comment icon 207 more comments I am a pillowy-gnocchi-loving-pasta-eater, that’s who. Carbs 100% dictate my life, and my current carbs wanted short rib ragu. Did you know that short rib ragu is so good, end of story, but also not end of story because it just takes pasta to a whole nother level? Saucy, tangy, and just so tender and luscious all at the same time? This was a new discovery for me.
In This Post: Everything You Need To Make Short Rib Ragu
VIDEO for how to make this recipe Ingredients you’ll need How to make this Short Rib Ragu What is ragu? What to serve with this ragu Frequently asked questions about this recipe More favorite Italian pasta recipes
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Ragu Made Fast and Easy (Thanks, Instant Pot!)
As a less-savvy meat cooker (<- this is who you’re dealing with), I was a little intimidated by making short rib ragu. But then I remembered how we had this at our dinner club all those years ago, and I remembered how good it was with our tiny pillows of homemade gnocchi, and then I got brave with it because a) Instant Pot, and b) food motivation. So that’s what’s happening today – short ribs, short cut, Instant Pot, RAGU!
First Things First: Ingredients You’ll Need
In an effort to keep this in the fast and easy category, this recipe also has a shockingly short number of ingredients.
Short ribs Garlic + onion Red wine Jarred spaghetti sauce Salt Spices
Now let’s get to it!
How To Make This Short Rib Ragu
Starting with the short ribs. We’re starting with the saute function on the Instant Pot to get a nice browning on the short ribs. Okay, then something magical happens. You have all the browned bits in the bottom of the pan, right? So you throw some onions and garlic in, and you start working those browned bits off into your sauce. Oh my gosh, YES. Did I already talk about magic? There’s more magic. A splash of red wine pulls all your browned bits, sauteed onions, garlic, and spices into something so good that it should be illegal. Now the shortcut part. Add your short ribs back in with a jar of your favorite tomato sauce. And now the Instant Pot gets to work. One hour later? This is what is sitting in front of your face. You are your own favorite person right now for making this happen.
So, What Is Ragu Anyways?
Ragu can mean a little something different depending on your preference, but primarily: it’s an Italian meat-based sauce that’s typically made with veal, beef, lamb, pork, fish or poultry. This recipe veers a little away from the traditional due to the fact that it’s not a classic slow-simmered ragu, but rather made quickly in the Instant Pot to make it doable on a weeknight! You might ALSO be familiar with ragu alla Bolognese, which is a variation of ragu. This is also a meat-based sauce, but uses white wine and less tomatoes than a traditional ragu.
What To Serve with This Short Rib Ragu
The options are truly endless here, but I love to pile this on storebought gnocchi, freshly-made gnocchi, cauliflower gnocchi, or some delicious pasta like pappardelle. This could also work on polenta or rice. All of the above are also delicious with a big dollop of ricotta or parmesan on top. YUM. For sides, this Simple Green Salad is my go-to – it provides the perfect little bite of freshness against the comfort-heavy ragu and carbs. Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu, guys. It’s a little short-cut-y, a little weeknight-friendly, and MEGA DELICIOUS.
More Favorite Italian Pasta Recipes
Slow Cooker Beef Ragu with Pappardelle Crockpot Braised Beef Ragu with Polenta Spicy Sausage Rigatoni Three Cheese Baked Ziti Creamy Tomato Lasagna Florentine
One More Thing!
This recipe is part of our best Instant Pot recipes page. Check it out! 4.9 from 74 reviews Stovetop Instructions: Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until browned, but not cooked through. Remove from pot. Add in the onion and garlic and sauté for about 3 minutes until tender. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan and scrape up the brown bits. Add in the short ribs, tomato sauce, salt, and crushed red pepper. Use 1 cup of water to rinse out the jar and add to pot (1/2 cup more than original recipe states). Bring everything to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook on low for 2 hours until the beef is fork tender. Initially, the meat will stick to the stainless surface of the Instant Pot, but once it’s got a nice sear on it, it should release pretty easily. If you make this ahead of time and store it in the fridge, a lot of the fat will rise to the top and turn solid. This makes it easy to remove.
