoni, or gnocchi)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
- Fresh herbs for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Pat the short ribs dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until browned. Remove and set aside.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot, discard the rest.
- Add carrots, onion, celery, and bay leaves to the pot. Cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Deglaze the pot with red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, herb blend, and parmesan rind (if using). Bring to a simmer.
- Nestle the short ribs back into the pot.
- Cover and cook on low heat on the stovetop or in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
- During the final hour of cooking, remove the lid to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Once the short ribs are cooked, remove them from the pot. Discard the bones and any excess fat. Shred the meat.
- Stir the shredded meat back into the ragu sauce.
- Cook your chosen pasta according to package directions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Toss the cooked pasta with the ragu. Add a splash of reserved pasta water, heavy cream, and grated parmesan to finish.
- Serve the short rib ragu with extra parmesan cheese and fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- For a dairy-free version, omit the heavy cream and parmesan.
- Serve over creamy polenta or mashed potatoes as an alternative to pasta.
- For a low-carb option, serve over zucchini noodles or roasted cauliflower.
- This beef short rib ragu can be made ahead and reheats well.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 to 4 hours
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Braising
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8th of recipe (sauce only)
- Calories: Approx. 550-600
- Sugar: Approx. 8-10g
- Sodium: Approx. 400-500mg (varies with broth and added salt)
- Fat: Approx. 30-35g
- Saturated Fat: Approx. 12-15g
- Unsaturated Fat: Approx. 18-20g
- Trans Fat: Approx. 0-1g
- Carbohydrates: Approx. 20-25g
- Fiber: Approx. 3-4g
- Protein: Approx. 40-45g
- Cholesterol: Approx. 130-150mg