Braised for hours in flavorful red wine and lots of aromatics, this red wine beef short rib ragu features tender pappardelle noodles folded into a fall-apart tender short rib red wine sauce.
Meet the coziest dinner to ever grace your table! Wine is very much included in this sweet dinner deal, no need to even ask.
Any type of braised beef situation is my ultimate comfort food this time of year and I know I’m not the only one who feels this way! So this short rib ragu is the only logical solution to getting our fix.
It’s got wine, it’s got pasta, the most buttery-tender beef ever, and I even snuck some veggies into this comfort food party.
Plan ahead because this ragu does require a 3-hour braise time which is essential for the meat to cook up tender. I’m sharing all the make-ahead tips though so you can prep this one way ahead of time for easy assembly whenever you need it!
And trust me, you’re gonna need this on the menu pretty often.
This Short Rib Ragu features…
- Fall-apart tender braised beef short ribs
- A flavorful red wine sauce
- Tender pappardelle pasta folded into the rich beef sauce
- Simple ingredients and a set-it-and-forget-it style meal
Making the Short Rib Ragu
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Beef short ribs
- Olive oil
- Carrots
- Sweet onion
- Tomato paste
- Garlic
- Red wine
- Beef broth
- Rosemary
- Bay leaf
- Pappardelle pasta
- Parmesan cheese
Choosing Your Red Wine
I recommend a dry red wine such as shiraz, pinot noir, or cabernet sauvignon for this ragu. Keep reading for alcohol-free substitutions!
Tips for Perfect Short Rib Ragu
- Sear short ribs – sear the short ribs on all sides until golden brown. This builds the flavor base for the sauce.
- Saute aromatics – saute the onion, carrot, and garlic until vegetables have just a little color on them.
- De-glaze pan with red wine – pour the red wine over the vegetables and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. This is extra flavor for the sauce.
- Braise short ribs 3 hours – this long cook time is essential for tenderizing the short ribs. Once the short ribs pull away easily from the bone you’ll know it’s done.
- Cook pasta to al dente – cook the pasta only until al dente as it will continue to cook a bit once added to the sauce.
Recipe Variations
Try these ideas for a different twist on this ragu.
- Make it non-alcoholic – add 1 additional cup of beef broth OR use a combination of 1/4 cup red wine vinegar and 3/4 cup water.
- Add more vegetables – fold in a handful of diced mushrooms or sweet pepper.
- Use a different shape pasta – try fettuccine, spaghetti, or bucatini.
Make Ahead Instructions
Follow these instructions for time-saving make ahead tips.
- Prep sauce – follow recipe instructions through step 3 but do not cook sauce. Cover pot, place in refrigerator, and refrigerate up to 2 days before proceeding with cooking sauce.
- Cook the sauce – cook sauce per recipe instructions. Store in refrigerator up to 6 days and reheat on stovetop and fold in pasta when ready to serve.
- Store leftovers – once pasta is assembled in sauce it stores well in refrigerator up to 6 days. Reheat individual servings in microwave 2-3 minutes.
This is just the dictionary definition of fall comfort food, friends! The red wine infuses all it’s incredible flavor into the tender short ribs and it’s absolutely heavenly folded into all that tender pasta.
Best paired with the rest of that bottle of red wine on the side, trust me!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Try these other hearty pasta dishes next!
- Sausage Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells
- Asiago Shiitake Mushroom Fettuccine Alfredo
- Slow Cooker Beef Ragu
Red Wine Beef Short Rib Ragu
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lbs beef short ribs
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 medium sweet onion, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 12 oz pappardelle pasta, cooked according to package instructions to al dente
- Grated Parmesan cheese for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300F. Pat short ribs dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a Dutch oven (or a large oven-safe high-walled skillet) over medium-high heat, then add olive oil. Sear short ribs 3-5 minutes on all sides until golden brown. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- In remaining drippings over medium-high heat, saute carrot and onion until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and garlic and saute 1 additional minute until fragrant. Pour red wine into pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits.
- Add beef broth, rosemary sprigs, bay leaf, and seared beef short ribs to pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover Dutch oven, place in 300F oven, and let cook 3 hours or until short ribs are very tender.
- Use a fork to pull beef away from bones into bite-sized pieces and discard bones, rosemary sprigs, and bay leaf. Fold warm cooked pasta into sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve pasta with Parmesan on top and enjoy!
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