Beef Short Rib and Vegetable Soup

Two bowls of soup with pasta, shredded meat, carrots, celery, and potatoes, topped with grated cheese. Nearby are a small bowl of extra cheese, sliced baguette on a black tray, and two spoons on a blue-striped towel.

5 from 1 vote

Beef Short Rib and Vegetable Soup

This Beef Short Rib and Vegetable Soup is a satisfying classic recipe around here - loaded with tender, fall-off-the-bone short ribs, hearty potatoes, and fresh vegetables. Everything is slow-simmered in a rich beef and tomato broth. Finished with fresh cracked pepper and parmesan cheese.

Prep Time25

Cook Time3

Total Time3 25

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Beef Short Rib and Vegetable Soup

Servings: servings

Equipment

large stock pot or dutch oven

Ingredients

2 lbs short rib bone In
15 cups cold water
¾ cup canned crushed tomatoes
3 yellow potatoes whole, peeled
3 celery stalks cut in half
3 carrots
1 yellow onion whole
2 garlic cloves whole, peeled
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp salt
400 grams ditalini pasta macaroni or orzo also work
parmesan or pecorino romano cheese finely grated, for serving

Instructions

Place the beef bones (short ribs) in a large pot and cover with enough cold water to completely submerge them (the water used for this initial boil is not the 15 cups of cold water specified in the main recipe instructions).
Bring the water to a high heat and allow it to come to a rolling boil.
Once boiling, a grey or white foam/scum will rise to the surface. Using a slotted spoon or large ladle, skim off and discard this foam.
After a quick 3 to 5 minutes of boiling, drain the water completely. Rinse the bones thoroughly.
To a clean pot, preferably a dutch oven or other heavy bottom bot, add the 15 cups of cold water, the rinsed short ribs and the rest of the ingredients (except the potatoes).
Cover and simmer on low for a min of 3 hours, and up to 10 hours for a richer more flavourful broth. I typically let this simmer for about 7 hours.
Sammys tip: be sure you have this on low simmer - this will give you the best flavor.
During the first hour of simmering, you might see more scum or fat rise to the surface. Just take your ladle and gently remove it from the top as it appears
During the last hour of cooking add the potato and salt and then cover again and cook for another hour or so.
Remove from heat and discard the onion, whole garlic cloves and bay leaves.
Take the bones out of the broth and set them aside to cool slightly.
Once the bones are cool enough to handle, remove any beef meat from them and return the meat to the pot. Discard the bones.
You can also chop the potatoes, carrots, and celery before adding them to the broth, or you can add them whole and slice them in your bowl just before eating (which is the way I do it).
Prepare the pasta according to the package directions.
To serve, place a portion of the cooked pasta into each bowl. Ladle the broth, meat, and vegetables over the pasta.
Finish with fresh cracked pepper and a generous grating of parmesan or pecorino romano cheese.
Sammy's tip: do not add the cooked pasta directly to the large pot of broth. Serving the pasta separately in the bowl prevents it from soaking up all the liquid, which keeps your soup base perfect for refrigerating or freezing.

Nutrition