Short Rib Pasta

This slow-cooked Short Rib Pasta is my idea of the perfect comfort meal. I braise tender short ribs in a rich blend of tomatoes, wine, and herbs, then toss everything with pasta for the ultimate Sunday dinner with family. It’s deeply flavorful, incredibly satisfying, and honestly, one of my all-time favorite dishes to make and share.

In my house, pasta isn’t just dinner, it’s a tradition! We love trying all kinds of Italian sauces, so I created this short rib pasta recipe to be a favorite comfort meal, perfect for a cozy Sunday dinner with family. It has that same deep, rich flavor that I love in my short rib ragu, another slow-cooked Italian classic recipe.

Short Rib Pasta

Short rib pasta is a simple Italian dish of cooked pasta tossed and coated in a sauce of braised short ribs. The sauce consists of seared short ribs slowly cooked in wine, pureed tomatoes, herbs, and sofrito until they fall off the bone and shred apart.

I’ve made my braised short rib pasta recipe more times than I can count, and let me tell you, each time, it’s an absolute hit. The slow-cooked short ribs become ridiculously tender, practically falling apart with the gentlest touch of a fork. The sauce? Oh, it’s rich, deeply flavored with garlic, herbs, and a touch of wine that brings out the most incredible depth.

I like using fresh or dry pasta for this dish, but I always recommend a wider shape like pappardelle or a tubular pasta like rigatoni to catch all that incredible sauce. And for the perfect finishing touch? I toss everything with finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, it melts right in and adds the most amazing flavor!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Beef – I use bone-in short ribs, but boneless works too and is easier to shred.
• Tomatoes – Crushed, whole, peeled, diced, or pureed all work. I used pureed tomatoes for this recipe.
• Herbs – I love the earthy aroma of bay leaves and fresh rosemary, but thyme is a great alternative if that’s what you have on hand.
• Onions & Garlic – Yellow, white, or sweet onions all work here, and of course, I never skip the whole garlic cloves.
• Vegetables – Carrots and celery add the perfect amount of sweetness and balance to the sauce.
• Oil – Olive or avocado oil works well. You can also use beef tallow, clarified butter, or ghee.
• Pasta – Pappardelle or any wide tubular pasta like rigatoni is great to use with my short rib sauce.
• Wine – Any dry white wine like Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, or sauvignon blanc will work.

How to Make Short Rib Pasta

Prep the short ribs: I pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel to help them get a perfect sear. Then, I season every side generously with salt and pepper, making sure they’re fully coated.

Heat the pot: I pour a little oil into a large rondeau pot and let it heat over medium-high until it just starts to smoke. Then, I add the short ribs and sear them on all sides until well browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Sauté the onions: I take the short ribs out of the pot and toss in the onions, letting them soak up all those delicious browned bits. I season with a pinch of salt, turn the heat down to medium, and cook for about 5 minutes until they soften and turn lightly golden.

Soften the veggies: I lower the heat to low and stir in the carrots and celery. Then, I cover the pot with a lid and let everything sweat for about 10 minutes.

Add the garlic: I toss in the garlic and let it cook just until it becomes beautifully fragrant, about 30 to 45 seconds.

Deglaze the pot: I pour in the white wine, scraping up all those flavorful bits from the bottom of the pot. Then, I let it simmer over medium heat until the liquid reduces by half, concentrating the flavors.

Build the sauce: I pour in the tomato puree and two cups of water, giving everything a good stir. Then, I add the rosemary, bay leaves, salt, and pepper, letting the flavors come together into a rich, aromatic base for the short ribs to braise in.

Braise the short ribs: I place the short ribs back into the pot, making sure they’re fully coated in the sauce. Then, I cover it with a lid and place it on the middle rack of a 325°F oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours, letting the beef slowly cook until it’s fall-apart tender.

Finish the sauce: I take out the herbs and any bones from the pot, then use two forks to shred the tender short ribs. Meanwhile, I bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until it’s perfectly al dente.

Bring it all together: I drain the pasta and toss it into a large skillet with some of the rich short rib sauce, a generous sprinkle of cheese, and about ½ to 1 cup of pasta water to help everything meld together. I give it a good stir until the sauce coats every piece, then it’s ready to serve.

Chef Tip + Notes

For making the most flavorful short rib pasta I highly recommend to sear the short ribs really well before braising them. I’m talking about a deep, golden-brown crust on every side, this step locks in richness and builds an incredible depth of flavor in the sauce.

• Grated veggies for convenience: When I want to save time, I shred the onions, carrots, and celery on a box grater instead of dicing them.
• Thicken the sauce: I like to remove the lid for the last hour of braising to let the sauce reduce and intensify. This little trick makes every bite richer and more concentrated.
• Freeze the extra sauce: I always freeze any leftover sauce because it keeps beautifully for future meals. It’s perfect for a quick and delicious pasta night.

Serving Suggestions

Every time I make this short rib rigatoni pasta, I just have to bake a batch of my homemade garlic bread. It comes together in under 15 minutes and makes the perfect side to soak up all that rich, flavorful sauce.

And if I’m feeling extra indulgent, I’ll finish the meal with a slice of my key lime pie, it’s the perfect sweet ending!

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: You can make the sauce 2 days ahead for freshness. Cook, cool, and oil the pasta up to 2 days ahead.

How to Store: Cover and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta will not freeze well. However, you can cover the sauce and keep it in the freezer for 6 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of short rib pasta to a large-sized pot and heat over low heat until hot.

More Beef Recipes

• Steak Frites
• Lomo Saltado
• Loco Moco
• Patty Melt
• Cold Sear Steak

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Short Rib Pasta

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5 from 5 votes

This slow-cooked Short Rib Pasta is my idea of the perfect comfort meal. I braise tender short ribs in a rich blend of tomatoes, wine, and herbs, then toss everything with pasta for the ultimate Sunday dinner with family. It’s deeply flavorful, incredibly satisfying, and honestly, one of my all-time favorite dishes to make and share.

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

• 3 pounds bone-in short ribs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large, small-diced yellow onion, about 2 cups
• 3 peeled medium-sized small diced carrots
• 3 small diced ribs of celery
• 6 smashed garlic cloves
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 4 cups pureed tomatoes
• 2 cups water
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2-4 sprigs fresh parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound rigatoni
• Coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Instructions

• Pat the short ribs down with a paper towel, then season all sides with salt and pepper.
• Add oil to a large rondeau pot over medium-high heat.
• Once the oil smokes lightly add in the beef and cook them on all sides until well browned, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Remove the ribs and add in the onions, season with salt, turn the heat down to medium and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Turn down the heat to low and then stir in the carrots and celery, place on a lid and sweat for 10 minutes.
• Add in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, which takes 30 to 45 seconds.
• Deglaze with white wine and cook over medium heat and reduce the amount of liquid by one half to concentrate the flavors.
• Pour in the tomato puree and 2 cups of water.
• Add in the rosemary, parsley, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and mix to combine.
• Place the short ribs back in, add a lid, and bake on a middle rack in the oven at 325° for 2 ½ to 3 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
• Remove the herbs and beef bones from the sauce and shred the beef using two forks.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente.
• Drain the pasta and mix in a separate large skillet with some sauce and cheese, and serve.

Notes

For making the most flavorful short rib pasta I highly recommend to sear the short ribs really well before braising them. I’m talking about a deep, golden-brown crust on every side, this step locks in richness and builds an incredible depth of flavor in the sauce.

• Grated veggies for convenience: When I want to save time, I shred the onions, carrots, and celery on a box grater instead of dicing them.
• Thicken the sauce: I like to remove the lid for the last hour of braising to let the sauce reduce and intensify. This little trick makes every bite richer and more concentrated.
• Freeze the extra sauce: I always freeze any leftover sauce because it keeps beautifully for future meals. It’s perfect for a quick and delicious pasta night.

Make-Ahead: You can make the sauce 2 days ahead for freshness. Cook, cool, and oil the pasta up to 2 days ahead.

How to Store: Cover and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta will not freeze well. However, you can cover the sauce and keep it in the freezer for 6 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.

How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of short rib pasta to a large-sized pot and heat over low heat until hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 561kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 34gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 267mgPotassium: 1057mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 4110IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 83mgIron: 5mg

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Chef Billy Parisi