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Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu with Pappardelle

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This slow cooker short rib ragu is a rich, hearty Italian-inspired sauce made with tender beef short ribs, tomatoes, red wine, and fresh herbs, served over wide pappardelle noodles. It’s the ultimate comfort dinner that’s easy enough for weeknights but impressive enough for special occasions.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium carrots, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup red wine (dry Italian preferred)
  • 1 cup beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
  • 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
  • Kosher salt, to taste (start with 1 tsp)
  • Black pepper, to taste (start with 1 tsp)
  • 1 lb pappardelle pasta
  • Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (for serving, optional)

Instructions

  1. Pat the short ribs dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear short ribs in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer browned ribs to the slow cooker.
  3. In the same skillet, add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened, scraping up browned bits. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for another minute.
  4. Pour in red wine, scraping the pan to deglaze. Let simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly, then pour mixture into the slow cooker over the short ribs.
  5. Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine and nestle ribs into the sauce. Adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours, until short ribs are fall-apart tender.
  7. Remove short ribs from the slow cooker. Discard bones and excess fat. Shred meat with two forks and return to the sauce. Discard bay leaves and herb stems.
  8. If sauce is thin, simmer uncovered on HIGH for 15–20 minutes to thicken, stirring occasionally.
  9. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pappardelle according to package directions until al dente (7–9 minutes). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
  10. Toss cooked pappardelle with ragu (add reserved pasta water as needed) or serve ragu spooned over pasta. Garnish with parsley and Parmesan cheese.

Notes

For best flavor, always brown the short ribs and sauté the aromatics before slow cooking. Use bone-in short ribs for a richer sauce. To make gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta. For dairy-free, skip the Parmesan or use a vegan alternative. If the sauce is too thick, add beef broth or pasta water; if too thin, simmer uncovered to reduce. Leftover ragu freezes well for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker, short rib ragu, pappardelle, Italian, beef, comfort food, pasta, dinner, crockpot, hearty, easy, family meal

Find it online: https://yumnode.com/slow-cooker-short-rib-ragu-recipe-best-pappardelle-dinner-ever/