Comforting, savory, and hearty as can be, Short Rib Ragu is a perfect weeknight dinner for the fall and winter months! Short rib ragu is made with sophisticated ingredients like red wine and tender boneless beef short rib meat. Don’t worry though, as grown-up as this dish seems, your kids will still love it – and it’s easy to make!

Two bowls of pasta and short rib ragu are placed on a brown place mat.


Short Rib Ragu

When I hear the word “ragu,” I get excited! I love when meat is slowly cooked to tender perfection, especially when it’s a cut of meat as tender as beef short ribs.

This braised meat recipe is ideal for chilly winter months because it’s oh-so savory, warm, and filling. Just one bowl of this tender masterpiece is sure to fill you up! However, you may want seconds just because of how downright flavorful it is.

Let’s discuss what makes this short rib ragu so mouthwatering, shall we? As previously mentioned, the dry red wine adds a sophisticated level of savory depth to the dish that really elevates the flavor. There are also notes of beef stock and tomato paste that further deepen that delicious savory flavor, too!

And of course you can’t pass up on all of the veggies like garlic, yellow onions and carrots that add texture and flavor to this ragu.

So when that first cold front of the season is coming up, get excited. Not only will it be time to whip our your favorite coats and scarfs from deep in your closet, but it’ll also be time to dig in to this easy braised beef recipe!

Serve it over noodles, mashed potatoes, or even your favorite rice, and you’ll have the whole family happily warmed up around the kitchen table.

A cut of short rib is being moved around with a wooden spoon in a large blue pot.

How to Make It

Prep. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Heat. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat. 

Pat dry. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and set aside.

Whisk. Whisk the flour with half the salt and pepper to combine.

Dredge and brown. Dredge the short ribs in the flour mixture and add to the dutch oven. Working in batches to not crowd the pan, brown the short ribs on all sides.

Set aside. Transfer the short ribs to a platter and set aside.

Soften the veggies. Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes or until they begin to soften.

Stir and cook. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste, cooking for an additional 3 minutes. 

Pour and scrape. Add the red wine to the pot and cook for 5 minutes scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Add more ingredients. Stir in the tomato, beef stock, mustard and Italian seasoning.

Cover and cook. Return the short ribs to the pot and cover. Transfer to the oven and braise for 2 hours.

Shred. Remove the pot from the oven and uncover. Carefully shred the short ribs using two forks and stir the meat into the sauce. 

Serve, and enjoy! Serve over fettuccine or your favorite pasta. Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese, if desired.

A wooden spoon is stirring parsley sprinkled braised and shredded meat in a pot.

How long will short rib ragu stay fresh?

In an airtight container in the fridge, this savory shredded meat will stay fresh for about 3-4 days. The best part? It actually reheats pretty well in the microwave! Just zap it for about 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between those increments. You could also use a pot on your stovetop to reheat it until warmed through as well.

You can also FREEZE your Ragu in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Simply reheat in a pot with a bit of beef stock or reheat in the microwave until thawed.

What should I serve with short rib ragu?

The most important thing to keep in mind when serving this dish is that you’ll want a base to it. The base should be something delicious that can soak up every last drop of that delicious beef broth and red wine sauce! Trust me, you won’t want to let any of it go to waste. Pasta, rice, or Mashed Potatoes are all perfect options.

A blue fork is placed in a white bowl filled with noodles and short rib ragu.

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A blue fork is placed in a white bowl filled with noodles and short rib ragu.

Get the Recipe: Short Rib Ragu

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Easy Short Rib Ragu is a beefy, thick, stew like sauce that's cozy and comforting. Made with boneless short ribs in a hearty stock and tomato sauce, it's shredded for a melt in your mouth dinner that's simply irresistable.
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Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 pounds boneless beef short rib
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 1 ½ cups carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, washed and chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups red wine
  • 28 ounce can crushed tomato
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon ground mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 lb fettuccine, cooked according to package instructions
  • fresh parsley, finely chopped, for garnish
  • grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350˚F.
  • Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium high heat.
  • Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and set aside.
  • Whisk the flour with half the salt and pepper to combine.
  • Dredge the short ribs in the flour mixture and add to the dutch oven. Working in batches to not crowd the pan, brown the short ribs on all sides.
  • Transfer the short ribs to a platter and set aside.
  • Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes or until they begin to soften.
  • Stir in the garlic and tomato past, cooking for an additional 3 minutes.
  • Add the red wine to the pot and cook for 5 minutes scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
  • Stir in the tomato, beef stock, mustard and Italian seasoning.
  • Return the short ribs to the pot and cover.
  • Transfer to the oven and braise for 2 hours.
  • Remove the pot from the oven and uncover. Carefully shred the short ribs using two forks and stir the meat into the sauce.
  • Serve over fettuccine or your favorite pasta. Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Short Rib Ragu can be made up to 48 hours in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Leftovers will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Calories: 461kcal, Carbohydrates: 39g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 99mg, Sodium: 773mg, Potassium: 951mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 2919IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 75mg, Iron: 5mg
Author: Kellie
Course: Dinner, sunday dinner
Cuisine: American, Italian