Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu! Ready in an hour. AMAZING on gnocchi, pasta, polenta, rice, potatoes, and more.
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This Is Truly The Easiest Short Rib Ragu.
Short Rib Ragu?! Who am I right now, making SHORT RIBS?
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.
As a less-savvy meat cooker (<- this is who you’re dealing with), I was a little intimidated by making short ribs. 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, shortcut, Instant Pot, RAGU!
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.
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!
What Is Ragu?
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.
About Short Ribs
Short ribs are perfect for braising or slow cooking (or Instant Pot, in this case!) because they’re high in fat. You typically need to cook them low and slow, which is why I love that the pressure of an Instant Pot can achieve the same result in way less time.
They come bone-in or boneless, and I prefer bone-in short ribs for this ragu recipe. If you can’t access short ribs, I’d recommend trying this recipe that uses flank steak instead!
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.
Short Rib Ragu: Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Do steps 1-3 in a pan on the stove, and then cook everything in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
Can I make this on the stovetop?
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.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! Make this recipe as written, and then let it cool and store in the fridge. One bonus of doing this is that a lot of the fat will rise to the top and turn solid which makes it easy to remove. When you’re ready to serve, reheat it on the sauté setting in the Instant Pot or in a pot on the stove.
What should I serve this with?
I like to serve this on top of gnocchi, pappardelle pasta, or polenta!
Will this recipe work with boneless short ribs?
Absolutely! Just adjust to be 1 lb. of boneless short ribs (vs. 2 lbs. of bone-in).
Could I freeze this recipe?
Yes! Just freeze it in an airtight bag or container, and then thaw in the fridge for at least 24 hours before reheating on the stove.
Can I replace the wine in this recipe?
Yep, just sub in the same amount of broth or water!
Can I use a different cut of beef?
We haven’t tested this recipe specifically with other cuts of beef, but the Instant Pot can be quite forgiving. We also have a recipe for a beef ragu made in the slow cooker with flank steak if you want to give it a try!
Instant Pot Short Rib Ragu! Ready in an hour. AMAZING on gnocchi, pasta, polenta, rice, potatoes, and more.
Get ready: Turn instant pot on to the sauté setting. While it heats up, trim any excess fat from the short ribs, then pat dry with a paper towel. Generously season the meat with salt and pepper.
Brown those short ribs: Add oil to the Instant Pot. Add the short ribs to the hot oil and sear on all sides until brown. (The meat does not need to be fully cooked. Just browned.) Remove from pot and set aside.
Onions, garlic, and wine: Use tongs & paper towel to remove any excess oil from the pot. Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Pour wine in to deglaze (*sizzzles*) and cook for about 2 minutes.
Go-time: Add short ribs, tomato sauce, salt and crushed red pepper to pot. Use 1/2 cup water to rinse out sauce jar and add to pot. Set Instant Pot to the stew/meat setting (35 mins). When it’s done, let it sit untouched for a natural steam release.
Finish up: Remove meat to sheet pan. Shred into bite size pieces, removing bones and any large pieces of fat. Meanwhile, set the Instant Pot to sauté again to reduce/thicken the sauce. Skim any fat off top of sauce and add meat back in. Taste and add salt & pepper if needed.
Serve: Serve over cooked pasta or gnocchi. Yummmo!
Notes
Slow Cooker Instructions: Do steps 1-3 in a pan on the stove, and cook everything in the slow cooker on low for 8 hours.
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.
Prep Time:20 minutes
Cook Time:35 minutes
Category:Dinner
Cuisine:Italian
Keywords: instant pot short rib ragu, short rib ragu, ragu
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