This beef ragu might actually be the most perfect meal to make on a cold Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Savory beef short ribs simmer with tomatoes, fresh herbs, and red wine for several hours, making your kitchen smell amazing. By the time your short rib ragu is ready to serve, everyone will be so ready to eat the savory sauce that they’ve been smelling all day. And while this recipe is easy enough for a simple Sunday family dinner, it’s also delicious enough for special occasions too. Make this for date night, Valentine’s Day, Christmas Eve dinner, or as a birthday celebration. Once you make it once, I know that your family will be asking you to make it again and again… and again!
Slowly Simmered Braised Short Rib Ragu
Simple Ingredients – Making a homemade ragu is all about turning humble ingredients into an amazing sauce. Here we will start with fresh vegetables, canned tomatoes, and a cut of beef that can only be made tender by braising. Simple to Prepare – Chop your veggies and measure the ingredients before you start. Once everything is added to the pot, you just need to be patient while the ribs simmer away for a few hours. This amazing meal requires very little hands-on cooking time. Special Occasion Meal – Are you looking for a recipe to impress someone special? I highly suggest making them this short rib ragu. Another favorite date night dinner is my Marry Me Chicken recipe, or try making Creamy Lobster Pasta!
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this rich and hearty pasta meal:
Beef Short Ribs: To make this slow simmered ragu, you’ll need about 3 pounds of bone-in beef short ribs. You should be able to find these short-cut beef ribs in most large grocery stores, but if you’re having trouble finding them, you can also make this recipe with boneless short ribs or a beef chuck roast. Carrot, Celery, Onion, Garlic: Dice your aromatic vegetables into small pieces so that they release the maximum amount of flavor into the ragu. In Italian cooking, this blend of aromatics is called soffritto. Pappardelle Pasta: While you can technically make beef short rib ragu with any type of pasta, I highly recommend you try it with thick, flat egg pasta like this. The texture of the cooked shredded rib meat goes perfectly with it. Other excellent pasta options include tagliatelle, fettuccine, and bucatini. Tomatoes: To create this rich sauce, you’ll need one large can of crushed tomatoes (or two small ones), and a bit of tomato paste. Red Wine: The wine deglazes the pan after the beef has been seared and is cooked down to add depth and earthiness to the sauce. Choose any red wine that you’d enjoy drinking. If you aren’t sure what to buy, try it with Chianti! Fresh or Dried Herbs: Bay Leaves, Thyme and Rosemary. Good Quality Parmesan Cheese and Olive Oil: I prefer to use light olive oil (rather than EVOO) to sear the meat, but you can use whichever you prefer. For the cheese, I suggest buying a large piece of parmesan and grating it over the pasta fresh.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Short Rib Beef Ragu
Recipe Tips
Adding cream is optional, but I really enjoy the way a small amount of heavy cream or half and half melds with the acidity from the tomatoes. If you have it, try it! Don’t shred the beef too finely. You want to keep some of that meaty texture and have various sized pieces of meat in the dish. If you’d rather not use red wine, you can make this with alcohol-free wine, or replace the wine with unsweetened pomegranate or cranberry juice. You can also just use a bit more beef broth. Instead of pasta, serve this ragu over polenta, risotto, or gnocchi!
Storing Tips
Feel free to make beef ragu ahead of time! It stores easily and the flavors just get better with a little bit of time. Once the sauce has cooled, store it in an airtight container. In the refrigerator it will keep for up to 5 days, and in the freezer for up to 3 months.
What To Serve With Short Rib Ragu
All you need to turn this special dish into a full meal is a salad and maybe some crusty bread to soak up any extra sauce from your plate! My simple no-knead bread is perfect for that, or you may enjoy making breadsticks just like the Olive Garden does. If you need a fresh new salad recipe, checkout my homemade Caesar salad or a kale salad with bright lemon vinaigrette.
Can I make short rib ragu in the oven?
You can! Prepare the ragu on the stovetop up until the point of simmering. Place the Dutch oven in your oven and cook, covered, for 2 hours at 300°F (150°C). Then remove the lid and continue oven braising the meat for one more hour or until the meat is tender.
What can I use in place of beef short ribs?
For this recipe, you can use any cut of beef that is meant to be braised. English-cut short ribs like I’m using here are a tough cut of meat that benefits from cooking low and slow. Other cuts of beef that will work include chuck roast, cut into cubes or beef shank.
What pasta goes best with ragu?
A hearty meat sauce like this one requires a hearty pasta that can handle it. Pappardelle is ideal, but you can also replace it with other wide-cut long pastas like linguine or tagliatelle. It’s truly so simple to make this Short Rib Beef Ragu with just a handful of fresh and easy ingredients! It makes a wonderful family dinner for a lazy weekend, or a special occasion meal to share with someone special. © Little Sunny Kitchen
