• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Grab my Best of Mad About Food E-Book!
  • About
  • Lifestyle
  • Favorite Products
  • Contact

Mad About Food

Easy Healthy Whole Food Recipes

  • Recipe Index
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Sides
    • Dessert
    • Snack
    • Cocktails
    • Sauces, Dips, and Dressings
  • Protein
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Turkey
    • Meatless
  • Method
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Grilling
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • One Pan Meal
  • Dietary
    • Gluten Free
    • Dairy Free
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
    • Egg Free
    • Nut Free

Trending:

30 Minute Meals

Instant Pot

Air Fryer

One Pan

Meal Prep

Breakfast

Sauces, Dips and Dressings

Home Blog Recipes

Short Rib Ragu

print comments
Share
Share on:
Jump to Recipe
By: MadelinePosted: 01/14/2021Updated: 12/29/2021

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Use this Short Rib Ragu recipe to make delicious beef short ribs in the Instant Pot or on the stove top. Simmer boneless short ribs in marinara to make a delicious and tender meat sauce.

above view of a bowl of short rib ragu over pappardelle pasta with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top
Contents hide
Simmer boneless short ribs in marinara until they are soft, tender and delicious
What kitchen tools will I need to make this short rib ragu?
How should I serve this boneless beef short rib sauce?
What ingredients will I need to make this short rib ragu?
Ingredient Substitutions
How do you make short rib ragu?
How do I make Instant Pot short ribs?
Make this short rib ragu in the crock pot
Storage and reheating
Check out these other delicious pasta sauce recipes:
Short Rib Ragu

Simmer boneless short ribs in marinara until they are soft, tender and delicious

Amy and I like to joke that we are easily tricked by short ribs. We kept buying bone in short ribs over again and they never had enough meat.

We finally made the switch to thick, meaty boneless short ribs and they were perfect for this short rib ragu. The beef short ribs are first seasoned, then seared and simmered in a marinara sauce until tender enough to shred.

You can make these beef short ribs in the instant pot or on your stove top. Either way you will be left with a delicious shredded meat pasta sauce to enjoy with noodles or zoodles!

bowl of boneless short rib pasta sauce with noodles and parmesan cheese

What kitchen tools will I need to make this short rib ragu?

  • Large heavy bottom pot like a dutch oven or an Instant Pot – both methods are easy, but it is faster to make Instant Pot short ribs
  • Measuring spoons and measuring cups
  • Forks for shredding the cooked short ribs

How should I serve this boneless beef short rib sauce?

I like to serve my short rib ragu on pappardelle pasta, but it is delicious on any type of noodle even gnocchi! You could also serve this short rib ragu on zoodles.

To make the perfect dish of short rib pasta, spoon the warm ragu over freshly cooked noodles and gently toss the two together. Then, serve the pasta with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh cracked black pepper.

above view of ingredients for instant pot short ribs

What ingredients will I need to make this short rib ragu?

You will be amazed at how easy it is to make this short rib ragu with just a few simple ingredients! You can use the same ingredients to make either

  • Boneless beef short ribs
  • Salt, pepper and dried parsley
  • Marinara sauce

Ingredient Substitutions

Boneless beef short ribs work best for this recipe, but if you want to use bone in short ribs those will work just fine too. You could also use cut up chuck roast. When cooked slow and low the chuck roast will shred just like a short rib.

I like to use Rao’s jarred marinara sauce to make this recipe very easy. You can also make your own marinara sauce using whole peeled san marzano tomatoes and simple seasonings.

Add some extra veggies to this dish by sauteing diced onion, carrot and celery in the pot after you brown the short ribs. Add the short ribs back into the pot with the sauted veggies followed by the sauce. The veggies will cook down along with the sauce.

step by step instruction images for making short rib ragu on the stove top

How do you make short rib ragu?

To begin, remove short ribs from fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. Mix salt, pepper, and dried parsley and season short ribs on all sides.

Then, heat pot over medium heat. When the pot is warm place the short ribs in the pot on their fattiest side first to brown the short ribs.

Make sure there is some space between each short rib. Work in batches if you need to.

Let the fat render for a few minutes then rotates the short ribs to sear on all sides. Then, pour the marinara sauce into the pot and increase the heat to high.

Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.

Allow the meat to continue cooking at a low simmer, turning and stirring occasionally, until the meat is soft and tender and ready to shred. This can take up to 3 hours depending on how big the short ribs are.

Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot and shred the short ribs with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pot with the sauce. Stir to combine all of the ingredients.

Mix to combine and serve over noodles! I like to serve over pappardelle pasta with lots of parmesan cheese,

spoon of parmesan cheese shaking over a bowl of pasta sauce made with boneless short ribs

How do I make Instant Pot short ribs?

To begin, remove short ribs from fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. Mix salt, pepper, and dried parsley and season short ribs on all sides.

Then, set instant pot to sear. When the instant pot is warm place the short ribs in the instant pot on their fattiest side first.

Let the fat render for a few minutes then rotates the short ribs to sear on all sides. Pour the marinara sauce into the instant pot, close the lid, set the vent to sealing, and set the instant pot on manual high pressure for 45 minutes.

Allow the instant pot to come to pressure and cook for 45 minutes. When the timer beeps, manually release the pressure. 

Remove the short ribs from the instant pot and shred with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the instant pot with the sauce. Mix to combine and serve over noodles!

Make this short rib ragu in the crock pot

You can also make this recipe into a slow cooker short rib ragu. Brown the short ribs on the stoved top until they are evenly browned on each side. Add the tomato sauce to the slow cooker and nest the browned short ribs into the sauce.

Set the slow cooker to low for 6 hours. Check the short ribs to make sure they are fork tender. Shred the tender short ribs.

Add the shredded short ribs back into the slow cooked and mix with the sauce. Spoon the sauce over cooked noodles to make the perfect short rib pasta dish!

three quarter view of plated instant pot short ribs with noodles

Storage and reheating

Once prepared, store this short rib ragu in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store separately from noodles. Reheat slowly on the stove top.

Check out these other delicious pasta sauce recipes:

  • Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce
  • Creamy Shredded Chicken Pasta Sauce
  • Veggie Packed Meat Sauce

You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!

Image for pinning short rib ragu recipe on Pinterest
Recipe

Short Rib Ragu

★★★★★ 5 from 31 reviews

Use this short rib ragu to make boneless short ribs in the instant pot or on the stove top!

Recipe By: Madeline
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 3 hoursTotal: 3 hours 10 minutes
Print Pin it Rate recipe Save recipe
Servings: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

  • 2 lb boneless short ribs – you can also use bone in short ribs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 32oz marinara sauce

Instructions

Stove Top Instructions

  1. Remove short ribs from fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. Mix salt, pepper, and dried parsley and season short ribs on all sides.
  2. Heat pot over medium heat. When the pot is warm place the short ribs in the pot on their fattiest side first. Let the fat render for a few minutes then rotates the short ribs to sear on all sides.
  3. Pour the marinara sauce into the pot and increase the heat to high. Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pot.
  4. Allow the meat to continue cooking at a low simmer, turning and stirring occasionally, until the meat is soft and tender and ready to shred. This can take up to 3 hours depending on how big the short ribs are.
  5. Once the meat is tender, remove it from the pot and shred with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the pot with the sauce. Mix to combine and serve over noodles!

Instant Pot Instructions

  1. Remove short ribs from fridge 30 minutes prior to cooking. Mix salt, pepper, and dried parsley and season short ribs on all sides.
  2. Set instant pot to sear. When the instant pot is warm place the short ribs in the instant pot on their fattiest side first. Let the fat render for a few minutes then rotates the short ribs to sear on all sides.
  3. Pour the marinara sauce into the instant pot, close the lid, set the vent to sealing and set the instant pot on manual high pressure for 45 minutes.
  4. Allow the instant pot to come to pressure and cook for 45 minutes. When the timer beeps, manually release the pressure. 
  5. Remove the short ribs from the instant pot and shred with two forks. Return the shredded meat to the instant pot with the sauce. Mix to combine and serve over noodles!
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
Did you make my

Short Rib Ragu?

Rate recipe Share on Insta Save recipe

I appreciate your reviews SO much! Mention @mad_about_food and hashtag your photo with #madaboutfood

  • Facebook
  • Email

Related Recipes

  • Above view of Easy Instant Pot Meatballs in a serving bowl with a spoon in it
    Easy Instant Pot Meatballs
  • Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
  • Three quarter view of instant pot salsa verde chicken in a serving bowl
    Instant Pot Salsa Verde Shredded Chicken
  • Above view of Easy Instant Pot Meatballs in a serving bowl with a spoon in it
    Easy Instant Pot Meatballs
Previous Post
Instant Pot Salmon and Rice
Next Post
Cranberry Kentucky Mule

About Madeline

Hi, I'm Madeline! I am so excited to share my healthy and approachable recipes with you. Here you will find simple, comforting recipes that the whole family will enjoy. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast and let's get cooking!

Learn More

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

  1. Bridget says

    Posted on 9/25 at 9:54 pm

    I love that this tasted like a lot of work but was so easy. Only if my favorite warm and fuzzy meals! Will definitely get this back into the rotation for the cold nights!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 9/26 at 3:28 pm

      yay thanks Bridget!

      Reply
  2. Brittiny says

    Posted on 10/7 at 3:27 pm

    Great Recipe to add a new simple twist on meat sauce! Great to prep for an easy meal later in the week, I even added some leftovers to my freezer for another night!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Madeline says

      Posted on 10/9 at 7:45 pm

      amazing! love to hear it!

      Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

Hi, I'm Madeline - food blogger and recipe developer based just outside Philadelphia. Join me for simple, comforting recipes designed for the whole family. Turn on your favorite playlist or podcast, and let's get to cooking!

Read More

Popular Posts

Whole30 BLT Chicken Salad

Blueberry Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

Ground Beef Baked Tacos

No Bread Turkey Club

image of 6 recipes
Grab a FREE

E-Book with 6 of my Top Rated Recipes

Sign me up!
Opens in a new window Opens an external site Opens an external site in a new window

Join me and 270k friends on instagram

"This is my third time making this recipe and it’s a fave for meal prepping! So delicious, quick and easy ☺️" - Jessica

Get Recipe

"This was so simple and delicious!! Worked late and still quickly put together a great meal." - Dana

Get Recipe

"So good! Not only was this incredibly easy to make, the flavor was perfect. I will definitely make this again and again!" - Mandy

Get Recipe
@mad_about_food
Back to Top

Courses

Dinners

Breakfasts

Desserts

Dips & Sauces

Popular

Instant Pot

Air Fryer

Meal Prep

Chicken Recipes

Back to Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
© 2023 Mad About Food
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled