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.
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.
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.
- Rigatoni lamb ragu – Lamb shoulder slowly cooked with red wine, rosemary, and plum tomatoes and tossed over pasta.
- Pasta alla Genovese – This rustic dish combines beef chuck roast, pancetta, and 5 pounds of onions for one of the best dishes you’ve never heard of.
- Pasta Bolognese – The classic recipe that combines ground beef, pancetta, carrots, onions, and celery in a tomato, white wine ragu.
- Meatballs and Sunday sauce – The quintessential Italian-American Sunday dinner.
- Pasta al forno – Baked pasta with meat sauce.
- Salsa di Noci – Otherwise known as pasta with walnut sauce.
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Short Ribs with Pappardelle
Ingredients
- 1 pound (454g) pappardelle
- 10 3-4" bone-in short ribs about 3-4 pounds (1.3-1.8kg)
- 2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon (15g) olive oil
- 2 medium carrots diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 3 ounces (85g) tomato paste
- 2 cups (480g) 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 (240g) reserved pasta water will most likely not need all of it
- 1/2 cup (45g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano for finishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300f 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.
This recipe was originally published on April 4, 2018. It was completely updated on October 5, 2021.
Could you use this in a baked pasta dish?
Yes, you could.
Absolute 10/10. Save the recipe in my go-to faves! Husband thought it was one of his top 5 dishes I’ve ever made him! All our guests loved it and 2 asked for the recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Note that I added 1/2 C. Of teriyaki sauce to counterbalance the acidity of the tomatoes!
So happy you enjoyed, Sue!
Recipe sounds amazing. Will definitely try this. Could you use Chuck roast instead of the short rib if feeding a larger group?
Yes, you can use chuck roast instead. Hope you enjoy!
I had 2+ pounds of brisket trimmings frozen after my son prepped a brisket to smoke. They were perfect for this. Amazing! The whole house smelled heavenly while it was cooking. I had just bought pappardelle from Trader Joe’s so it was a perfect dinner for a cold December evening.
We’re so happy you enjoyed, Karla!
I made this tonight for my in-laws and everyone loved it. I made some pappardelle from scratch and served it with a side of roasted broccoli. I will gladly make this again. Delicious!
So happy you enjoyed, Sahara!
Delicious. We used fregola tostata instead of pappardelle. They are much easier to eat… And we added some juniper berries which tasted wonderful.
So happy you enjoyed, Wolfgang!
Hi
Your recipe sounds really good. What can you use instead of a Dutch Oven as I do not have one. I also do not have a slow cooker. Also would you be able to suggest what could be substituted for the garlic that isn’t hot or spicy.
Many thanks,
Hi Nancy, you can cook it in a stockpot on the stovetop on low rather than using a Dutch oven in the oven, but you will need to stir the sauce often to prevent it from sticking. If you don’t want to use garlic, you can simply omit it.
I can’t wait to try this! And that was absolutely the best video I’ve ever seen demonstrating a recipe! Thank you!!
I saw this on YouTube a couple of years ago. Now I make this every year for my wife’s birthday and she absolutely loves it. This is one of the rare recipes where I don’t deviate much, other than adding a little more herbs to the bouquet garni. If you make the pappardelle at home this dish really takes off. 11/10
So happy to hear that, Jon!
Awesome and delicious.
I just added 2 hours low heat smoking to the recepie before searing the ribs.
If u got the time it is worth it 🙂
So happy you enjoyed, Chris!
This was by far the best pasta recipe I’ve ever made. I wouldn’t change a thing. Takes a long time, absolutely worth it, even better the next day.
We’re so happy you enjoyed, Julie!
This was my first time making a dish like this. I made this for my husband and kids and they absolutely loved it. There is not a single thing I did differently, it was easy and so rich in flavor.
We’re so happy you enjoyed, Michele!
Awesome and delicious.
I just added 2 hours low heat smoking to the recepie before searing the ribs.
If u got the time it is worth it 🙂
Made this for the second time in as many months for a group of friends that came over for dinner and game night. It’s so simple to make and tastes amazing. Bonus- the house smells great as the ragu cooks. Some friends said they could smell the deliciousness as they walked down the porch to our front door.
This is even more delicious the next day for leftovers. I didn’t have any pasta left for the sauce the next day so I made some polenta and topped with with a big serving of ragu and topped it off with a tiny bit of crème fraîche I had. Best leftovers ever!
So happy you enjoyed, David, and thanks for the comment!
Pappardelle is my favorite pasta cut. The rich flavor of short ribs makes this the most delicious dish!
So happy you enjoyed, Stephanie!
Loved this recipe. I followed the suggestion to let it sit overnight and serve the next day. Great flavor, takes time to make though, to strain fat, shred the meat but it was worth it. I will definitely make it again.
So happy you enjoyed, Barbara!
When you let sit overnight- what is best way to reheat?
Hi Beth, reheat the amount of sauce you’d like to use in a pan on the stovetop.
Hi! can it be made with beef top blade boneless short rib?
Hi Tania, yes, you can use that, although if it’s boneless you’ll probably need about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds.
It was so good. Will be making this every night now!
Stupid question, are the long beef bones the same as the short rib bones ?
Hi Kerry, no, short ribs are not the same as the long beef ribs. There are a few articles on the web you can read that explains the difference, but it comes down to where they’re located on the ribcage, and the amount of and placement of the meat on the bones.
This looks amazing and hope to try it this weekend.
After the sauce has cooked down and the short ribs are fully braised, could the sauce be strained to discard any remaining veggies? I cannot tolerate onions, but do like the flavor they add.
Also, can you run the tomatoes through a food mill or blender before adding?
Thank you.
Hi Sherie, yes to both questions and hope you enjoy!
Outstanding!
We’re so happy you enjoyed it, Louann!
The cost of short ribs is through the roof in Canada. 3 -4 lbs would probably cost 40 to 60 dollars, so not going there….maybe try it with chuck roast or stewing beef though