Description
This Slow Cooker Short Rib Ragu is a rich and hearty Italian-inspired dish featuring tender beef short ribs slow-cooked in a flavorful tomato basil sauce with red wine, garlic, and aromatic herbs. Perfect served over gnocchi or your favorite pasta, it’s a comforting meal ideal for cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Oil
- 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
- 2 lbs. beef short ribs (bone-in)
Sauce and Seasonings
- 24 oz. jar spaghetti sauce (Rao’s tomato basil sauce recommended)
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 cup red wine (red blend preferred)
Serving Accompaniment
- 16 oz. box of gnocchi
- Parmesan cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Brown the Short Ribs: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the cooking oil. Once hot, brown the short ribs on all sides until nicely seared but not cooked through. This step enhances flavor by caramelizing the meat.
- Transfer to Slow Cooker: Place the browned short ribs into the slow cooker, making sure they are spread out evenly.
- Add Sauce and Seasonings: Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce over the ribs. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, dried basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and red wine to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine the ingredients and coat the ribs evenly.
- Slow Cook the Ragu: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW heat for 6 to 8 hours. This allows the meat to become tender and the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Prepare the Meat: Once cooking is complete, remove the short ribs from the slow cooker. Carefully remove the meat from the bones, discarding fatty pieces and bones. To reduce excess grease, lay paper towels over the surface of the sauce to absorb the fat, then discard the towels.
- Combine Meat and Sauce: Return the shredded meat to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce thoroughly, allowing it to soak up the rich flavors.
- Cook the Gnocchi: Boil a pot of water and cook the 16 oz. box of gnocchi according to package directions until tender but firm. Drain the gnocchi and stir them directly into the ragu sauce.
- Serve: Plate the gnocchi mixed with the short rib ragu, top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and enjoy a savory and comforting meal.
Notes
- You can substitute gnocchi with any preferred pasta such as spaghetti, tagliatelle, or pappardelle.
- Degreasing the sauce helps keep the ragu from being too oily while preserving rich flavor.
- For best flavor, use a good quality jarred sauce and red wine.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen up to 3 months.
- This recipe is perfect for meal prep as flavors improve over time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: slow cooker short rib ragu, short ribs with tomato sauce, slow cooked beef ragu, Italian slow cooker recipes, gnocchi with ragu
