Short Rib Lasagna

This short rib lasagna is rich, slow-simmered, and unapologetically decadent. Tender braised short ribs with flavorful sausage and pancetta melt into a fragrant ragù layered with basil-flecked ricotta and silky béchamel. Is it labor-intensive? Yes. Is it a project? Also, yes. But it’s also a show-stopping Christmas dinner that makes the time completely worth it.

If you’re looking for a holiday meal that delivers both comfort and celebration, this short rib lasagna is the one.

Lasagna is the Perrotti family tradition every Christmas. We went so far as to have a custom casserole made with Grandma Perrotti’s sauce recipe carved into the dish. The family lasagna recipe combines ground beef with shredded beef and lots of cubed mozzarella and ricotta. This version of lasagna is a bit different than the family recipe and certainly a lot more decadent. Although both are always a meal worthy of being the centerpiece of the holiday dinner table.

My short rib lasagna combines a decadent short rib ragù with béchamel, ricotta, and layers of lasagne. This dish is truly the top of my list for celebration meals. It’s rich, slow-simmered, and deeply comforting, exactly the kind of cozy winter recipe that makes Christmas dinner feel unforgettable.

The ragù transforms during its long braise into a hearty, flavorful sauce featuring melt-in-your-mouth short ribs, red wine, and tomatoes, all melding into a sauce that tastes like it took all day (because it did). Layered with herbed ricotta, rich béchamel, and plenty of mozzarella, it feels festive enough for a Christmas main dish but still homey enough for a Sunday dinner in the winter.

It’s the kind of recipe your family and friends will remember even after the holiday season. Best of all? It’s perfect for entertaining. The ragù improves overnight, the entire lasagna can be assembled ahead of time, and it feeds a crowd without any last-minute stress.

Béchamel vs. Ricotta vs. Both: Regional Traditions

In Northern Italy, particularly Emilia-Romagna, lasagna is almost always made with béchamel and ragù. No ricotta. This is how I had lasagna when I visited Parma, and it was divine without being overly heavy.

Lasagna in Central and Southern Italy often uses ricotta instead of béchamel, sometimes mixed with mozzarella and herbs. The Perrotti family has roots in Benevento, so that’s why their lasagna uses ricotta, mozzarella, and hearty, meaty ragù. Lasagna from Southern Italy is arguably closer to what many of us grew up eating in the U.S., as many Italian-American families lean into ricotta-based lasagna, which became a hallmark of Sunday suppers and holiday gatherings.

Then there’s a third approach: why choose at all? Using both béchamel and ricotta creates a super decadent lasagna that takes the best of both worlds and puts them together into one indulgent meal that’s particularly special for a holiday table.

What kind of meat should you use in the ragù?

For this ragù, I use a few different kinds of meat.

• Diced pancetta: This gives it a nice salty base.
• Hot Italian sausage: This adds a perfect amount of heat and flavor to the sauce.
• Boneless short ribs: Tender, melt-in-your-mouth short ribs make the ragù extra hearty and flavorful.

When I originally developed this recipe, I also included one pound of ground beef. I’ve since realized that four kinds of meat is, indeed, a bit gratuitous, so I’ve opted to remove it from the recipe. You can replace the hot Italian sausage with ground beef or use ground beef in addition to the sausage for an even meatier ragù.

How to make this short rib lasagna

This recipe is a project. While you can certainly complete the lasagna in one day, I recommend breaking it up over two days.

What You Need

• Meat: You’ll need diced pancetta, boneless short ribs, and hot Italian sausage. You can replace the pancetta with guanciale or diced prosciutto. I don’t recommend smoked bacon, but you can try it if you don’t mind smoky undertones in the sauce. If you don’t have pancetta, guanciale, or prosciutto, just omit it. If using bone-in short ribs, use closer to 3 pounds to yield the same amount of meat as boneless.
• Aromatics and vegetables: I use onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves as the aromatic base for the recipe.
• Red wine: I’ve made this with Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, but any dry red wine will work here
• Tomatoes: I use whole peeled tomatoes, but crushed will also work. I don’t recommend diced or tomato sauce as they are too watery and thin and won’t give you a hearty ragù.
• Beef stock: I use this just for additional flavor and to prevent the ragù from cooking down too quickly in the oven.
• Ricotta filling: You need whole milk ricotta, eggs, parsley and basil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mozzarella. I recommend buying a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano and grating it on a microplane for the best results.
• Béchamel: This layer is made with butter, flour, whole milk, white pepper, and a scant amount of nutmeg.
• For assembly: You’ll need lasagna sheets, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil for serving.

How to Make It

Step 1: Prepare the short rib ragù.
Render the pancetta, brown the short ribs, then cook the sausage. Sauté the aromatics, brown the tomato paste, deglaze with red wine, and add tomatoes, stock, and bay leaves. Cover and braise the ragù in the oven until the ribs shred easily. I recommend refrigerating after this step and allowing the fat layer to harden overnight for easy removal.

Step 2: Finish the ragù.
Remove excess fat, shred the short ribs, mash the tomatoes, and simmer to thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Step 3: Prepare the ricotta filling.
Mix ricotta, eggs, herbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and mozzarella until smooth and creamy.

Step 4: Make the béchamel.
Melt the butter and add the flour to make the roux. Then, whisk in warm milk gradually, and simmer until velvety. Season with salt, white pepper, and nutmeg.

Step 5: Cook the lasagna sheets.
Cook the pasta according to package directions. If using fresh lasagna sheets, you do not need to boil them first.

Step 6: Assemble the lasagna.
Layer béchamel, pasta, ricotta, and ragù, repeating until you have three layers. Finish with ragù on top.

Step 7: Bake.
Cover and bake until the pasta is tender, then uncover, top with mozzarella, and bake again. Broil briefly to brown the cheese.

Step 7: Rest and serve.
Let the lasagna rest for at least 15 minutes, then slice and garnish with basil.

FAQ

Can I make this ahead?
Yes! Assemble up to 48 hours in advance and refrigerate. For longer storage, wrap tightly in two layers of foil and freeze. Bake straight from frozen for up to 90 minutes, or 60 minutes if fully thawed.

Can I use store-bought fresh lasagna sheets?
Yes, but the layers may be thinner, and you won’t need to boil them first. You may need an extra sheet or two.

Can I substitute the meats?
Absolutely. Use any combination of short ribs, sausage, or ground beef. For a milder flavor, swap the hot sausage for sweet Italian sausage. You can also use beef stew cubes or cubed chuck roast instead of short ribs for a more budget-friendly version.

Do I need to skim the fat from the ragù?
Short ribs release a lot of fat, and cooling the ragù makes fat removal much easier and results in a cleaner, richer final sauce.

Can I cook the ragù entirely on the stovetop?
Yes, cover and simmer on low for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally and adding stock as needed to prevent sticking.

Short Rib Lasagna

Is there anything more comforting than a big slice of lasagna? In this short rib lasagna, we take an Italian lasagna recipe to new levels of comfort.

4.21 from 73 votes

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Inactive Time: 5 hours hours

Total Time: 6 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 701kcal

Equipment

• Large pot
• Electric hand mixer
• Saucepan
• 9×13 Baking Dish

Ingredients

Short rib ragù:

• 4 ounces diced pancetta
• 1½ pounds boneless short ribs
• 1 pound hot Italian sausage (casings removed or use ground beef, See Note 1)
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil (if needed)
• 1 yellow onion (peeled and diced)
• 2 carrots (peeled and finely diced)
• 2 ribs celery (trimmed and finely diced)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
• 1 cup beef stock (plus more, if needed)
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (plus more to taste)
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
• Crushed red pepper

Béchamel sauce:

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Ricotta filling:

• 16 ounces ricotta cheese (whole milk)
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup parsley (loosely packed and finely chopped)
• ½ cup basil (loosely packed and finely chopped)
• 1 ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano (freshly grated with a microplane; yielding about ½ cup tightly packed grated cheese)
• ½ cup grated mozzarella
• Salt and pepper

For assembly:

• 12 sheets dry lasagne (see Note 2)
• 1½ cups grated mozzarella
• Basil leaves (optional, for serving)

Instructions

Cook the pancetta:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Place the diced pancetta in a large, oven-safe pot. Turn the heat to medium. Stir occasionally for 4 to 5 minutes until the fat renders and the pancetta browns. Remove the pancetta from the pot and transfer to a large bowl.

Brown the short ribs:

• Pat the short ribs dry and season with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and ¾ teaspoon black pepper. Place the short ribs in the pancetta fat and cook over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes per side until well browned on all sides. Transfer them to the bowl of pancetta.
• Add the hot Italian sausage and cook, breaking it up with a spoon for 15 minutes until the sausage is browned and cooked through. Transfer the cooked sausage to the bowl of pancetta and short ribs.

Cook the aromatics:

• If the pot seems dry, add 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil and turn the heat to medium-high.
• Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper.

Brown the tomato paste:

• Add the butter to the aromatics. Once melted, add the minced garlic and sauté for 45 seconds. Add the tomato paste and lightly mash it into the aromatics for 2 minutes until it deepens in color. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
• Pour in 1 cup of red wine and turn the heat to high. Whisk the wine into the paste and continue until the wine begins to boil. Boil for 5 minutes until it reduces slightly.

Simmer the ragù:

• Add the canned tomatoes and 1 cup beef stock. Stir in all of the meat from the bowl. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, sugar, and crushed red pepper. Add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil.
• Once boiling, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Transfer to the preheated oven for 3 hours or until the short ribs can be shredded easily with a fork. Check the short ribs occasionally to ensure they are not sticking to the pot, and add more beef stock as needed.
• Remove the pot from the oven. Taste the ragù and season to your preferences. See Note 3.

Shred the short ribs:

• Return the pot to the stovetop. If you refrigerated the ragù, remove the hardened fat layer from the ragù. Otherwise, skim off as much of the fat as possible.
• Turn the heat to medium-low and allow the ragù to simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Add more beef stock if the liquid evaporates too quickly. Shred the short ribs, mash the whole tomatoes, and discard the bay leaves. Taste and season once more before turning off the heat.

Prepare the ricotta mixture:

• As the ragù finishes simmering, make the ricotta filling. Combine all of the ingredients for the ricotta mixture in a bowl. Use a whisk or an electric hand-mixer and beat until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare the béchamel:

• Warm 4 cups of whole milk in a microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup for 2 minutes. Set aside.
• Melt ½ cup of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once bubbly, add ½ cup flour and stir into the butter for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add 1 cup of warm milk and whisk until a slurry forms. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent scorching. Continue adding the remaining milk—whisking well after each addition—until fully incorporated. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat, whisking regularly, until the béchamel is smooth and thickened. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon white pepper, and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg.

Cook the pasta:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the lasagna sheets according to package directions, often 3 to 4 minutes as they will continue to cook in the oven. Drain and arrange the sheets on a lightly oiled baking sheet so they don’t stick.

Assemble the lasagna:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish. Add ⅓ cup of the béchamel and use a rubber spatula to smooth it into an even layer.
• Place four lasagna sheets over the béchamel, avoiding overlap if possible. Use kitchen shears to trim the lasagna if they are too long.
• Spoon half of the ricotta mixture on top of the lasagna sheets and use the rubber spatula to smooth it out. Add one-third of the ragù on top of the ricotta. Finish with half of the remaining béchamel sauce.
• Place four more lasagna sheets on top of the béchamel. Add the remaining ricotta mixture and half of the remaining ragù. Add the remaining béchamel sauce on top.
• Place the final four lasagna sheets on top. Add the rest of the ragù and smooth it out. See Note 4.

Bake the lasagna:

• Cover the lasagna with foil. Transfer to the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove the foil. Sprinkle 1½ cups of grated mozzarella cheese on top. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, broil the lasagna for 3 to 4 minutes to brown the cheese further, if desired.

To serve:

• Allow the lasagna to cool for 15 minutes. Slice into portions and garnish with basil leaves and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, if you like. Enjoy!

Notes

Note 1: For an even meatier lasagna, you can use both hot Italian sausage and ground beef.

Note 2: This recipe is for a 3-layer lasagna. A standard 16-ounce box of dry lasagna will contain 12 to 18 sheets depending on the brand. I like to use around 12 sheets, meaning I have 3 layers of 4 sheets of lasagna. If you want to use the entire 16-ounce box, you may need to add an additional layer and divide up the fillings accordingly or overlap the lasagna sheets more.

Note 3: You can allow the ragù to cool completely and transfer it to the refrigerator overnight or for a few hours. I recommend refrigerating it to allow the fat to harden for easy removal the next day. You can also skip this step but note that short ribs produce a lot of fat, and it will be more challenging to remove the fat when it is liquefied.

Note 4: Lasagna can be assembled 36 to 48 hours in advance and kept refrigerated. If you’d like to assemble more than 2 days in advance, cover the entire casserole dish with two layers of tightly wrapped foil and transfer it to the freezer. If the lasagna is frozen (not thawed), it will need up to 90 minutes to bake in the oven. If you’ve completely thawed the lasagna from the freezer, it will need up to 60 minutes to bake.

Nutrition

Calories: 701kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 44g | Sodium: 1150mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin C: 6mg

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