Instant Pot Short Ribs

Jump to Recipe

Instant Pot Short Ribs will knock your socks off when it comes to flavor! Braised in a rich sauce, this easy recipe for Instant Pot Short Ribs delivers the most delectable, restaurant-quality, fall-off-the-bone short ribs!

Serve these wine-braised short ribs with Instant Pot mashed potatoes, stovetop mashed potatoes, or creamy grits to soak up all the delicious gravy.

Instant Pot short ribs plated on top of mashed potatoes with Instant Pot in background.

The Best Beef Short Ribs

For years, I reserved short ribs as a meal to be enjoyed only when dining out, as they traditionally take hours to braise and become fall-apart tender. As a busy mom, it was just not something I had the margin of time to make often.

However, with the Instant Pot, it is now possible for me (and you!) to enjoy beef short ribs at home easily and with much less cooking time.

And I have to say, my recipe for Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs delivers the most flavorful short ribs I have ever enjoyed. The combination of wine, balsamic, and soy sauce adds the most nuanced layers of flavor, resulting in a rich decadent braising liquid that infuses the short ribs with incredible flavor.

Instant Pot Short Ribs are not only the most succulent, best-tasting short ribs, but they are also the easiest to prepare and will deliver a restaurant-quality meal effortlessly at home.

Notes on Ingredients

Ingredients for Beef Short Ribs Labeled on counter.

Short Ribs: You can use boneless, or bone-in short ribs, but I highly recommend bone-in beef short ribs for the most flavor. The bones will add so much richness to the dish.
Red Wine: Use a dry red wine that is suitable for drinking, such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet. While the wine adds a significant amount of flavor to the dish, feel free to use additional beef broth in place of the wine, if desired.
Balsamic Vinegar: The richness and balance the balsamic vinegar adds to the braising liquid is insane. Do not skip this crucial ingredient.
Soy Sauce: The soy sauce will add incredibly umami flavor to the short ribs. Be sure to use reduced-sodium soy sauce to control the sodium in the dish.
Brown Sugar: A little bit of sugar goes a long way to balance out the acidity and saltiness in this recipe.
Corn Starch: To thicken up the braising liquid to make a rich, irresitible gravy.

How to Make Short Ribs in the Instant Pot

Turn the Instant Pot to saute. Adjust more is lit up and add in a bit of oil.
While the oil is heating, generously season the short ribs with salt and pepper on every side.
Sear the short ribs in two batches. This will let the short ribs have room to brown and caramelize on each side. Once browned on each side, remove the short ribs form the inner pot and repeat the process.

2 pictures showing before and after searing short ribs in instant pot.

After searing the short ribs, add in the onions, carrots, and celery. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Once the onions are softened, add in the garlic and saute for just 30 seconds. We don't want to burn the garlic, so be sure to watch closely.

Onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in inner pot.

With the Instant Pot still on the saute function, add in ½ cup of red wine, or broth, and scrape up the browned bits of the bottom of the inner pot. Let the wine cook for just a minute or two to allow the alcohol to cook off. Turn the Instant Pot off.
Add the beef broth, thyme, bay leaf, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce to the inner pot and give it a good stir. Add in the browned short ribs into the liquid, arranging them so that they are all evenly submerged in the liquid.

Seared beef short ribs in brasing liquid in inner pot.

Seal the lid on the Instant Pot and set to cook on high pressure for 45 minutes on high pressure.
Once the cook time has elapsed, allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 15 minutes. This is key to keeping your short ribs really tender.

Short Ribs in inner pot of Instant Pot after pressure cooking.

Open up the inner pot and remove the short ribs to a serving platter. It is okay if the meat falls of the bones--that is exactly what we want!
If you would like to thicken the sauce, which I highly, highly recommend, turn the Instant Pot back to saute and let come to a boil.
Mix together a cornstarch slurry and then slowly whisk into the cooking liquid. Let that cook for 2-4 minutes, or until thickened, whisking contantly. If deisred, finish the sauce with a tablespoon or two of butter to really amp up the lusciousness of the braising liquid.
Dish up the short ribs with a generous serving of the gravy. I highly recommend serving over mashed potatoes, grits, or polenta to soak up all the liquid.

Recipe FAQs

How many short ribs per person should I plan on?

I typically plan on 2 short ribs per person, but they are very rich, and most often I personally only eat one short rib. However, leftovers never hurt!

Are the celery, onions, and carrots necessary?

I highly recommend using celery, onions, and carrots, otherwise known as a Mirepoix, as it helps to develop a really rich braising liquid and rich gravy.

Can this recipe be made dairy-free?

Absolutely! Simply omit adding the butter to the gravy. It is completely not necessary.

Step-by-Step Video

If you learn better through visual videos, be sure to check out my YouTube video where I will walk you through how to make these Instant Pot Short Ribs in detail.

Short Ribs plated with Instant Pot in Background.

More Instant Pot Beef Recipes

If you enjoyed these Instant Pot Short Ribs, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.