Slow Cooker Beef Short Rib Ragu

If there’s any time of year to treat yourself to beef short ribs, it’s between now and March. Well, that’s if you’re in the northern hemisphere like me. Otherwise, check back here next June if you’re a southern hemisphere reader. It’s okay; I’ll still be here with this slow cooker short rib ragu, known as the best winter comfort food.

the pasta and sauce in a slow cooker.

Anyway, yes, short ribs are a winter thing for me, and one of my absolute favorite ways to use them is in a hearty ragu sauce. Almost ten years ago (which, by the way, is approximately 100 years in internet time), I shared an oven-braised short rib ragu, which went on to become one of the most popular recipes on this here site. But it’s an oven recipe, meaning you’re tethered to the house for most of the day while it cooks. So, today, I’m here with a slow cooker version. It’s as delicious as the original if not exactly the same, and a little more hands-off. So, it is the same but different, as I like to say.

This beef short rib ragu simmers all day in the slow cooker until the short ribs are falling apart tender. The ribs cook in a rich tomato sauce flavored with herbs, red wine, and aromatics and, once they’re tender, are shredded and mixed back into the sauce. I like it with pasta, but it’s also great with mashed potatoes or rice.

This is seriously rich comfort food best served when it’s cold, and your appetite is primed for a hearty meal. I like it because you can prep the short ribs and sauce in the morning and simmer them all day. Once it’s time for dinner, there are just a few steps to take it from the slow cooker to the table.

ingredients for the recipe.

Ingredients

  • Beef short ribs: I like to use boneless short ribs for this recipe, but if you can’t find them, use the same amount of bone-in ones.
  • Veggies: We’re using the classic trifecta of onions, carrots, and celery with some garlic tossed in for funsies.
  • Marinara sauce: I like this sneaky shortcut because it reduces the number of individual ingredients in the recipe. Choose your favorite high-quality jarred sauce – my fave is Rao’s.
  • Beef broth: Low-sodium is best, but if you use regular, reduce the amount of added salt in the recipe.
  • Red wine: Choose a dry red wine. I like to use cabernet, Pinot Noir, or Malbec. The sauce only needs half a cup, so save the rest to serve with dinner. If you want to skip the wine, replace it with the same amount of beef broth.
  • Herbs: A bay leaf and a sprig of fresh rosemary add a lot of flavor.
  • Balsamic vinegar: I like to add a touch of balsamic right at the end. It wakes up all the flavors in the sauce.
  • Cream: Stirred in at the end, this helps emulsify the sauce, giving it a wonderful texture.
  • Pasta: I love pappardelle for this recipe, but other long pasta shapes, such as spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, or bucatini, are great, too.

How to Make Short Rib Ragu in a Slow Cooker

โ˜‘๏ธ Sear the Short Ribs

Season the beef short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear them in a hot pan with olive oil until they’re browned on all sides.

Once the short ribs are browned, remove them from the pan. Add the beef broth to the pan, and as it bubbles, scrape up all of the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Pour the beef broth into the slow cooker.

โ˜‘๏ธ Make the Sauce

Place the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in the slow cooker with the beef broth. Add the marinara, wine, herbs, and salt and stir to combine.

Nestle the seared short ribs in the sauce.

the short ribs in the sauce in the slow cooker.

โ˜‘๏ธ Simmer

Cook the ribs in the sauce for six to seven hours on low or until their internal temperature is between 190 and 200ยฐF. At this point, they will be so tender that they easily fall apart.

Take the meat out of the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Discard the excess fatty bits as you shred the ribs.

shredded short ribs on a plate.

Remove the bay leaf and rosemary spring from the sauce before adding the meat. Stir the shredded beef into the sauce, then put the lid back on the slow cooker.

โ˜‘๏ธ Boil the Pasta

Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Once the pasta is in the pot, remove the lid from the slow cooker and add the balsamic and cream to the sauce. Stir and leave the lid off so the sauce reduces and thickens.

Add the cooked pasta to the slow cooker and gently toss it with the sauce using tongs.

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

The sauce stores well in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for several months. It also tastes even better when made ahead, so feel free to make it and keep it in the fridge for the next day. Warm it on the stove while you boil the pasta.

a plate of beef short rib pasta.
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Slow Cooker Beef Short Rib Ragu

the pasta and sauce in a slow cooker.

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This hearty slow cooker short rib ragu simmers all day until the short ribs are falling apart tender. I like to serve it tossed with pasta, but it’s also delicious with mashed potatoes or rice.

  • Author: April Anderson
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 6 hours
  • Total Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 generous servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds of boneless beef short ribs
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ยฝ cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 1 large celery rib, diced
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 (24-ounce) jar marinara sauce
  • ยฝ cup dry red wine like cabernet, Pinto Noir, or Malbec (see note)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
  • 12 ounces pappardelle pasta
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • ยผ cup heavy cream
  • Grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

  1. Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel. Season them with ยฝ teaspoon of kosher salt and ยฝ teaspoon black pepper.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place half of the short ribs in the pan and sear them for a few minutes or until they develop a browned crust. Turn them over and sear them on the other side for a few minutes. Take them out of the pan and sear the rest of the ribs.
  3. After searing the short ribs, set them aside and pour the broth into the pan. While it simmers, scrape up all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
  4. Transfer the beef broth to the slow cooker. Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the marinara and wine and stir to combine. Add the bay leaf and rosemary.
  5. Place the seared short ribs in the sauce so they are mostly covered. Place the lid on the slow cooker and simmer the ribs and sauce on low for six to seven hours or until the short ribs’ internal temperature is between 190 and 200ยฐF. At this point, they are so tender they will easily fall apart.
  6. Take the ribs out of the slow cooker and cut them into small chunks. You can also shred them with two forks. Discard excess fatty bits.
  7. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary sprig from the sauce and discard them. Add the meat back to the sauce, stir, and cover the slow cooker with the lid.
  8. Boil the pasta following the package instructions. While the pasta boils, add the balsamic vinegar and cream to the short rib sauce. Leave the lid off the slow cooker so the sauce can thicken while you wait for the pasta to finish cooking.
  9. Drain the pasta and add to the slow cooker. Using tongs, gently toss the pasta with the ragu. Serve the ragu with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

Choose a dry red wine you like to drink. If you want to omit the wine, you can replace it with the same amount of beef broth.

Make-ahead: You can make the sauce a day ahead, refrigerate it, and warm it up on the stove the next day. Boil the pasta while the sauce is reheating.

Storage: The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for several months. Allow it to cool before storing it in an airtight container.

Nutrition

  • Calories: 608
  • Sugar: 9.8g
  • Sodium: 898.6mg
  • Fat: 22.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 8.2g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 13.5g
  • Trans Fat: 1.2g
  • Carbohydrates: 56.8g
  • Fiber: 5g
  • Protein: 40.3g
  • Cholesterol: 128.7mg

Do you love this recipe? Don’t forget to leave a comment and your recipe star rating!

The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.

This post has been updated from the archives. It was first published in January 2019.

a bowl of pasta.

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