Short Rib Soup (Instant Pot or Stove)

This Asian-inspired Short Rib Soup with mushrooms and Swiss chard is cozy and hits the spot when you’re craving a comforting soup.

Short Rib Soup

I bought some short ribs recently and wanted to try them in soup. I was craving one with lots of fresh herbs and ginger and was inspired by pho. The beef bones naturally add flavor to canned broth, but the stems from the cilantro, ginger, peppercorns, star anise, and scallions enhance it even more. I love ginger, so I sliced some for a garnish with lime wedges and more scallions and cilantro. So delicious! For more Asian soup recipes, try this Asian Beef Zoodle Soup, Wonton Soup, and Shrimp Pho with Vegetables.

What is the difference between short ribs and beef ribs?

Short ribs are unsurprisingly shorter than regular beef back ribs, which are longer and thinner. They are cut from different parts of the cow, and short ribs tend to be fattier.

Short Rib Soup Ingredients

• Beef Short Ribs: You’ll need five short ribs that weigh about four ounces each with the bone.
• Mushrooms: Remove the stems and slice eight ounces of shiitake mushrooms.
• Orange: Add just the peel of half an orange for a hint of citrus.
• Scallions and Cilantro: Use some whole scallions and cilantro stems to flavor the broth and chopped scallions and cilantro to garnish the soup.
• Spices: Fresh ginger, star anise, whole black peppercorns
• Beef Broth: Use your favorite store-bought broth. Buy low-sodium if you’re watching your salt.
• Swiss Chard: Cook the stems and leaves separately at the end.
• Garnish: Serve this beef short rib soup with lime wedges, crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha, and fresh ginger cut into thin matchsticks, plus the cilantro leaves and diced scallions.

How Long to Boil Short Ribs for Soup

I like to make this easy beef short rib soup in the Instant Pot because the short ribs come out so tender – They literally fall off the bone. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, I also provided stovetop directions. If you’re making this recipe on the stove, it takes about two hours to boil and simmer the short ribs. You can
do it in half the time in the Instant Pot.

How to Make Beef Short Rib Soup

• Instant Pot – Cook the Ribs: Place the ribs, mushrooms, ginger, three whole scallions, cilantro stems, peppercorns, star anise, and broth in the Instant Pot. Cover and cook on high pressure for an hour, and then do a natural or quick release.
• Stovetop – Cook the Ribs: Put all the ingredients above in a large pot or Dutch oven, but add an extra half cup of broth. Bring it to a boil, cover the pot, and cook on low for about two hours until the meat is tender.
• Strain the Broth: Divide the short ribs and mushrooms into five bowls. Then strain the remaining broth and discard the leftover ingredients.
• Instant Pot – Swiss Chard: Return the soup to the Instant Pot and press the “Sauté” button to bring it to a simmer. As it heats, add the stems of the Swiss chard and simmer for three minutes. Next, add the leaves and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Stovetop – Swiss Chard: Bring the soup to a simmer over high heat, add the chard stems, and after a few minutes, add the leaves.
• Serve: Ladle the remaining soup into the bowls and serve with all the garnishes.

How to Freeze Short Rib Soup

This soup will stay good for up to four days in the refrigerator. To freeze the leftovers, portion it into smaller containers and freeze them for up to three months. To eat, you can microwave the containers straight from the freezer or thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Variations

• Meat: Use chuck beef instead of short ribs.
• Mushrooms: Shiitakes impart so much flavor to this soup, so I highly encourage you to use them. However, if you can’t find them, swap them with baby bella mushrooms.
• Greens: Swap Swiss chard for bok choy or spinach.
• Cilantro: If you don’t like cilantro, you can leave it out and try it with chives.
• Noodles: Add zucchini noodles or lo mein noodles to make it more filling.

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