These Instant Pot short ribs are so tender that they fall right off the bone, and the savory gravy is the perfect finishing touch. The best part is that itโ€™s all made in one pot!

close up image of a plate of mashed potatoes, instant pot short ribs and gravy.

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Easy Instant Pot Short Ribs Recipe

Short ribs usually take hours in the oven to cook. As much as I love short ribs, I donโ€™t always have much time to spend in the kitchen to make my favorite meal.

This is why I absolutelyย loveย Instant Potย recipes. They are fast and easy, and meat typically cooks well inside the pressure cooker with minimal effort required. This Instant Pot short rib recipe is no exception.

My recipe for short ribs starts by sautรฉing onions, garlic, carrots, and celery inside theย Instant Pot. These chopped veggies add lots of flavor to the ribs as they cook and ultimately turn into a sweet and savory sauce. Add a little bit of red wine, some beef broth, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot, and you get even more complex flavors.ย 

The short ribs are nestled into the sautรฉed vegetables and pressure-cooked for 45 minutes. This is enough time to make the meat nice and tender. While the ribs cook, feel free to do the dishes, have a coffee, and maybe even read a book. The Instant Pot does all the work!

Once the ribs cook, whisk some cornstarch into the juices in the pot, and scrape up those brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Pair your ribs with a side dish or two, and you’ll have a family-friendly comfort food recipe no one can resist!

top down image of an oval plate of a pile of instant pot short ribs.

Recipe Ingredients

To print: see recipe card below

  • 4 pounds bone in short ribsย โ€“ Look for bright ribs that are cherry red in color. The cut of meat should have a nice marble of fat and muscle.
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 1 cup chopped white onionsย 
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup red wineย โ€“ I like to cook with a nice dry red wine like a cabernet sauvignon. If you are a red wine lover, be sure to grab a bottle that you will also enjoy drinking afterward so it doesn’t go to waste!
  • 1 cup beef brothย 
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauceย 
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugarย โ€“ Either dark brown or light brown sugar will work.ย 
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauceย 
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

Variations

  • Cook the ribs in aย crock potย rather than in an electric pressure cooker. Follow the recipe, but sautรฉ the vegetables and ribs in a large skillet. Then, transfer everything to a crockpot. Cover, and cook on high heat for 4 hours.ย 
  • Skip the red wine, and replace it with extra beef broth. This is an easy way to eliminate alcohol from the recipe.ย I also like to whisk in a tablespoon or two of tomato paste or balsamic vinegar to add an extra flavor boost.ย 
  • Add two peeled, choppedย Russet potatoesย to the Instant Pot before closing and sealing. After the ribs cook and the pressure naturally releases open up the lid. Then, remove the potatoes using a slotted spoon. Mash the cooked potatoes in a separate small bowl, and serve alongside the ribs.ย 
  • Use boneless short ribs rather than bone-in ribs. You can use this same Instant Pot recipe for boneless beef ribs, but shorten the cooking time to only 35 minutes.ย 
ingredients to make instant pot short ribs.

Directions for How to Make Instant Pot Short Ribs

  1. Season the ribs:ย Start by patting the ribs with a paper towel and sprinkling them with a little salt and pepper.ย 
  2. Sear the ribs:ย Heat the olive oil in theย Instant Potย using the sautรฉ setting. Once hot, add the ribs. Cook the ribs for about 2 minutes on each side to sear. Remove the ribs from the pot, and set them aside.ย 
  3. Sautรฉ the vegetables:ย Add the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery to the hot oil in the Instant Pot. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.ย 
  4. Add the liquids:ย Add the red wine, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar to the pot, and stir to combine. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot as you stir.ย 
  5. Cook the short ribs:ย Add the short ribs back into the Instant Pot. Then, cover the pot, seal it, and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.ย Use the quick-release function, and let the Instant Pot release the pressure naturally for 15 minutes. Then, open up the pot, and remove the ribs.
  6. Make the gravy:ย Whisk the cornstarch and water together to make a cornstarch slurry. Pour the mixture into the Instant Pot. The heat from the juices in the pot will start to cook the cornstarch and thicken into a delicious sauce.ย 
  7. Serve the short ribs: Pour the gravy and veggies over the short ribs, and enjoy your Instant Pot beef short ribs warm!

Serving Suggestions

Similarly toย Crock Pot Ribs, these Instant Pot short ribs pair well with a variety of vegetable side dishes. Some of my favorite options includeย Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts,ย Roasted Asparagus, Mashed Potatoes, andย Southern Green Beans. I like serving them withย Yeast Dinner Rollsย too!

How to Store

Store cooled ribs in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. To reheat, arrange the ribs on a piece of foil, and pour any extra gravy on top. Then, wrap the foil tightly around the meat, creating a sealed packet.

Place the foil packet on aย sheet tray. Warm in the oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes or until heated through. This will warm the ribs without drying them out!

Quick Tip

When searing the ribs in the oil, you may want to work in two batches depending on the size of your Instant Pot bowl. Make sure the short ribs are in a single layer so they sear quickly. Itโ€™s okay if the ribs are stacked on top of each other when pressure cooking. However, for searing and browning, a single layer is best!

instant pot short rib served on a plate over a pile of mashed potatoes.
A plate of Instant Pot short ribs over mashed potatoes.

Instant Pot Short Ribs

These Instant Pot short ribs are so tender that they fall right off the bone, and the savory gravy is the perfect finishing touch. The best part is that it's all made in one pot!
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Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Equipment

  • Instant Pot
  • Mixing bowl
  • Meauring Spoons
  • Measuring cups

Ingredients  

  • 4 pounds bone in short ribs
  • ยฝ teaspoon sea salt
  • ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • ยผ cup minced garlic
  • 1 cup chopped white onions
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • ยฝ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ยฝ cup red wine
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • ยผ cup cold water

Instructions 

  • Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and then sprinkle them with the salt and pepper. Try to get the seasoning all over the ribs, on every side.
    4 pounds bone in short ribs, ยฝ teaspoon sea salt, ยผ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Add the olive oil to the bowl of the Instant Pot and turn the Instant Pot on to the โ€˜sauteโ€™ setting. Let the oil heat for one minute.
    1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • Add the seasoned short ribs to the pot and let them sear for about 2 minutes. Flip the ribs over and brown the opposite side for another 2 minutes.
  • Remove the browned short ribs from the Instant Pot and set them aside.
  • Add the garlic, onions, carrot, and celery to the Instant Pot and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    ยผ cup minced garlic, 1 cup chopped white onions, 1 cup chopped carrots, 1 cup chopped celery
  • Add the wine to the Instant Pot and stir, scraping the bottom of the pot to get the browned pieces off and mixed into the veggies (the browned bits have a lot of flavor!). Cook for one minute.
    ยฝ cup red wine
  • Add the thyme, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and soy sauce to the Instant Pot and stir. Add the short ribs back into the pot and nestle them into the veggie mix.
    1 cup beef broth, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon soy sauce, ยฝ teaspoon dried thyme
  • Cover the Instant Pot, seal it shut and turn it on to high-pressure cooking. Cook the short ribs on high pressure for 45 minutes then let the pressure release naturally for about 15 minutes.
  • Remove the ribs from the Instant Pot and divide them between your dinner plates.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water. Then, whisk this mix into the Instant Pot, mixing it into the beef broth and veggies that are still in the pot. Turn the Instant Pot back on to the saute setting to bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook until it is thick and gravy like.
    3 Tablespoons cornstarch, ยผ cup cold water
  • Scoop the veggies and gravy sauce onto the plates, pouring it over the short ribs. Enjoy while warm!

Notes

  • As a general rule, you should use about 1 pound of short ribs per person. You can use this same recipe to cook up to 6 pounds of short ribs, or enough to feed 6 people. It makes plenty of sauce and veggies! However, 4 pounds will fit best in most Instant Pots. You do not want to overcrowd the ribs or they will not cook evenly.
  • Be sure to use bone-in short ribs to get the most flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 767kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 195mg | Sodium: 1092mg | Potassium: 1710mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5469IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 9mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @kasey_allthingsmamma or tag #allthingsmamma!

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About Kasey Schwartz

For over 15 years, Kasey Schwartz, the mastermind behind All Things Mamma, has been the ultimate go-to for mouthwatering family recipes. Her work has been featured on Today.com, Buzz Feed, Better Homes and Gardens, and more, making her your go-to mom next door for all things delicious and family-friendly.

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