Description
This slow-cooked Crockpot Short Rib Ragu features tender, fall-apart beef short ribs simmered with aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, and herbs to create a rich, hearty sauce. Paired with pappardelle pasta, it’s a comforting Italian-inspired dish perfect for an easy yet elegant meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 3.5 lb short ribs (about 6-8 pieces)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 onion, small diced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
Liquids & Herbs
- 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup red wine (or additional beef stock)
- 1 cup beef stock
- 6 oz tomato paste
- 1/2 – 1 cup reserved pasta water
Pasta
- 16 oz pappardelle pasta
Instructions
- Prepare and Sear Short Ribs: Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels and season all sides generously with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs until browned on all sides, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the ribs from the skillet and place them into the crock pot.
- Add Vegetables and Liquids to Crockpot: Layer the chopped carrots, onion, celery, Italian seasoning, minced garlic, bay leaves, balsamic vinegar, red wine, beef stock, and crushed tomatoes on top of the seared short ribs in the crock pot. Cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 7 to 9 hours, or until the beef is tender and easily pulls away from the bone. If desired, skim any fat from the top of the sauce after cooking.
- Shred the Short Ribs: Carefully remove the cooked short ribs from the crock pot. Shred the meat with forks, discarding any large pieces of fat and bones. Return the shredded meat to the crock pot and stir in the tomato paste for added richness and thickness.
- Cook the Pasta and Adjust Sauce Consistency: Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the pappardelle pasta until al dente according to package instructions. Reserve about 1/2 to 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining. Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the ragu in the crock pot and stir well to achieve a balanced sauce consistency.
- Combine Pasta and Ragu: Immediately toss the cooked and drained pappardelle pasta into the crock pot with the short rib ragu, ensuring the pasta is evenly coated with the sauce.
- Serve: Plate the pasta and ragu, and garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- For extra depth of flavor, you can use a dry red wine like Chianti or Cabernet Sauvignon in the sauce.
- If you prefer a thicker sauce, add more tomato paste incrementally until desired consistency is reached.
- Skimming excess fat from the top after cooking will make the ragu less greasy.
- Leftover ragu and pasta can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
- If you don’t have a crock pot, this recipe can be adapted to slow cook in an oven-safe pot at 275°F (135°C) for 3-4 hours covered.
