Description
A comforting and elegant pasta dish featuring tender slow-cooked beef short ribs, a rich tomato sauce, and creamy ricotta-filled jumbo shells.
Ingredients
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 2/3 cup red grape juice or extra beef stock (alcohol substitute)
- 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- 20 to 25 jumbo pasta shells, cooked
- 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
- 14-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- Fresh basil or herbs for topping
- 3 cups freshly grated mozzarella or provolone cheese
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 1 cup beef stock
- 15 ounces tub ricotta cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pat the short ribs completely dry with a paper towel and season them liberally with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat your oil in a large Dutch oven or a slow cooker with a sauté function over medium high heat until it shimmers. Sear the ribs in a single layer until they are deeply golden brown, taking about 3 to 4 minutes per side to develop a rich crust.
- Transfer the seared meat to your slow cooker if you used a separate pan, then pour in half a cup of the beef stock. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours until the meat is extremely tender and falling off the bone. Once finished, remove the bones, discard them, and shred the beef using two forks.
- Using the same pot or slow cooker on high sauté mode, cook the diced onions and carrots with a pinch of salt for about 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, then pour in the grape juice or extra stock to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Add the shredded beef back into the pot along with the canned tomatoes and the remaining beef stock. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes before covering and simmering for another 15 minutes to marry the flavors.
- While the sauce simmers, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and boil the pasta shells according to package directions. Drain the shells and lay them out on a parchment lined baking sheet so they do not stick together while they cool slightly.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, parmesan, egg, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is fully incorporated and smooth. Fill each cooked pasta shell generously with the ricotta mixture using a spoon.
- Spread a layer of the short rib meat sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells on top of the sauce, then spoon the remaining meat sauce evenly over the shells. Top with the remaining cup of mozzarella cheese and a dusting of extra parmesan.
- Bake the dish for 35 to 45 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly browned. Let the dish rest for about 15 minutes before garnishing with fresh basil and serving to allow the sauce to set.
Notes
If you prefer a smoother sauce, you can pulse the fire roasted tomatoes in a blender before adding them to the pot. This recipe uses non-alcoholic substitutes for the traditional red wine.
- Prep Time: 8 hr 20 min
- Rest Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 850
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 45g
- Saturated Fat: 20g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 48g
- Cholesterol: 140mg
Keywords: short rib stuffed shells, hearty pasta dinner, beef stuffed shells, easy holiday meal, homemade baked pasta