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Short Rib Lasagna is a true from-scratch lasagna with slow-braised beef short rib ragù, Parmigiano béchamel, layers of provolone, and tender pasta sheets. It takes some time, especially if you make the pasta from scratch, but this is one of those recipes where every step is worth it.
My Favorite Lasagna From Italy
This summer our family went to Varenna, a small town on Lake Como in Italy. We ate at a little restaurant in the middle of town that everyone raved about. We all ordered something different from the menu so we could try a little of everything. Everything we tried was absolutely incredible, but the lasagna was the standout.
The menu said it was made with pork ribs, but the flavor tasted much more like beef to me. Whatever they were doing, it was the best lasagna I have ever had. I took tiny bites because I didn’t want it to end. The sauce was so rich, the homemade noodles were perfectly cooked, the cheese was fresh and melty, and the smooth Parmigiano béchamel tied everything together. After that particular meal, I understood why dinner in Italy can take hours. You don’t want to eat food like that fast.
I pulled out my notepad and wrote down every little thing I could about it because I knew I wanted to make it when we got home. Their lasagna was served deconstructed on the plate, which was beautiful, but when I tried it that way at home it just didn’t make sense for family-style serving. A baking dish worked much better. I also tried making the ragù with pork ribs first, but it didn’t have the flavor I remembered. Beef short ribs got me much closer. It took several tries to get the ragù, pasta, béchamel, and cheese the way I wanted them, but when I finally did, it took me straight back to Varenna. This is definitely not a quick lasagna, but it’s one I think is worth taking your time with. I can’t wait for you to try it!
🩷 Erica
Ingredients
- Beef short ribs – Bone-in beef short ribs give the ragù the flavor and texture I was trying to recreate from the lasagna we had in Varenna. If short ribs are too expensive, boneless chuck roast is the best substitute.
- Homemade ragù – Onion, carrots, celery, garlic, tomato paste, dry red wine, whole peeled tomatoes, beef broth, olive oil, and seasonings. I like D.O.P. San Marzano tomatoes for the sauce. Dice the vegetables very finely so they cook down into the ragù.
- Parmigiano béchamel – Butter, flour, whole milk, salt, freshly grated nutmeg, and Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Lasagna sheets – Homemade fresh pasta is my favorite for this recipe, but store-bought fresh sheets or oven-ready noodles can also work. I’ll go into the differences and how to prepare each option below.
- Mild provolone – Use regular mild provolone, not smoked, and have it sliced thin at the deli counter so it melts evenly between the layers.
- Parmigiano Reggiano – Finely grated works best for layering and for finishing the top of the lasagna. Do not use the powdery, canister “parmesan cheese”. Look for high quality parmigiano reggiano.
- Olive oil or butter – Use either one to lightly grease the baking dish before assembling the lasagna.
Choosing the Best Lasagna Noodles
Homemade lasagna sheets are my first choice for this recipe. They give the lasagna that soft, tender texture I was trying to recreate from the one we had in Italy. I use our homemade pasta recipe and roll the dough into thin lasagna sheets. Before assembling, boil the fresh sheets in salted water for about 30 seconds, then transfer them to cold water and lay them flat on clean kitchen towels. Be sure to pat them dry so they don’t add any extra water to the lasagna.
Store-bought fresh lasagna sheets also work well and can be prepared the same way. If fresh pasta isn’t an option, oven-ready or no-boil lasagna noodles are a good shortcut. Even though they’re technically made to go straight into the oven, I like to boil them for about 1 minute first. It softens them just enough to make them flexible and gives them a texture that is closer to fresh pasta.
How to Make Short Rib Lasagna
See recipe card below for more detailed instructions and pictures. Tip: Click on the camera icon in the recipe card below by where it says “instructions” to view all the step-by-step photos.
- Season the short ribs and sear them in a Dutch oven until deeply browned on all sides. Work in batches if needed so the ribs brown instead of steam. Transfer them to a plate, then cook the onion, carrots, and celery until very soft. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook briefly.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce, then add the tomatoes and break them up as they simmer. Return the short ribs to the pot with the herbs, cover with the lid, and braise in the oven until the beef is very tender and pulls easily away from the bones.
- Remove the short ribs from the sauce and discard the bones, cartilage, herbs, and any large pieces of fat. Shred the beef and return it to the pot. Simmer the ragù uncovered until it is thick and spoonable. If it gets too thick, add beef broth as needed to loosen it.
- While the ragù finishes, make the Parmigiano béchamel. Whisk the flour into the melted butter, then gradually whisk in the milk. Cook until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon, then stir in the salt, nutmeg, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Keep the sauce smooth and pourable.
- Prepare the lasagna sheets, then spread a thin layer of béchamel in the bottom of the baking dish. Add the pasta, followed by layers of short rib ragù, béchamel, provolone, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Repeat until you have about four layers of pasta. Finish with ragù, béchamel, and Parmigiano on top.
- Cover the lasagna loosely with foil and bake until hot and bubbling. Remove the foil for the last few minutes so the top can brown, and broil briefly if you want a little more color. Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
Tips for the Best Short Rib Lasagna
Divide everything before you start layering: Before assembling, roughly divide the ragù, béchamel, provolone, and Parmigiano according to the number of layers you’re making. It makes it much easier to build even layers without realizing halfway through that you’ve already used most of your sauce or cheese.
Spread the fillings all the way to the edges: Make sure the ragù and béchamel cover the pasta all the way to the edges of the baking dish. Any exposed pasta can dry out while the lasagna bakes.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make the short rib ragù up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it until needed. Once chilled, any excess fat is easy to remove. The béchamel can also be made a day ahead and gently reheated before assembling.
You can assemble the entire lasagna, cover it, and refrigerate it overnight before baking. To freeze, assemble but don’t bake. Cover tightly and freeze for up to 1 month, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Store leftover baked lasagna covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual slices in the microwave or cover and warm larger portions in the oven.
What to Serve with Short Rib Lasagna
Short rib lasagna is rich and filling, so simple sides work best. A crisp green salad, roasted vegetables, or steamed green beans are all good choices. Garlic bread or breadsticks also work if you want something a little more substantial, but you really don’t need much alongside it.
More Lasagna Recipes
Short Rib Lasagna
Ingredients
For the Beef Short Rib Ragù
- 3 1/2 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, very finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and very finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, very finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, with juices, I like to use D.O.P. San Marzano tomatoes
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 quart beef broth, as needed, about 1 cup at a time
For the Parmigiano Béchamel
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups whole milk
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
For the Lasagna
- 12 to 16 ounces fresh egg lasagna sheets
- 8 ounces thinly sliced mild provolone, (not smoked)
- ¾ to 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Extra virgin olive oil or softened butter, for the baking dish
Instructions
For the Beef Short Rib Ragú
- Pat the short ribs dry and season all over with 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the short ribs on all sides until deeply browned, working in batches if needed. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring often, until very soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pour in the red wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until reduced by about half. Add the whole tomatoes and their juices, breaking the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Taste the sauce and add salt as needed. Return the short ribs to the pot and add the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Cover and braise in the oven for 3 to 3 ½ hours, or until the beef is very tender and pulls easily away from the bones.
- Transfer the short ribs to a cutting board. Remove and discard the bones, cartilage, herbs, and any large pieces of fat. Shred the beef into small pieces and spoon off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce.
- Return the shredded beef to the Dutch oven and simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until the ragù is thick and spoonable. It should be thick enough to stay between the layers of lasagna, but not dry. If it becomes too thick, stir in about 1 cup of beef broth to loosen it, then continue simmering until you reach the right consistency again. Add more broth only if needed. Taste and add more salt as needed.
For the Parmigiano Béchamel
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes without browning. Slowly whisk in the milk, adding it a little at a time until smooth.
- Cook the béchamel for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it lightly coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the salt and nutmeg, then remove from the heat and add the Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir until smooth. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a little additional milk.
For the Lasagna
- Increase the oven temperature to 375°F and lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.Prepare the lasagna sheets. If using homemade or fresh pasta sheets, cook them in salted boiling water for about 30 seconds, just until tender and flexible. Transfer them to cold water, then lay them flat on clean kitchen towels.If using oven-ready or no-boil lasagna noodles, boil them for about 1 minute, just until softened and flexible enough to layer easily. Drain and lay flat before assembling the lasagna.
- Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish, then add a layer of lasagna sheets.
- Spread short rib ragù over the pasta, drizzle with béchamel, add a few thin slices of provolone, and sprinkle lightly with Parmigiano Reggiano. Repeat until you have about four layers of pasta.
- Finish the top layer with the remaining ragù and béchamel, then sprinkle generously with Parmigiano Reggiano. Leave the provolone off the top layer.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 8 to 10 minutes, or until the lasagna is hot and bubbling. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes if you want a little more browning on top.Let the lasagna rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Lasagna noodles: Homemade or fresh lasagna sheets give this lasagna the best texture. If you are using oven-ready or no-boil noodles, boil them for about 1 minute, just until they soften enough to bend easily. Drain and lay them flat before assembling the lasagna.
- Ragù consistency: The finished short rib ragù should be thick enough to stay between the layers but still easy to spoon. If it gets too thick while reducing, add beef broth about 1 cup at a time and let the sauce reduce again before adding more.
- Make it ahead: The short rib ragù can be made ahead, which makes assembling the lasagna much easier. Chill it overnight, remove any solidified fat from the top, then gently reheat before assembling the lasagna.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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