1-Start your Short Rib Ragu by getting everything ready on the counter for smooth cooking. Finely dice the onion, carrot, celery, and mince the garlic to set a strong base. Pat the short ribs dry and trim any excess fat for a cleaner finish before you begin.

2-Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Sear them on all sides until they turn a nice brown color, which takes about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Once done, take them out and set them aside to keep those flavors locked in.

3-Lower the heat to medium and add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot. Saute them for 3 to 5 minutes until they soften and smell great. Pour in the dry red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up those tasty browned bits, and let it cook for about 3 minutes.

4-Building and Simmering the Sauce: Stir in the low-sodium beef broth, beef bouillon paste, peeled whole tomatoes, tomato paste, parmesan cheese rind if you’re using it, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, dried oregano, dried basil leaves, bay leaves, crushed red pepper flakes if desired, and fresh thyme sprigs. Nestle the short ribs back into this mix for even cooking.

5-Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 2 hours. This slow cook makes the meat super tender and blends the flavors beautifully. After that, remove the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and parmesan rind from the pot.

6-Topzake the short ribs out, shred the meat off the bones, and toss the bones away. Put the shredded meat back into the pot and simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes to thicken the sauce. If it’s still too thin, mix 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch with a bit of the sauce and stir it in to help.

7-Cook your pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta as the package says, but stop just before it’s fully al dente. Add the pasta straight to the ragu and let it cook together for 5 minutes to absorb all that rich flavor. Serve it in bowls topped with grated parmesan and extras like burrata, flake sea salt, and fresh basil for a nice touch. For more cooking tips, visit pasta recipes on our blog.