Braised Short Rib Pappardelle
This easy braised short rib pappardelle recipe pairs tender shredded beef with wide pasta ribbons in a rich red wine tomato sauce for the ultimate comfort food supper!
Some pasta recipes are everyday dinner, and some feel like a special occasion in a bowl. This braised short rib pappardelle is definitely the second kind—wide ribbons of pasta tangled up with tender shredded beef and a rich red wine tomato sauce.
It takes a little while to simmer, but most of that time is wonderfully hands-off. And when those short ribs fall apart at the touch of a fork and turn into the most glorious sauce for pappardelle, it is worth every cozy minute.
Jump to:
- 🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- Why this recipe works
- 🤔 What is pappardelle?
- 🍅 Ingredients you need
- 📝 Ingredient notes
- 💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
- 🍽️ What to serve with braised short rib pappardelle
- Braised Short Rib Pappardelle
- 👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
- 😍 Other cozy beef recipes we love!
- ⭐️ We want to know what you think!
- 🥣 Come on into our kitchen!
🔎 A quick look at this recipe
- What It Is: Tender braised short ribs shredded into a rich red wine tomato sauce and tossed with wide ribbons of pappardelle pasta.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 50 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
- Calories: 531
- Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Good For: Cozy suppers, special occasions and impressive make-ahead dinners.
Why this recipe works
- 🥩 Fall-apart tender: A long, gentle braise turns short ribs meltingly tender and easy to shred.
- 🍷 Rich and flavorful: Red wine, tomatoes, rosemary and aromatic vegetables simmer into a deeply savory sauce.
- 🍝 Perfect pasta pairing: Wide pappardelle ribbons are sturdy enough to hold every delicious bite of shredded beef.
- 🧈 Luxurious finish: Butter and Parmesan melt into the sauce, making it extra rich and silky.
- ⏰ Mostly hands-off: Once everything is simmering, the stovetop does most of the work!
The inspiration came from a Jamie Oliver recipe that gave completely free rein over the kind of meat you could use, suggesting everything from beef to wild boar to rabbit to venison. Venison was immediately out of the question.
We regularly have deer cavorting through our yard, and after the Southern husband once rescued a baby who couldn’t jump over our stone wall to reach its mama, there was simply no chance.
Short ribs, on the other hand, I can cook—and when they are slowly braised with red wine, tomatoes, vegetables and rosemary until they fall apart at the touch of a fork, they make the most glorious sauce for pappardelle. Sorry, cows. It’s completely unfair.
🤔 What is pappardelle?
Pappardelle is a wide, flat ribbon-shaped pasta that is traditionally served with rich, hearty sauces. Its broad noodles are perfect for this recipe because they hold up beautifully to the tender shredded short ribs and savory red wine tomato sauce.
🍅 Ingredients you need
📝 Ingredient notes
- Boneless short ribs: Look for well-marbled boneless beef short ribs, which become wonderfully tender during the long, slow cooking time. If the pieces are especially large, cut them into a few chunky sections before browning.
- Red wine: Choose a dry red wine that you would happily drink, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir. You don’t need an expensive bottle, but avoid anything labeled “cooking wine.”
- Plum tomatoes: Whole canned plum tomatoes have a rich flavor and break down beautifully as the sauce simmers. You can gently crush them with your spoon after adding them to the pot.
- Fresh rosemary: Rosemary adds an earthy flavor that pairs especially well with the beef and red wine. Strip the leaves from the woody stems before chopping.
- Pearl barley: This small amount of barley practically disappears into the sauce as it cooks, helping to thicken it and adding a subtle nutty flavor.
- Pappardelle: These wide, sturdy pasta ribbons are perfect for holding the rich sauce and generous pieces of shredded short rib. Both fresh and dried pappardelle will work; simply cook according to the package directions.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly into the sauce than the pre-shredded kind. And definitely have a little extra ready for sprinkling on top!
💡 Ingredient substitution ideas
Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
🤔 Recipe FAQs
Braising is a cooking method that starts by browning the meat and then slowly cooking it in liquid over low heat. This gentle cooking process breaks down the short ribs until they are wonderfully tender and easy to shred.
The short ribs are ready when they are fall-apart tender and can be easily pulled into bite-sized pieces with two forks. If the meat is still difficult to shred, return it to the sauce and let it simmer a little longer.
Absolutely! Prepare the short rib sauce through the shredding step, let it cool and refrigerate it for up to three days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop while you cook the pappardelle, then add the butter, Parmesan and pasta as directed.
Yes. Replace the red wine with an equal amount of beef broth. The sauce won’t have quite the same depth of flavor, but it will still be delicious. A tablespoon of balsamic vinegar stirred into the broth will add a little extra richness and acidity.
Most of the alcohol cooks away as the wine reduces and the sauce simmers for several hours, leaving behind its rich flavor. However, it may not disappear completely, so use beef broth instead if avoiding alcohol is important.
Another wide, sturdy pasta such as tagliatelle or fettuccine will work well. Rigatoni is also a good choice because its ridges and hollow center catch plenty of the hearty short rib sauce.
The short rib sauce freezes beautifully, but it is best to freeze it without the pasta. Let the sauce cool completely, store it in an airtight container and freeze it for up to three months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, reheat it gently and toss it with freshly cooked pappardelle.
Pop your question in the Comments section under the recipe card and I will answer pronto!
🍽️ What to serve with braised short rib pappardelle
This hearty pasta is wonderful with roasted green beans with walnuts, some buttery carrots with thyme or a warm batch of sheet pan focaccia for catching every last bit of sauce. And for dessert, let’s have some dreamy pears and cream!
Let’s make a cozy bowl of short rib pasta! 🍝
Braised Short Rib Pappardelle
Shredded short ribs with pappardelle may just be the best comfort food ever! Tender short ribs cook up into a hearty pasta sauce in this easy recipe that will rock your dinner world.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 28 ounces boneless short ribs
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 sweet onion, peeled and chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 celery stick, chopped
- 2 cups red wine
- Two 14-ounce cans plum tomatoes, drained
- 2 tablespoons pearl barley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 14 ounces pappardelle pasta
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Season the meat with salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil into a heavy deep pan (a Dutch oven will work perfectly) and saute the meat until it is starting to brown.
- Add the rosemary, garlic, carrot, celery and red wine and simmer until the wine is reduced a bit, about 10 minutes.
- Add the plum tomatoes, the barley, and just enough water to cover the meat by 1/2 inch. (It might float a bit so try and hold one piece down while you add the water.) Cover the pan and cook over low heat for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the short ribs are falling apart tender.
- Scoop out the short ribs and use two forks to shred it into bite sized pieces, tossing out any parts that are too fatty. Put the meat back in the pan and place over low heat.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, usually about 12 minutes.
- Stir the butter and Parmesan into the short rib sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Pour in the pasta and toss. Divide it among warmed plates, sprinkling on a little extra Parmesan because WHY NOT. Enjoy!
Notes
- Boneless short ribs: Look for well-marbled boneless beef short ribs, which become wonderfully tender during the long, slow cooking time. If the pieces are especially large, cut them into a few chunky sections before browning.
- Red wine: Choose a dry red wine that you would happily drink, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Pinot Noir. You don’t need an expensive bottle, but avoid anything labeled “cooking wine.”
- Plum tomatoes: Whole canned plum tomatoes have a rich flavor and break down beautifully as the sauce simmers. You can gently crush them with your spoon after adding them to the pot.
- Fresh rosemary: Rosemary adds an earthy flavor that pairs especially well with the beef and red wine. Strip the leaves from the woody stems before chopping.
- Pearl barley: This small amount of barley practically disappears into the sauce as it cooks, helping to thicken it and adding a subtle nutty flavor.
- Pappardelle: These wide, sturdy pasta ribbons are perfect for holding the rich sauce and generous pieces of shredded short rib. Both fresh and dried pappardelle will work; simply cook according to the package directions.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated Parmesan melts more smoothly into the sauce than the pre-shredded kind. And definitely have a little extra ready for sprinkling on top!
👩🏻🍳 Variations on this recipe
😍 Other cozy beef recipes we love!
⭐️ We want to know what you think!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below.
🥣 Come on into our kitchen!
That little fawn just melts my heart…it's so sweet looking.
The pasta looks amazing too. I love pappardelle!
That's so cool. Living here in MT, we've had quite a few deer experiences. We even raised a little fawn that we named "Baby." I still enjoy venison, but personally prefer antelope or elk.
I have only recently discovered the joy of short ribs and this recipe sounds fantastic! Also, I can understand the venison issue after looking at that adorable picture!
Where have I been?! I never even heard of pappardelle! And there's flavored versions?!…WOW! I've got to remedy this oversight immediately! ^_^
Looks delicious and I'm with you, I couldn't eat those cuties and no deer in brooklyn either.
This recipe sure does look absolutely delish, but all I can think right now is babydeerbabydeerOMGBABYDEER.
So precious.
Well, I mean cows don't look at you with those super cute super huge adorable eyes that you just want to love forever, EVEN if they eat your parsley. And, I mean…cows will probably still eat your parsley.
The short ribs look fantastic with that pasta!
Looks wonderful!
Jamie uses pappardelle a lot…
Short ribs are perfect; really can't imagine squab working, but who knows?