Easy Short Rib Ragu (Slow Cooker + Instant Pot) – an easy, set-it-and-forget-it short rib ragu recipe that you are going to LOVE! Serve with pappardelle pasta or mashed potatoes for the perfect cold-weather comfort food!

short rib ragu in a bowl with noodles and fresh basil.

Best Short Rib Ragu

Anyone else forget how good short ribs are?! Me!

I tried a short rib ragu at an Italian restaurant a while back and immediately went home and starting testing recipes to try and recreate it – once I got it right I tested it in the slow cooker and the Instant Pot so you guys can decide how you want to cook it! (Slow cooker is my favorite, but either work!). This is just one of those dishes I come back to again and again and has quickly become my favorite short rib recipe (and is the perfect recipe for cold weather).

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Set-It-And-Forget-It: Just put in a little work in the morning and dinner will be ready and waiting for you when you get home! Nothing beats that!
Cozy: I look forward to making this every Fall/Winter. It is totally comfort food!
Paleo/Whole30 Friendly: I also love that it is Paleo/Whole30 when served with zoodles or spaghetti squash!

What You Will Need

salt and pepper: to season the short ribs
avocado oil: this is used to saute veggies in.
garlic: because you gotta add a little garlic!
celery + carrots + sweet yellow onion: these are sauteed together with the garlic to add depth of flavor to the ragu.
6-8 beef short ribs (bone-in): you will need approximately 3 pounds of bone-in short ribs. I
marinara sauce (homemade or store-bought): this is my little short-cut! Makes it so easy! No need to add in all the ingredients that make up marinara sauce (like tomato paste, basil, etc. – this is so easy). You can definitely add in fresh herbs or even a parmesan rind to take things to the next level, but you don’t need to.
(optional) red wine: if you want to add in a little red wine, that is encouraged!
your favorite pasta: I tend to use pappardelle pasta here, but really any kind will do. Cook to al dente perfect and cover with this amazingly rich sauce that is packed with bold flavors.

How I made it extra easy

So I kind of took a short cut … Instead of buying cans of tomatoes and spices ….. I just used a jar of homemade marinara sauce (and then I tested it with some store-bought as well). Such an easy short cut!! And it tastes SO good!!!

What are short ribs

What is a short rib, you ask? Well, if you picture a cow, its ribs would obviously be found in the section of its body behind its shoulders. There are four defined areas there, the ribs, plate, brisket and chuck. Short ribs can be taken from any of these areas.

What types of short ribs are there

Boneless: The meat from the ribs is cut away from the bone.
English Cut: English style short ribs is what is pictured below and used in this recipe. This is probably what you will get if you simply ask for short ribs at your typical grocery store. It is a 2-3 inch bone with meat sitting on top of it.
Flanken Style: Cut across several bones so you have a longer piece of meat with little chunks of bone throughout.

How to Make Short Rib Ragu

Season short ribs on all sides and then sear on all sides in a cast iron skillet or large dutch oven on the stovetop. Transfer them to slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Short ribs searing in a cast iron skillet.

In the same cast iron skillet sauté the garlic and veggies. Transfer them to the slow cooker as well along with any brown bits left behind from the ribs.

Carrots, onion and celery being sautéed in a cast iron skillet.

Add everything to your slow cooker or pressure cooker and cook per the times listed in the recipe card below. After cooking, remove the short ribs from the braising liquid and discard the bones. The short ribs will be fork tender (and falling apart). Shred the meat and place back in the slow cooker.

Serve over your favorite noodle or with some spaghetti squash or zoodles!

How to make it Whole30/Paleo

First just pay attention to the marinara sauce you use. There are so many compliant brands out there now – it will be easy to find one!
Second, serve with zoodles or spaghetti squash!!

Bowl of short rib ragu served with spaghetti squash.

Recipe FAQs + Tips

Preferred Method: I have made this multiple times both ways …. it is just a little bit better in the slow cooker 🙂 But I totally get it – sometimes we don’t have that much time!
Marinara Sauce: For the marinara sauce, I tested it with both my own homemade marinara and some Whole30 compliant store-bought sauce from Primal Kitchen.
Instant Pot: For the Instant Pot, you can saute the vegetables in the Instant Pot, but I would recommend still searing the Short Ribs in the cast iron – it’s hard to fit them into the pot and maneuver them around.
Whole30/Paleo: For Whole30/Paleo just make sure you are checking your marinara ingredients (for store-bought I used Primal Kitchen) and serve with zoodles or spaghetti squash.
Cooking Time: cooking time will vary greatly between slow cooker and instant pot – I just used the slow cooker cooking time on the recipe card.
Spaghetti Squash: For spaghetti squash here is how to roast it in the oven and here is how to cook it in the Instant Pot!
Freezer-Friendly: This freezes really well!
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Other recipes you might like:

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Made this recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!

Easy Short Rib Ragu

★★★★★ 5 from 14 reviews

Author: Erin Jensen
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Yield: 8–10 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Slow Cooker + Instant Pot
Cuisine: American

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Description

Easy Short Rib Ragu (Slow Cooker + Instant Pot) – an easy, set-it-and-forget-it short rib ragu recipe that is cozy and delicious!

Instructions

Crock Pot / Slow Cooker Instructions

Place short ribs on a large plate and bring to room temperature. Pat dry with clean paper towels and season ribs with salt and pepper all over; set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to large cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat.
Sear short ribs on all sides (do this in batches if you need to). Transfer the browned short ribs to the slow cooker.
In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil. Then add garlic and stir, allowing it to cook 1 minute.
Add celery, onion and carrot.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Stir and allow to cook 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Pour vegetable mixture into crockpot on top of the short ribs.
Pour marinara sauce on top and add bay leaves and red wine (if using). Mix to coat the short ribs.
Cover and let cook for 7-8 hours on low.
Before serving, remove short ribs and place on a plate. Shred meat using two forks, discarding bones and connective tissue. Place shredded meat back into the crockpot and mix to combine.
Serve with pasta, zoodles or spaghetti squash. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Instant Pot Instructions

Pour marinara sauce into Instant Pot. Set aside.
Place short ribs on a large plate and bring to room temperature. Pat dry with clean paper towels and season ribs with salt and pepper all over; set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to large cast iron skillet and bring to medium-high heat.
Sear short ribs on all sides. Transfer the browned short ribs to the Instant Pot.
In the same skillet, add another tablespoon of oil. Then add garlic and stir, allowing it to cook 1 minute.
Add celery, onion and carrot.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Stir and allow to cook 2-3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Pour vegetable mixture into Instant Pot on top of the short ribs. Add bay leaves and red wine (if using).
Cover and ensure Instant Pot is set to Seal. Cook on High Pressure for 1 hour (60 minutes).
Allow to naturally release for 10-20 minutes. Then (carefully) manually release per manufacturers instructions.
Remove short ribs and shred meat, discarding bones and connective tissue. Place meat back into the Instant Pot and mix to combine.
Serve with pasta, zoodles or spaghetti squash. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

Marinara Sauce: For the marinara sauce, I tested it with both my own homemade marinara and some Whole30 compliant store-bought sauce from Primal Kitchen.
Instant Pot: For the Instant Pot, you can sauté the vegetables in the Instant Pot, but I would recommend still searing the Short Ribs in the cast iron – it’s hard to fit them into the pot and maneuver them around.
Whole30/Paleo: For Whole30/Paleo just make sure you are checking your marinara ingredients (for store-bought I used Primal Kitchen) and serve with zoodles or spaghetti squash. Omit any red wine or parmesan rind.
Cooking Time: cooking time will vary greatly between slow cooker and instant pot – I just used the slow cooker cooking time on the recipe card.
Spaghetti Squash: For spaghetti squash here is how to roast it in the oven and here is how to cook it in the Instant Pot!
Freezer-Friendly: This freezes really well!
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
Make it spicy: feel free to add in some red pepper flakes if you want more of a spice.
Boneless short ribs: you can use boneless short ribs if you want, but a lot of flavor comes from having the bones being cooked as well.

Keywords: short rib ragu, slow cooker short rib ragu

Originally published November 14, 2019.

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