Short Rib Ragù with Pappardelle

a plate of pasta with parmesan cheese and a glass of wine

4.34 from 50 votes

Short Rib Ragù with Pappardelle

This rich and creamy red wine braised short rib ragù with pappardelle pasta will warm you up from the inside out! Top it off with a mountain of parmesan cheese and a bold glass of red wine and you've got the coziest dinner ever!

Prep Time30

Cook Time3

Course: dinner

Servings:

Calories: 1001kcal

Author: Leigh Anderson

Ingredients

3 lbs bone in short ribs
1 large onion diced
2 large carrots peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 c red wine
4 cups chicken stock or beef stock
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 c mascarpone cheese
1/2 lb pappardelle pasta pappardelle is typically sold in 8.8oz packages which is perfect for this recipe
1 c grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Instructions

Pre-heat a large dutch oven, or large pot with a lid, to medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, add a splash of oil to the pan, then sear the ribs on all sides until golden brown. You may need to do this in batches. Remove the short ribs from the pan and set aside.
Turn the heat down to medium and sauté the carrots, onions and garlic until soft and fragrant. Next, stir in the tomato paste, cook for 2-3 minutes, then deglaze with the wine. Let the wine reduce by half.
Add the short ribs back into the pan along with the chicken stock and thyme. Bring to a simmer then cover and reduce the heat to low. Let the ribs gently simmer on the stovetop, or in a preheated 350F oven for 2.5-3 hours. Check them every hour or so, stirring the bottom of the pot to ensure the braising liquid isn't scorching. Use a ladle to skim away the excess fat that forms at the surface.
The ribs are done cooking when the bones are falling out and the meat is fork-tender. At this point remove them from the pot and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Discard the thyme stems from the pot as well, then use an immersion blender to blend the sauce and break up the carrots and onion. If you don't have an immersion blender you can just blend 1 cup of the braising liquid in a regular blender. Skipping blending all together is fine too, the sauce will just be a little bit thinner.
Remove and discard the bones and any excess fat or cartilage from the ribs then shred the meat with your hands or two forks and add it back into the braising liquid.
Turn off the heat then fold in the mascarpone cheese. Lastly, add the cooked pappardelle to the pan and toss it with the ragù. Divide between bowls and serve immediately with lots of shaved parmesan on top.

Notes

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Bone-in Short Ribs: This recipe will work great with any almost any cut of braising meat like; chuck, brisket, or rump or bottom roast. Just be sure to cut down larger cuts of beef into smaller, pieces. Boneless short ribs are fine too.
Tomato Paste: Substitute 1/2 c canned, crushed tomatoes.
Red Wine: Cabaret sauvignon or pinot noir. For alcohol-free use extra chicken stock.
Chicken Stock: Beef broth works too.
Mascarpone: Sour cream, cream cheese or even regular ol' heavy whipping cream will do!
Pappardelle: Egg noodles are a perfect substitute or you can even serve this ragu over creamy polenta or mashed potaotes.

Alternate Cooking Methods:

Slow-Cooker Instructions: Sear the meat and sauté the vegetables in a separate pot, deglaze with the wine then add to the slow cooker with the chicken stock. Cook on low for 8 hours or 5 hours on high. Proceed to Step 4.
Pressure Cooker/Instant Pot: Sear the meat and sauté the vegetables in a separate pot, deglaze with the wine then add to the slow cooker with the chicken stock. Choose the manual high pressure function and set it to high. Cook the short ribs for 45 minutes, followed by a 10 – 15 minute natural release. Proceed to Step 4.

Storing Leftovers and Re-heating:

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium/low heat or in the microwave with a splash of water.

Equipment:

Dutch Oven |Immersion Blender | Shop all Kitchen Essentials

Nutrition