Beef Short Rib Risotto
This Short Rib Risotto is a restaurant quality meal that’s guaranteed to impress! It’s made by slow cooking beef short ribs until fork tender, then serving them over creamy mushroom risotto. Your whole family will love this flavorful, comforting dish!
I love preparing my favorite restaurant dishes at home so that I can enjoy them any time I want to. Coq au vin and Instant Pot beef bourguignon are two restaurant quality dishes that I love serving for date night and special occasions!
This Short Rib Risotto recipe was inspired by a dish that I ordered at a restaurant long ago, and it instantly became a family and reader favorite.
The short ribs are cooked low and slow in the slow cooker after they’ve been browned on the stove top. The caramelized short ribs are then placed in the slow cooker, then the pan is deglazed with dry sherry to remove all of those flavorful brown bits.
The liquid is then added to the slow cooker along with beef stock and aromatics and the short ribs simmer away until they’re amazingly tender and flavorful.
Once the ribs are tender, it’s risotto go time! You can make the risotto using the classic stovetop method as outlined in the recipe card below, or you can make Instant Pot risotto, which eliminates all the excess stirring.
The tender, falling off the bone short ribs paired with the creamy risotto is my definition of “comfort food.”
I’m already craving this dish again. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The fork-tender braised short ribs require minimal prep, and your slow cooker does most of the hard work for you.
- The creamy mushroom risotto can be made in about 20 minutes on the stovetop, or you can make it in your Instant Pot or oven.
- The short ribs can be cooked 1-2 days in advance and reheated when it’s time to serve them over the risotto.
- You can customize this recipe using your favorite herbs, aromatics, and liquids.
Recipe ingredients
You’ll need a few special ingredients to assemble the slow cooked short ribs and risotto, but everything should be easy to find at your local grocery store.
- Beef short ribs. Use bone-in short ribs; the bones add so much extra flavor.
- Beef stock. Enhances the beefy flavor of the ribs. Bone broth would also work well here.
- Sherry. If you don’t keep dry sherry on hand, you can use bourbon, brandy or simply skip the alcohol altogether and use additional beef stock.
- Pearl onions. The pearl onions make this dish extra special. You can use frozen pearl onions as a time saver, or slice yellow onion and place it in the bottom of the slow cooker instead.
- Cremini mushrooms. This type of mushroom has an even meatier flavor than regular button mushrooms. Sub with your favorite variety.
- Arborio rice. This Italian short-grain rice has a high starch content, which is what makes risotto so creamy without having to add actual heavy cream.
- White wine. I used a combination of white wine and chicken stock in the risotto, which may sound strange since it’s paired with beef short ribs. The flavors all work together (I promise!), but you can use whatever liquid(s) you have on hand.
- Parmesan. Provides cheesy, umami flavor to the risotto. It can be omitted to make this recipe dairy-free.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
How to make short rib risotto
The short ribs can be added to the slow cooker first thing in the morning, then enjoyed for dinner the same night. Just remember that you must wait to make the risotto until the short ribs are done.
Pro tip: The short ribs should be done before beginning the risotto, and they can be made 1-2 days in advance and reheated to make this meal go more quickly!
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
Prepare the slow cooker braised short ribs
- Season the short ribs with salt and pepper and brown each side about 2 minutes or until golden and caramelized (if the meat doesn’t release easily from the pan easily, it’s not ready to be turned). Repeat until all of the short ribs have been browned, and place in the slow cooker and set aside.
- Add the sherry to the now-empty pan and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet as you do so. Add to the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.
- Cook the short ribs on low for 7 to 8 hours or until very tender.
Prepare the mushroom risotto
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms have softened and the liquid has evaporated, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the arborio rice and toast in the pan, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds.
- Deglaze the pan with white wine and allow it reduce by half. Add 1 cup of the warm chicken broth, stirring often until it’s mostly absorbed, then repeat by adding another cup of the stock once the liquid has almost been absorbed.
- When all of the stock has been added and the risotto is tender, remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve the risotto topped with the beef short ribs and pearl onions.
Recipe FAQs
I know peeling a whole bag of pearl onions isn’t ideal, but they do make this dish special. To peel easily, I recommend blanching them in a pot of boiling water for a few seconds; once blanched, the peels should slip right off.
You can also use frozen pearl onions as a time saver, adding them towards the end of cooking time.
Yes, you can follow my Instant Pot short ribs recipe instead. Cooking short ribs in an Instant Pot takes just an hour, whereas slow cooking takes 7 to 8 hours.
I prefer slow cooking short ribs on “low” because in my experience they turn out much more tender when they’re not rushed.
You can slow cook the ribs 1-2 days in advance, then reheat them the same day you plan on serving them with the risotto.
The braised short ribs will taste better over time, so cooking them in advance is a great idea.
Serving suggestions
This is a comforting meal that’s great paired with a crusty piece of bread or a green side salad.
- Make a batch of 1-hour focaccia for mopping up the risotto.
- Serve it with my butter lettuce salad or Italian tricolore salad. Air fryer broccoli or air fryer brussels sprouts are great options as well!
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: The short ribs should be done before beginning the risotto, and they can be made 1-2 days in advance and reheated to make this meal go more quickly!
- The dry sherry adds another layer of flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, simply deglaze the pan with some of the beef stock and add it to the slow cooker.
- The easiest way to peel pearl onions is by blanching them in a pot of boiling water for 30-45 seconds. Drain under cold running water, and carefully peel off the skins. There’s some work involved here, but the tiny, caramelized pearl onions are completely worth the effort! Use frozen pearl onions as a time saver, adding them to the slow cooker during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking.
- The white wine adds acidity and makes the dish even more flavorful. It can be omitted if you prefer not to cook with alcohol.
- Store leftover short ribs and risotto in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More risotto recipes you’ll love
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Beef Short Rib Risotto
Ingredients
For the short ribs:
- 3-3 1/2 lbs. beef short ribs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup dry sherry see note 2
- 4 cups beef stock
- 10 ounces pearl onions peeled; see note 3
- 3 cloves garlic smashed and peeled
- 1 bay leaf
For the risotto:
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup water sub with additional chicken stock as desired
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large shallot peeled and chopped
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms stemmed and sliced
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine see note 4
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan
- salt and pepper to taste
- freshly chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
Prepare the short ribs:
- Season the short ribs generously with salt and pepper, and allow to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour if possible.3-3 1/2 lbs. beef short ribs
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough short ribs to fill the pan and brown each side about 2 minutes or until golden and caramelized (if the meat doesn’t release easily from the pan easily, it’s not ready to be turned). Repeat until all of the short ribs have been browned, and place in the slow cooker and set aside.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Degrease the skillet and add the dry sherry, scraping up the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook over medium heat until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes, and add to the slow cooker.1 cup dry sherry
- Add the beef stock, peeled onions, garlic, and bay leaf to the slow cooker, and turn on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours, until the meat is very tender.4 cups beef stock, 10 ounces pearl onions, 3 cloves garlic, 1 bay leaf
Prepare the risotto:
- Place the chicken stock and water in a medium sauce pan and heat over medium heat until simmering.4 cups low sodium chicken stock, 1 cup water
- Heat the olive oil in a separate medium saucepan or saute pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms have softened and the liquid has evaporated, about 3-4 minutes. Add the arborio rice and toast in the pan, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds.1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 large shallot, 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, 1 1/2 cups arborio rice, 1 clove garlic
- Add the white wine to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook the wine until it has reduced by half, about 2 minutes, then add 1 cup of the warm stock mixture. Stir the risotto occasionally, and repeat by adding another cup of the stock once the liquid has almost been absorbed. When all of the stock has been added and the risotto is tender, remove from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper, to taste.1/2 cup dry white wine, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, salt and pepper
- Strain the short ribs and pearl onions from the slow cooker and serve over the risotto. Garnish with chopped parsley as desired and enjoy!freshly chopped parsley for garnish
Notes
- Pro tip: The short ribs should be done before beginning the risotto, and they can be made 1-2 days in advance and reheated to make this meal go more quickly!
- The dry sherry adds another layer of flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, simply deglaze the pan with some of the beef stock and add it to the slow cooker.
- The easiest way to peel pearl onions is by blanching them in a pot of boiling water for 30-45 seconds. Drain under cold running water, and carefully peel off the skins. There’s some work involved here, but the tiny, caramelized pearl onions are completely worth the effort! Use frozen pearl onions as a time saver, adding them to the slow cooker during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking.
- The white wine adds acidity and makes the dish even more flavorful. It can be omitted if you prefer not to cook with alcohol.
- Store leftover short ribs and risotto in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
107 Comments on “Beef Short Rib Risotto”
Is there a cooking time difference between ribs with bones vs. boneless?
Thanks
Boneless should take less time…I suggest checking for doneness after 20 minutes and go from there.
20 minutes? That doesn’t seem like nearly long enough. FYI we cooked them @ 250 for 7 hours and they are not completely tender. No problem though, per your earlier comment we will finish cooking and eat today.
My apologies Rick — I was on my phone and misread the recipe completely. I thought it was my instant pot ribs! I’d love to hear how long your boneless short ribs took…I would assume they’d finish up a bit sooner than bone-in.
Opps, I understand. The boneless ribs took about 9 hours over 2 days and were wonderful. Your earlier suggestion to partially cook and then reheat worked great. No stress to get them done the same day. Thanks
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback Rick!
This is one of the best risotto’s my family and I have ever eaten. 5 stars hands down and we will be making this again in the near future !
Thank you for the feedback Jillian…I’m so happy that you loved this recipe!
Excellent recipe!! I followed instructions exactly… except I added like double Parmesan in the risotto lol. Turned out perfect.
I’m so glad this worked out for you — thanks for letting me know!
Is there a way to use the liquid from the crockpot?
You could use it as gravy. Remove on everything from the slow cooker, then add a cornstarch slurry (1-2 tablespoons cornstarch plus same amount of water) and stir. Cook on high in the slow cooker until thickened, stirring often.
Have you found it makes a difference if you do then on high vs low? I’ve made them on low once before and they were amazing. I want to make these again for my in-laws when they come to visit, but we’ll have to eat later than I think they will want to eat if I do them on low. So want to make sure it won’t make a difference if I do them on high.
Hi Crystal! I’ve found low and slow to be best…high can result in short ribs that’s aren’t as tender. You could easily make them the day before and warm them in the crockpot on low the day you plan to serve them as they only taste better the next day.
Thank you so much! That’s a great idea! Making them the day before would actually be easier for me.
Enjoy!
This dish is absolutely delicious. I have made it several times. It’s like the recipe I order from one of my favorite restaurants. Just perfect.
I’m so glad you feel that way about this recipe LaShaunda! Thanks for the rating and for taking the time to leave your feedback. 🙂
“turn on low for 7-8 hours or low [sic] for 4-5 hours”
Undoubtedly, you mean HIGH for 4 to 5 hours.
You are right. I just modified the recipe and thanks for letting me know about my error. 🙂
Absolutely LOVED this! My first time eating short ribs and I must say, they were excellent! I’m not a big meat eater, I truly don’t like the taste, but these were very tasty!! I did as one reviewer suggested, and added 1 cup of the juices from the slow cooker to the risotto. I’d also never had risotto before and I’m not a huge fan of mushrooms (it’s a texture thing) but… OMWoW!!! It was delicious (I did cut the mushrooms up into little pieces – due to said texture thing… lol) A truly outstanding dish! The only reason we won’t be eating this regularly is due to the cost, but I believe it’ll be my go to for special occasions!
I’m so glad that you enjoyed this dish Marti! Thanks for the feedback, and I agree that the cost does make this a special occasion dish. 🙂
I was meeting my boyfriend’s family for the first time and they came over to our house, and I offered to cook dinner and made this for them with some asparagus on the side. It was a huge hit – thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing your feedback Gabby, and I’m so glad that this was a hit!
Such a delicious meal! I had a meal at a restaurant With pork cheeks and mushroom risotto and was looking for a similar recipe to make at home. I stumbled upon your recipe and now it has become a favorite, so thank you for sharing!!
Thank you so much for sharing your feedback with me Raquel, and I’m really glad to hear that you love this recipe! This dish is a favorite of mine. 🙂
Made this tonight, it was fantastic! Thanks for the recipe!☺️
I’m so glad you loved this Alli! This is a favorite of ours!
Hi!! Do you have the modified version for an instant pot?
Hi Jennifer! I have two instant pot risotto recipes and one pressure cooker short rib recipe that you could follow if you like. I will get around to updating this in the future for sure.
I made it tonight. Everyone loved it. I added a garlic powder to taste and salt. Which in my opinion improved the flavor on top of the garlic already in it.
Thank you for your feedback Mary, and I’m glad everyone enjoyed it! And adding more garlic is always a good thing!
It doesn’t look like the ribs are plated with the bone, do you shred the beef and then put it back in the juices for a bit or remove the bone upon plating? If I’m having a small dinner party is there a way to make the risotto ahead and keep warm?
Hi Lisa! You can certainly plate with the bone — I’ve gone to restaurants that serve them this way and I never mind at all. Risotto is one of those things that’s best served right away unfortunately. I do have an Instant pot or pressure cooker risotto recipe that’s hands off (no stirring!), so that would be ideal. You can search my site for risotto.
This looks amazing!! I am excited to cook this for some friends and family later this week. A few little questions for you.. are the ribs served bone-in? If so, is it best to cut the ribs into smaller pieces before searing, or after? And if so what size? Or, do you shred the short ribs as is kind of pictured? Thank you in advance, and more importantly for sharing such a lovely recipe!
Hello! Either way is fine really. I hope you enjoy this!