Ready to wow the table without working overtime? These Instant Pot short ribs bring big flavor with minimal fuss. We’re talking fall-apart tender meat, bold, savory marinade, and a whole lot of “Where has this been all my life?” energy. They’re fancy enough for company but simple enough to pull off on a Tuesday.
Craving a delicious meal that’s both tender and juicy? These Instant Pot beef ribs are just the thing. With a savory marinade and fall-off-the-bone texture, you’ll get all the rich flavor of slow-cooked ribs—without the wait.
Whether you’re cooking beef short ribs in the Instant Pot for a weeknight dinner or serving up succulent beef ribs to impress your crew, this recipe delivers big on taste with minimal effort.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving short ribs with mashed potatoes! Some of my favorite recipes are crockpot mashed potatoes, garlic mashed red potatoes, mascarpone mashed potatoes, and Ninja Foodi mashed potatoes. Slow cooker polenta, cheesy scalloped potatoes, and crockpot cheesy potatoes are also great options.
If you are looking for something low carb, mashed cauliflower is a great alternative.
Round out the meal with Instant Pot green beans, green beans with bacon, garlic roasted broccoli, or Ninja Foodi green beans.
Ingredients
- Soy Sauce: You could use gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos if you prefer.
- Light Brown Sugar: You could use maple syrup or a sugar-free brown sugar alternative if you prefer.
- Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is a deliciously fragrant, nutty oil that adds a unique flavor to the marinade.
- Garlic Powder: You could use fresh minced garlic if you have it on hand.
- Grated Ginger: If you don't have fresh, you could use ground ginger instead, reducing the amount to ½ teaspoon. Frozen ginger (like Dorot) is also a great option.
- Bone-In Short Ribs: Look for meaty, bone-in short ribs with a good balance of fat and lean. Make sure you go for a cut that fits your Instant Pot!
- Butter: If you are avoiding dairy, oil works in this recipe.
- Yellow Onion: You could use a white onion if you prefer.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce and make a delicious gravy for this Instant Pot beef ribs recipe.
Different Cuts of Beef Short Ribs
There are three main types of short ribs: English style, Plate-style, and Flanken-style.
English style is the most tender and can have more fat than other styles. Plate-style is cut from the lower breast portion and contains more connective tissue for maximum flavor, but can be more difficult to cook. Lastly, Flanken-style is cut across the bone and cooked quickly for tenderness.
You could use any ot the three to make beef ribs in the Instant Pot. Just be aware that if you have a smaller Instant Pot, the English-style may be an easier fit for your pot.
Step by Step
For the full recipe with measurements, see the recipe card at the end of the post.
Pro Tips
- In my experience, marinating the meat overnight is well worth the effort.
- If you like, you can sear the beef ribs before you pressure cook them. Do this in batches, using the sauté function of your Instant Pot. Make sure to pat them dry and then dry them with paper towels so that you get a good sear.
- After cooking, let your Instant Pot short ribs rest for 10 minutes before serving for optimal tenderness and juiciness!
- You could also add carrots to the gravy when you add the onion.
- If you happen to have it on hand, use dry red wine such as cabernet or merlot in place of the water in the marinade. You could also use beef broth.
FAQs
What are short ribs?
Short ribs are a cut of beef taken from the rib and plate area of the cow. They are known for their intense flavor and tender, succulent texture when cooked correctly.
How long does it take for short ribs to become tender? Why are my short ribs tough in the Instant Pot?
It depends on the cut of short ribs you are using but generally, it takes at least 45 minutes in an Instant Pot to become tender. Some recipes call for cooking them just 25 minutes. While convenient, I haven't found this to be a long enough cook time for juicy, succulent beef ribs.
Tools
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- Instant Pot
- Trivet
- Bowl
- Shallow dish for marinating
More Instant Pot Recipes to Try
- When you want a meal that is simple for you and makes the kids happy, give these Instant Pot chicken drumsticks a try.
- Taco Tuesday just got a little tastier - and more delicious - thanks to these Instant Pot chicken tacos.
- Instant Pot chili mac is a family favorite. Give it a try, and I think you will love it too.
- Say goodbye to boring chicken dinners with this Instant Pot French onion chicken.
Instant Pot Short Ribs with Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water or beef broth
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds bone in short ribs
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, sesame oil, salt, garlic powder, ginger, and black pepper.
- Place the ribs in a shallow dish and pour the sauce over.
- Allow to sit at room temperature for an hour, or refrigerate overnight.
- Set your Instant Pot to HIGH saute, and add the butter.
- When the butter is melted, add the onion. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you have a lot of brown on the bottom of your Instant Pot, use a measuring spoon to remove ⅓ cup of the marinade from the beef ribs and pour in the pan. Scrape up the brown bits with a spoon. (This will prevent the burn signal.)
- Hit cancel and place the trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
- Use tongs to transfer the ribs to the Instant Pot and pour the marinade on top of the meat.
- Lock the lid in place and select HIGH pressure.
- Cook for 45 minutes, and allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Carefully remove the ribs and trivet from the pot.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water.
- Select high saute and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the cornstarch slurry, and cook until the sauce thickens about 5 minutes.
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