Instant Pot Short Ribs Recipe

These Instant Pot short ribs are the kind of dinner that looks like you spent all day in the kitchen, but only asks for 10 minutes of your hands-on time. Short ribs are a naturally tough cut, which means they need time and moisture to become tender. The pressure cooker does all that heavy lifting for you and turning the meat meltingly soft while it builds a rich, flavourful braising liquid that becomes your gravy. I add balsamic vinegar to the sauce instead of wine, which gives it a deep, slightly sweet complexity without any alcohol.

If you’re looking for more short ribs recipes, try this Guinness Braised Short Ribs. It’s amazing and very easy to make too.

Gather The Ingredients:

All ingredients and their amounts are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Bone-in beef short ribs: I always buy bone-in rather than boneless for this recipe. The bone adds collagen to the braising liquid as it cooks, which gives the gravy more body and a richer flavour. I look for ribs with good marbling and at least 1.5 to 2 inches of meat on top of the bone. At the grocery store, I find the best quality at the butcher counter rather than the pre-packaged section. Plan for about 2 pounds for 4 people, though I always buy a little extra because these ribs are hard to stop eating.

Olive oil: I use olive oil for searing the ribs and sautéing the aromatics. I prefer a good quality extra virgin olive oil here because the sauté step is where all the base flavour is built. Avocado oil works equally well if that is what you have on hand.

Yellow onion and garlic: These two form the aromatic base of the sauce. I chop the onion roughly and mince the garlic fresh rather than using pre-minced. Fresh garlic gives a sharper, more complex flavour. I add them after the ribs are browned and scrape up all the bits from the bottom of the pot as they soften. Those stuck-on bits are pure flavour.

Tomato paste: I add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the aromatics and let it cook for a minute or two before adding the liquids. This step is important. Cooking the tomato paste briefly caramelises it slightly and deepens its flavour from bright and acidic to rich and almost savoury. If you prefer less tomato intensity, you can reduce this to 1 tablespoon.

Balsamic vinegar: This is the ingredient that sets this recipe apart. I use half a cup, which sounds like a lot, but it mellows and concentrates beautifully during the pressure cook. I always use a good quality balsamic with a thick, syrupy consistency rather than a thin, watery one. The thicker balsamic has more depth and less sharp acidity.

Low sodium beef broth: I always use low sodium so I can control the salt level myself. The broth provides the liquid the Instant Pot needs to come to pressure and forms the base of the gravy. If you want a richer result, you can substitute beef bone broth.

Fresh thyme and bay leaves: These two aromatics add a herby, slightly floral note that lifts the heaviness of the braised meat. I use fresh thyme because I almost always have it on hand, but dried thyme works fine at half the quantity. I always remove the bay leaves before making the gravy.

Cornstarch: I mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a quarter cup of the cooking liquid to make a slurry that thickens the gravy. I have found this gives a cleaner, glossier gravy than flour does. Make sure you whisk the slurry until it is completely smooth before adding it to the saucepan.

How to make Instant Pot Short Ribs

Step 1: Season and sear the ribs. I start by patting the short ribs dry with a paper towel and seasoning generously with sea salt and black pepper on all sides. Dry meat browns so much better than wet meat, and that deep golden crust is where a lot of the flavour comes from. I set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode, add the olive oil, and once it is shimmering I add the ribs in a single layer, working in batches if needed. I sear each side for 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden, then transfer to a plate. Do not rush this step, it takes about 10 minutes and it is worth every one of them.

Step 2: Build the aromatic base. With the Instant Pot still on Sauté, I add the chopped onion and minced garlic directly to the pot without any extra oil. There will be enough fat left from the searing. I always scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot at this point, both for flavour and to avoid a burn notice. I cook for about 4 minutes until the onion softens, then add the tomato paste, fresh thyme, and balsamic vinegar. I give everything a good stir and let it cook for 1 more minute so the tomato paste can toast slightly. This short step makes a real difference to the depth of the final sauce.

Step 3: Add the broth and return the ribs. I turn off Sauté mode, pour in the beef broth, and add the bay leaves. I stir to combine everything, then nestle the seared short ribs back into the pot, meat side down. Make sure the liquid comes at least halfway up the sides of the ribs. This is important for the Instant Pot to reach pressure properly.

Step 4: Pressure cook. I lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on Manual High Pressure for 60 minutes. I know that sounds long, but short ribs need every minute of that time to become truly fall-off-the-bone tender. When the cook cycle finishes, I let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before turning the valve to Venting to release the remaining pressure. I never quick release immediately with this recipe. That natural resting period keeps the meat moist and tender.

Step 6: Make the gravy. I remove the short ribs and set them on a plate tented with foil, then discard the bay leaves. I whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with a quarter cup of the braising liquid until smooth, pour the remaining braising liquid into a saucepan over high heat, and slowly whisk in the slurry. I whisk for about 2 minutes until the gravy is thick and glossy. One tip I always share: skim any visible fat from the braising liquid before making the slurry for a cleaner, lighter sauce.

What do you serve with Instant Pot short ribs?

These ribs are rich and saucy, so I always serve them with something that can soak up all that beautiful gravy.

My favourite pairing is a big bowl of creamy mashed potatoes, but crusty garlic bread works just as well and honestly disappears just as fast. I also love serving them alongside air fryer green beans for a little freshness on the plate.

Can I cook frozen short ribs in the Instant Pot?

I recommend against it for this recipe. Since browning is such an important step, you cannot properly sear frozen meat.

I always thaw short ribs completely in the fridge overnight before cooking. If you are short on time, you can thaw them under cold running water in a sealed bag.