Braised Short Rib Risotto is the perfect blend of indulgence and comfort. Whether you're looking to impress your guests or simply enjoy a restaurant-worthy meal at home, this satisfying dish feels like a warm hug.
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Nothing is more comforting and delicious than slow-cooked, melt-in-your-mouth beef like this Barbecue Beef Stew, Mississippi Beef Stew, and Pot Roast with Mashed Potatoes.
This braised short rib risotto combines rich, slow-braised meat and perfectly creamy risotto in a dish of pure comfort. It's warm and satisfying and pairs beautifully with pancetta green beans for a meal the whole family will love.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Short ribs are so full of flavor. Braised with vegetables and herbs, the meat is fall-apart tender.
- Risotto is creamy and comforting and is the perfect accompaniment to the rich beef.
- Casual enough for weeknight meals and special enough for guests.
- Make-ahead method adds ease to dinnertime.
Ingredient Notes
Short Ribs
- Beef short ribs: Look for ribs that are full of meat with a bright red color and visible fat marbling throughout.
- Vegetables: Carrots, celery, and onion, also called "mirepoix," provide great base flavor for braises, stews, and soup.
- Beef broth: Use low-sodium broth to control the amount of salt in the recipe.
Risotto
- Arborio rice is a starchy short-grain white rice traditionally used in risotto. It is cooked low and slow by gradually adding broth until the rice is tender and has developed a creamy consistency.
- Chicken broth or vegetable broth adds more flavor than water. Use a low-sodium variety to control the amount of salt in the dish.
- Parmesan cheese adds rich, nutty flavor and contributes to the creamy texture of the rice. Use freshly shredded for the best flavor and melting quality.
See the recipe card for complete instructions and ingredient amounts.
How to Make Braised Short Rib Risotto
Step 1: Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper on all sides. Add oil to the pot. Add the ribs to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the ribs to a plate.
Step 2: Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for another minute to cook out the raw taste of the tomato paste.
Step 3: Add the beef broth and fresh herbs. Add the ribs back in, nestling them into the liquid.
Step 4: Cover and transfer to a 325℉ oven. Cook for 1½ to 2½ hours until the meat is falling off of the bone. For smaller ribs, start checking for doneness after 1½ hours. Larger ribs will take longer. Then, transfer the ribs to a plate, and when cool enough to handle, remove the bone and any excess fat. Shred the meat. Strain the liquid and skim the fat off the top. A fat separator makes this easy.
Step 5: Add the broth to a saucepan and heat over low while preparing the rice. Heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the butter to melt. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes to toast the rice, stirring frequently.
Step 7: Add two ladles of broth and stir frequently while the rice slowly absorbs the liquid. Once absorbed, add another ladle of broth. Cook until the broth has been absorbed before adding more broth, stirring frequently. Repeat until all of the broth has been added. The rice should be soft and have a creamy consistency.
Step 8: Turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Make-Ahead Method
You can easily turn this into a weeknight meal by preparing the short ribs ahead of time.
- Cook the ribs according to the recipe directions. Shred the meat and strain the cooking liquid.
- Transfer the meat and strained liquid to separate containers and store them in the refrigerator. Once the liquid is chilled, remove the solidified fat from the top and discard.
- When ready to serve, make the risotto. While the risotto cooks, add the meat and strained broth to a saucepan and slowly reheat.
- To serve, top the risotto with the meat and spoon some of the broth around the edge.
Expert Tips
- Use a cast-iron Dutch oven (or a similar heavy pot) to cook the ribs. Using a pot that can go from stove to oven allows you to sear the ribs on the stovetop and then transfer them to the oven to finish cooking.
- When cooked properly, the meat should be fork tender and pulling away from the bone. If this isn't the case after the suggested cooking time, continue cooking them until tender, checking them every 20-30 minutes.
- Use a wide-bottomed pan to cook the risotto. A pan with a larger surface area will help the risotto cook faster.
- Warm the broth for the risotto before adding it to the rice. Adding warm liquid to the rice helps it cook faster.
Three Ways to Skim Fat from Cooking Liquid
Beef short ribs are fatty, which adds incredible flavor to the meat. But this fat melts into the broth during the cooking process. I like to remove the excess fat before consuming the broth. Since the fat rises to the top, it's relatively easy to remove with any of these methods.
- Skim a large spoon over the surface of the liquid, catching the fat. Discard and repeat until any visible fat has been removed.
- Use a fat separator. This gadget looks like a liquid measuring cup with a spout near the bottom. This spout allows liquid to be poured out while leaving the fat behind.
- If making the short ribs ahead of time, strain the liquid and transfer it to the refrigerator. The fat will rise to the top and solidify once chilled. Then, simply remove the hardened fat from the top and discard it.
Serving Ideas
Family style - Add the shredded short rib meat to the top of the risotto. Garnish with fresh thyme and more Parmesan if desired. Bring the casserole to the table and serve.
Individual portions - Spoon the risotto into shallow bowls. Top with some of the short rib meat and spoon some of the strained broth around the edge of the bowl. Garnish as desired and serve.
Alternatively, you can leave the meat on the bone and serve a rib on top of each portion of risotto.
Short Rib Risotto FAQs
Braising is a two-part cooking process that uses dry and wet heat. First, meat is browned at a high temperature, then slow-cooked in liquid until fork-tender.
Yes, you can. While the bone provides flavor, you can cook boneless ribs in the same manner until the meat shreds apart.
The fat provides tons of flavor and contributes to the tenderness of the slow-roasted meat. I would only remove fat if there is an excessive layer on the outside of the ribs.
There are many delicious options for adding protein to risotto. Beef, such as short ribs or thin-sliced steak, chicken, salmon, shrimp, and scallops are all great options.
More Hearty Rice Recipes to Try
- Everything is better with bacon, including this Bacon and Onion Risotto. I love serving this with steak or chicken.
- Spinach and Artichoke Risotto pairs a classic flavor combination with creamy rice. It's full of bright, satisfying flavors, making it ideal as a meat-free main dish.
- If you have leftover pork tenderloin, I recommend making this fried rice recipe with no egg.
- Broccoli Cheese Rice Casserole with Ritz Cracker Topping is total comfort. It's creamy, cheesy, and the Ritz cracker topping is divine!
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📖 Recipe Card
Braised Short Rib Risotto
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EQUIPMENT
Ingredients
Short ribs
- 1 ¾ - 2 pounds beef short ribs (see notes)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt (plus more as needed)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (plus more as needed)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (or similar)
- 2 carrots (cut into large pieces)
- 3 stalks celery (cut into large pieces)
- ½ large onion (cut into large pieces)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 fresh bay leaf
- 8-10 sprigs fresh thyme
Risotto
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- salt and pepper
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325℉. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Season the short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the pot. Add the ribs to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the ribs to a plate.1 ¾ - 2 pounds beef short ribs, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Add the carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook for 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Cook for another minute. Add the beef broth and fresh herbs. Add the ribs back in, nestling them into the liquid.2 carrots, 3 stalks celery, ½ large onion, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, 2 teaspoons tomato paste, 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, 1 fresh bay leaf, 8-10 sprigs fresh thyme
- Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours or until the meat is falling off of the bone. For smaller ribs, start checking for doneness after 1 ½ hours. Larger ribs will take longer.
- When done, transfer the ribs to a plate. When cool enough to handle, remove the bone and any excess fat. Shred the meat. Strain the liquid and skim the fat off the top. A fat separator makes easy work of this. Or chill the liquid and scrape the fat off the top once solidified. (see notes)
- For the risotto, add the broth to a saucepan and heat over low while preparing the rice.4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Heat a large, shallow casserole (or deep skillet) over medium heat. Add the butter to melt. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes to toast the rice, stirring frequently.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup diced onion, salt and pepper, 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- Add two ladles of broth to the rice. Stir frequently while the rice slowly absorbs the liquid. Once absorbed, add another ladle of broth. Cook until the broth has been absorbed before adding more broth, stirring frequently. Repeat until all of the broth has been added. The rice should be soft and have a creamy consistency. If the rice is still firm, add more broth and cook until the rice softens. When done, turn off the heat and add the Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper as needed.½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- To serve family style, top the risotto with the shredded meat. For individual portions, spoon the risotto into shallow bowls. Top with some of the short rib meat and spoon some of the strained broth around the edge of the bowl. Garnish as desired.
Notes
- If you can't find bone-in ribs, boneless can be used. Cook until the meat falls apart. Start checking earlier, as boneless ribs usually cook faster.
- The fat on the ribs provides tons of flavor and contributes to the tenderness of the slow-roasted meat. I recommend only removing the fat if there is an excessive layer on the outside of the ribs.
- Use a cast-iron Dutch oven (or similar heavy pot) that can go from stovetop to oven.
- Use a wide-bottomed pan to cook the risotto. A pan with a larger surface area will help the risotto cook faster.
- To make ahead: Cook the ribs according to the recipe directions. Shred the meat and strain the vegetables and skim the fat from the cooking liquid. Refrigerate and gently reheat while making the risotto.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific ingredients used.
Dave S says
For the risotto, do you make it with the short rib broth or chicken broth?
Abbey McDermott says
Dave,
I use chicken broth to make the risotto. Vegetable broth can also be used.