Slowly Braised Short Rib Ragu (Slow Cooker, Instant Pot-friendly)

Get ready for the ultimate comfort food experience that will make your kitchen smell like an Italian grandmother’s on Sunday. This short rib ragu is what pasta dreams are made of—tender, fall-apart beef that’s been slowly coaxed to perfection in a rich tomato sauce infused with herbs and red wine. It’s the kind of dish that makes people close their eyes and sigh with happiness at first bite.

What makes this ragu special is the marriage of deeply browned short ribs with the classic Italian soffritto base, creating layers of flavor that simply can’t be rushed. The meat becomes meltingly tender after its long braise, shredding effortlessly and mingling with the velvety sauce. Whether you serve it over wide ribbons of pappardelle or creamy polenta, this versatile sauce is pure magic that works in a Dutch oven, slow cooker, or Instant Pot with equally magnificent results.

Ingredients

For the Slowly Braised Short Rib Ragu sauce:

• 4 pounds English cut beef short ribs
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 3 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 (0.75-ounce) package fresh “poultry herb blend” (or approx. 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 4 sprigs fresh sage leaves and 12 sprigs fresh thyme)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 parmesan rind (optional)
• 14 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth/stock or water
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to season

For Short Rib Ragu pasta:

• 24 ounces pappardelle or pasta of choice, such as casarecce, bucatini, or gnocchi
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup grated parmesan

For serving, as desired:

• Grated parmesan
• Finely chopped fresh herbs
• Crushed red pepper flakes

Steps

Braised Short Rib Ragu Sauce:

1. Brown the short ribs: Add 3 tablespoons olive oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot (a 5-qt Dutch oven works perfectly) over medium-high heat. Pat the short ribs thoroughly dry with paper towels—this is crucial for proper browning. Season generously with 1 heaping tablespoon kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Once the oil is shimmering hot (but not smoking), carefully add the short ribs. Work in batches of 3-4 ribs at a time to prevent overcrowding, which would steam rather than brown the meat. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned with a rich crust. Transfer browned ribs to a plate. Once all ribs are browned, carefully drain off all but 2 tablespoons of drippings, saving those flavor-packed bits in the pot. Return pot to medium heat.
2. Brown the soffritto: Add the diced carrots, onion, and celery (the soffritto) to the pot with the reserved drippings. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper. Stir to coat vegetables in the drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes until deeply caramelized. Don’t rush this step—proper browning here creates the foundation of flavor for your entire ragu. The vegetables should become quite dark but not burnt.
3. Add aromatics: Add the 8 cloves of garlic to the browned soffritto. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until fragrant but not browned (garlic becomes bitter when overcooked). Add the 6 ounces tomato paste, stirring to coat all vegetables. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tomato paste darkens and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot—this caramelization develops rich umami flavor.
4. Deglaze: Increase heat to medium-high and pour in 1 cup dry red wine (use something you’d enjoy drinking, like Chianti or Cabernet). Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon, scraping up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot—these contain concentrated flavor. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the wine is reduced by about half and almost completely absorbed by the soffritto. The mixture should look thick and jammy.
5. Build and simmer the short rib ragu: Tie the fresh herbs together with kitchen twine to create an herb bundle (or roughly chop if you don’t have twine). Add the herb bundle to the pot along with the 2 bay leaves and parmesan rind (if using). Pour in the 14 ounces crushed tomatoes and 2 cups beef broth, then return the browned short ribs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 2½-3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the short ribs are fall-apart tender when prodded with a fork. If the ragu reduces too quickly, add ¼ cup water at a time and lower the heat further.
6. Finish the braised short rib ragu: When the meat is fork-tender, carefully transfer the short ribs to a cutting board. Remove and discard the spent herbs, bay leaves, and parmesan rind. Using two forks or tongs, shred the short ribs into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones and any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded meat to the pot and stir to combine with the sauce. At this point, you can cool and store for later use, or proceed with making the short rib ragu pasta.

Short Rib Ragu Pasta:

7. Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt (the water should taste like the sea). Add the 24 ounces pasta and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until al dente according to package directions (typically 8-10 minutes for dried pappardelle). Before draining, reserve 1 cup of the starchy pasta water—this is essential for creating a silky sauce. Drain the pasta but do NOT rinse it—the starch on the surface helps the sauce adhere.
8. Finish the short rib ragu sauce: While the pasta cooks, bring the ragu to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream and ½ cup grated parmesan. The cream will slightly lighten the color and add richness, while the parmesan adds depth and helps thicken the sauce. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
9. Short rib ragu pappardelle: Add the drained pasta directly to the pot with the ragu. Using tongs, gently toss to coat every strand with sauce. If the sauce seems too thick, add the reserved pasta water ¼ cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add another 2-3 tablespoons of grated parmesan. Cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, allowing the pasta to absorb some of the sauce and flavors to meld together.
10. Serve: Portion the short rib ragu pappardelle into warm pasta bowls, twirling the pappardelle for an attractive presentation. Top with additional grated parmesan, a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh parsley or basil, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately while hot, with extra parmesan on the side.

Smart Swaps

• Replace pappardelle with polenta for a gluten-free option that still provides the perfect vehicle for the rich ragu
• Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream for a dairy-free alternative that maintains richness
• Try chuck roast (cut into 3-inch chunks) if short ribs are unavailable or too expensive
• Substitute 1 tablespoon each dried rosemary, thyme, and sage if fresh herbs aren’t available

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Serve over zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash instead of pasta to reduce carbs by approximately 30g per serving
• Use ½ cup red wine instead of a full cup and replace the remainder with additional beef broth
• Skip the optional parmesan rind and reduce grated parmesan to ¼ cup to lower the sodium content
• Portion the ragu into ½ cup servings and freeze individually for easy portion control

Pro Tips

• For maximum flavor, make this ragu a day ahead—the flavors deepen significantly overnight
• If you notice excess fat on top after refrigerating, simply skim it off before reheating
• The ragu freezes beautifully for up to 3 months—cool completely before transferring to freezer containers
• When reheating, add a splash of beef broth to loosen the sauce if it’s too thick