Short Rib Ragù Pasta

This short rib ragù pasta is pure comfort and seriously impressive. It takes about 3.5 hours to make, but don’t let that scare you—most of the time it’s just braising in the oven after a quick sear and a bit of veggie chopping. The red wine adds so much depth, and the end result is rich, tender, and absolutely perfect for impressing dinner guests with minimal stress.

Ingredients

For the Short Rib Ragù:

• 3–4 lbs bone-in beef short ribs (10 ribs, about 3–4” each)

• Salt, to taste

• Black pepper, to taste

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 3 medium carrots, finely diced

• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 2 cups dry red wine (I like a Cabernet Sauvignon)

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed or blended plum tomatoes

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary

For the Pasta & Finish:

• 1 lb fresh pasta

• 4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg

• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for serving

• Cracked black pepper to taste

• 1/4 cup Fresh basil, sliced into thin ribbons

• 1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

• Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

• Reserved pasta water

Instructions

Make the Ragù:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.

2. Pat the short ribs dry and season all over with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and sear ribs in batches until well browned on all sides. Set aside.

3. Lower heat to medium. Add diced carrots and onion to the pot and sauté for about 10 minutes, until softened.

4. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, until fragrant.

5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes until darkened.

6. Deglaze with red wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Let simmer for 2–3 minutes.

7. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and rosemary. Return the short ribs to the pot.

8. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours covered, then uncover and cook 1 hour more, or until the meat is fall-apart tender. Remove the short ribs and set to the side.

9. Remove the bay leaves and rosemary. Blend sauce with an immersion blender.

10. Shred the short ribs with forks, discarding bones and fat. Return meat to the sauce. If neeced, simmer uncovered on the stovetop to thicken. Taste and season if needed as well.

Finish the Dish:

1. Cook the fresh pasta in salted boiling water. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together 4 egg yolks + 1 whole egg with 1 cup Parmigiano.

3. Off the heat, quickly stir the egg mixture into the pasta and sauce, tossing vigorously. Add splashes of pasta water to create a glossy, creamy texture.

4. Stir in basil ribbons and chopped parsley to taste.

5. Plate the pasta generously with the ragù.

6. Top with more Parmigiano, a sprinkle of chopped chives, and cracked black pepper.

4-6 servings