Short ribs with pappardelle is the ultimate comfort food that is perfect for cooler nights when all you want to do is cozy up with a warm bowl of pasta. Beef short ribs are braised in a tomato and red wine sauce then tossed with pappardelle ribbons and topped with Parmigiano Reggiano. This is the ragu to end all other ragus.
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Editor’s Note: Originally Published on April 4, 2018. Updated with full process shots and expanded info.
As much as I love the summer, I do get a little excited when the weather cools down because that means heartier foods, like porchetta roast, baked butternut squash pasta, and this short rib ragu with pappardelle.
This is one of my most favorite dishes for a few reasons:
- Smells incredible. There is nothing quite like the smell of short ribs braised in red wine and herbs, or white wine and herbs like these braised short ribs. It smells like home, warmth, and family.
- It’s affordable. Mixing the beef with sauce and pasta allows you to extend the beef allowing you to get the most bang for your buck. I was able to get the short ribs on sale for $6.29 per pound but you can also use chuck or beef stew meat to make this even more affordable.
- Simple to make. But doesn’t taste simple. This is one of the easiest dishes to make as the prep is pretty basic and most of the cooking time involves braising in the oven, allowing you time to focus on other things. Because it braises for a few hours, the taste is deep and complex.
Variations and additions
Pappardelle is one of my favorite kinds of pasta.
Its ribbon-like shape and texture make it perfect for meat or cream-based sauces, like my Italian sausage pasta or creamy garlic mushroom pasta.
If you’re not able to find pappardelle, you can use tagliatelle, fettuccine, bucatini, or even rigatoni for this dish.
This also goes fantastically with homemade potato gnocchi or homemade pasta if you have the time.
This recipe calls for red wine. I almost always use a chianti when I’m making this dish, but really any bold red wine, such as a cabernet, super Tuscan, or Valpolicella would work well.
If you’re not able to find beef short ribs, you can opt for beef stew meat or use a 2-3 pound chuck roast cut into cubes.
One of my favorite additions to short ribs with pappardelle, in addition to the Parmigiano Reggiano, is to grate some bittersweet dark chocolate on top, right when I’m plating.
The chocolate adds another layer of flavor contributing to the complexity of the dish. I’d recommend using 80% cacao or higher and start with a little at a time to make sure you like it.
If you want to stretch the dish even further and add additional flavor, you could also add diced white button, baby Bella, or porcini mushrooms to this dish.
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How to make it
Each number corresponds to the numbered written steps below.
- Preheat the oven to 300f and set racks apart so that one large Dutch oven pot can fit in the middle of the oven. Finely dice 1 medium onion and a 2 medium carrots. Also, slice 2 cloves of garlic.
- Season the short ribs very well with a total of 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a 1/2 teaspoon black pepper on all sides.
- Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat. Once the pot is hot add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, pat the short ribs dry with paper towels to remove any excess wetness, and place into the pot. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, sear the ribs on all sides until well browned (should take about 10 minutes per batch). Set the seared ribs to the side and turn the heat down to medium-low.
- At this point, there will be a lot of beef fat in the pot. Add the carrots and onions to the pot and saute them until very soft (about 10-12 minutes).
- Next, add in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Add in the 3 ounces of tomato paste, mix around constantly and cook for 3 minutes more.
- Add 2 cups of dry red wine (Chianti, Cabernet, Valpolicella, etc) to the pot and turn the heat back to medium. Using a wooden spoon, scrape and dislodge all of the brown bits. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the plum tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaf, and bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Return the short ribs to the simmering sauce. Try to keep them all submerged, but don’t worry if parts of some are sticking out.
- Turn off the heat and cover. Cook in the oven for 2 hours, then remove and turn over any short ribs. Crack the lid, leaving it open by about 1 inch, and return the pot to the oven. Let the ragu cook for 1 hour more.
- After 3 hours the short ribs will be falling apart. With tongs or a slotted spoon remove all of the short ribs, bones, thyme stems, and the bay leaf. Discard the thyme stems and bay leaf.
- Discard all of the short ribs bones (or save for a bone broth). The membrane that holds the meat to the bone needs to be removed. Cut it away with a sharp knife. Once all of the membrane parts have been removed, shred the beef with two forks, or alternatively chop it up. Note: The membrane will have a hard texture, distinct look and feel, and will be easily noticeable. Just take your time to remove the membrane before shredding the short rib meat. The collagen-filled membrane or connective tissue can be eaten, but for the purposes of shredding the beef and to have a uniform texture, I recommend removing it. You can save it with the bones to make a stock if desired.
- Place all the shredded beef into the pot and keep the pot on low heat. Give the ragu a taste test and adjust salt and pepper if required.
- Bring a large pot of salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt) to boil and cook the pappardelle to almost cooked (about 1-2 minutes less than al dente. While the pasta is cooking place about 2 cups of the short rib ragu into a large pan and turn the heat to medium-low.
- Before draining the pasta save 1 cup of pasta water. Place the pasta into the pan with the hot ragu and stir well to thoroughly coat the pasta.
- Finish cooking the pasta in the ragu for 1-2 minutes or until al dente then turn the heat off. If more ragu is needed, add it now. If the pasta is a bit dry use some of the reserved pasta water ( a couple ounces at a time) to loosen it up. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and the extra ragu on the side. Enjoy!
Note: you’ll have about 1/2 bottle of wine left after making the sauce. If you’re so inclined, this meal pairs perfectly with a glass of chianti, super Tuscan, or a cabernet. Cin Cin!
Top Tips
- Sear the short ribs very well – Taking the time to put a great sear on all the sides of the shorts ribs will increase the ragu’s flavor tremendously. The maillard reaction whereby the protein and sugars of the beef are transformed by intense heat makes the flavor that much better.
- Sweat the veggies – Just as building the flavor with the seared meat, sweating the carrot and onion through slow cooking will impart a sweetness to the short rib ragu. Don’t rush this step.
- Fresh thyme – Thyme just goes so well with braised beef and red wine. It’s one of my favorite herbs to use for short ribs but feel free to experiment.
- Refrigerate overnight – You will get an even better flavor if you make this red wine short rib ragu one day in advance. It’s a great make-ahead dinner party recipe! An added bonus is the fat will come to the top overnight, and you can remove most of it the next day by scraping it off with a spoon before reheating. This makes the dish a tad healthier, but in the end, there is nothing too healthy about this dish ;).
More hearty Italian pasta recipes
If you like short ribs with pappardelle, try these other super hearty and comforting pastas.
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Short Ribs with Pappardelle
Ingredients
- 1 pound pappardelle
- 10 3-4" bone-in short ribs 3-4 pounds
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 2 cups dry red wine chianti, cabernet, etc
- 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
- 1 large bay leaf
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup reserved pasta water will most likely not need all of it
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano for finishing
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F and move racks to make enough room to accommodate a large Dutch oven pot in the middle of the oven.
- Pat the short ribs dry and season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper on all sides. Heat a large Dutch oven to medium heat. After the pot is hot add the olive oil. Give the short ribs one more pat to make sure they're dry, then add them to the pot and and sear on all sides. Work in batches and do not crowd the pan. Short ribs should take about 10 minutes to sear on all sides per batch.
- Set the seared short ribs aside and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add in the carrots, and onions and saute in the beef fat until very soft (about 10 minutes) then add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes longer.
- Next, add in the tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes stirring frequently. Add the wine and turn heat to medium. Using a wooden spoon scrape all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan.
- After cooking the wine for 3 minutes, add the plum tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Once simmering add the short ribs to the pot, stir, then turn off and cover. Cook short ribs in the oven for 2 hours. After two hours, place the lid partially ajar and continue to cook for 1 more hour.
- Remove Dutch oven, then remove short ribs and place onto a large cutting board. Using 2 forks, shred the meat. Discard any hard parts of fat and the bones. Also, discard any thyme stems and the bay leaf. Return the shredded meat to the pot and keep warm over low heat. Taste test the ragu and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring a large pot of salted water (2 tablespoons kosher salt) and cook pappardelle until al dente. Heat a large pan to medium-low heat and add in 2 cups of the short rib ragu. Add the al dente pasta to the pan and cook for 1 more minute mixing well to thoroughly coat the pasta.
- If the pasta needs more ragu, add more now. If the sauce seems a little dry add a bit of reserved pasta water to loosen it up. Serve plated with grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the remaining ragu on the side. Enjoy!
Notes
- Makes 6 moderate or 4 large servings.
- Making the ragu 24 hours in advance and refrigerating overnight will yield even better flavor. If doing so, you can remove some of the fat that will rise to the top with a spoon after being chilled.
- The collagen-filled membrane or connective tissue can be eaten, but for the purposes of shredding the beef and to have a uniform texture, I recommend removing it. You can save it with the bones to make a stock if desired.
- Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days and can be reheated in the microwave.
- The leftover ragu can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This recipe was originally published on April 4, 2018. It was completely updated on October 5, 2021.
Would it be okay to swap the plum tomatoes for tomato sauce? Trying to get through my pantry!
Hi Coreen, yes, you can use some tomato sauce in place of the plum tomatoes.
Jim, can you use boneless short ribs instead of bone in short ribs? Thanks!
Hi Jay, yes, you can use boneless ribs here. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you sir! And I truly enjoy watching you cook, and your family joining in with you on the fun!
It was a yukky overcast day yesterday and so I decided to use the time to make this ragu. Jim, it was fabulous! The BEST ragu I have ever had! Totally worth the work and wait time! We love your videos. It inspires me to cook!
Hi Karen, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed it! This is a great one to make on an overcast day!
I made this over Memorial Day weekend. Started it on Friday. Braised it for 4-5 hours and planned to serve Saturday. Plans changed and it sat in the fridge til Monday. After reheating it to warm and shredding the ribs I put it back to fully heat through and served on De Cicco papardelle, OMG. My focaccia was overdone but that was a first try too. Next time I want to make the papardelle from scratch. Do you have a pasta recipe and a recommendation for a pasta roller machine thing? Can I use a stand mixer for the pasta dough or should I just do it the traditional way?
Hi Todd, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed this one! I don’t have my pasta recipe up on the website yet, but when I do make homemade pasta I use my Kitchen Aid fitted with the pasta roller. It’s in the shop that’s linked here on the site under Jim’s Kitchen Tools.
Hi Jim – I previously rated this recipe a 5 star. But I want you to know that I enjoyed this recipe so much I tried a variation – sorry I love to experiment with great recipes. I substituted fresh unfrozen ox tails for the short ribs. I personally love working with ox tails. They are very much like short ribs. The recipe with the ox tails came out I think just as good BUT big caveat here, removing the meat from the ox tails involves much more work. It is quicker and easier with short ribs. But honestly Jim both are superb!! Thank you for all of the great recipes and inspiration:-))
Hi Michael, thanks for sharing your variation! This type of information is helpful to others who are also looking to make variations. I’m so happy you enjoyed it both ways and appreciate the comment!
I made this for a dinner party last night. Extremely approachable recipe and packed full of taste. I had some guests go back and just get servings of meat without pasta. It was that good. Great job.
Hi Jairo, I’m so happy you enjoyed this one and really appreciate the comment!
Mothers Day Hit, thanks again Jim for the great recipe and help!
Hi Alfonso, so happy you enjoyed this one and really appreciate the comment!
Going to make this for Mother’s Day this weekend. The chocolate sold it. Wife and MIL will be floored by that. I know I’m crossing genres but will have homemade challah with it.
Hi Todd, I really hope you all enjoyed and I appreciate the comment!
I have had this previously when my sister made it, and we loved it! I’m planning to make for my family, but time is scarce even when we do think we have extra time. Regarding step 5, I was wondering if instead of putting into the oven, could I transfer this to a crockpot? If so do you have recommendations regarding time? Thank you!
Hi Whitney, I haven’t tested this recipe in a crockpot so I can’t say for sure or make a recommendation on time. If you do happen to test it, please let us know how it turns out. Thanks!
This is by far the best meat sauce pasta I have ever eaten. The first time ever for an authentic ragu. God bless your grandmother, your family and you. P.S. my husband wants to know when your cookbook is coming out. He raved about the dish. 10 / 10.
Hey Helen,
I’m so happy to hear that you both enjoyed the recipe. We have started working on the cookbook and expect to have it finished by the end of this year. Stay tuned.
So many cooks out there, but you are the consummate Italian chef. Can’t wait for your cookbook.
Hi Lynne, thank you for the kind words!
I tried this recipe last weekend and made darn sure that I purchased short ribs with plenty of meat on them. In short, this recipe is amazing. I made it just the way Jim said except I did use a full can of tomato paste. This recipe is super designed to please. It does take a bit of time – make sure that you account for the 3 hours cooking time for the ribs. Otherwise, this is 5 star rated through and through.
Hi Michael, so happy you enjoyed the recipe and really appreciate the comment!
Love this chef and everything he makes. He’s so easy to understand and makes it look easy! Keep it up!
Hi Diane, thanks for the comment and so happy you’re enjoying the recipes!
Made this for my Monday night Girl Crew. Made the ragu yesterday afternoon (house smelled amazing!) so it had time to really come together. A few of us tried it with a tiny drizzle of truffle oil. Everyone loved it! Thank you.
Hi Catherine, so happy you all enjoyed this one and thanks for the comment!
I have to make it . Thank u
Hi Roz, we hope you enjoy it!
Jim,
I have made this meal for my family a half dozen times and it quickly has become a favorite with my daughters. I will be making it this Sunday for my Super Bowl party because I know everyone will love it. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Ben, thanks for the comment and so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
I am making this for Valentine’s Day. Better than any restaurant dish. James, your recipes are the best! You cannot go wrong with the video help.
So happy you enjoyed, Bob, and really appreciate the comment!
This looks amazing , I had a question about the parmigiano rind. I noticed you used it on the video but it’s not listed on the recipe, I’m wondering if to include it or not, or how important it is to the overall dish. Thanks , look forward to making this!
Hi Dennis, while the rind will add depth of flavor, it’s certainly not mandatory. If you have one, use it, but if not there’s no need to go looking for rinds. Hope that helps!
forgot to put the stars from my review lol
Hi John, so happy you enjoyed this one and really appreciate the comment!
This recipe is amazing… and the step by step directions are so helpful. Thank you, Jim! This is now my family’s favorite dish!
Made this a few nights ago and it was amazing. I usually stray from recipes, but this time decided to follow it to the letter. I can’t wait to try more recipes!
Hi Marceline, so happy you enjoyed this one and thanks for the comment and review!
DELICIOUS! Cooked recipe as is for a birthday dinner and it was a hit with my family! Perfect for this winter weather! Will be definitely cooking more of your recipes! Thank you!
Hi Lorener, so happy you liked this one and thanks for the comment!