Short Rib Lasagna

Lifting a cheesy slice of short rib lasagna from a baking dish.

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Prep Time1

Cook Time5

Resting time15

Total Time6 15

Servings: servings

Calories: 513kcal

Author: Erica Walker

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)
3/4 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 1/2 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.

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