This Instant Pot Short Ribs recipe is my family‘s all-time favorite comfort meal. Seasoned in a savory Japanese sauce, the marbled boneless beef cooks to tender perfection in just 30 minutes under pressure. It‘s hearty, delicious, and so satisfying! {Gluten-free adaptable}
When my family and I are in the mood for some warm comfort food, I often turn to this Instant Pot Short Ribs recipe. I mean, who doesn’t love melt-in-mouth marbled beef and perfectly cooked carrots, sweet daikon, and onions all nestled in a flavorful sauce? Serve it with steamed rice and you have the most soul-satisfying dinner on a weeknight. With the pressure cooking function in the Instant Pot, this beautiful dish comes together in just 30 minutes. It’s magical!
If you have only tried and loved the western-style short ribs, the ones that are braised with red wine and served with mashed potatoes, I guarantee that you’re going to enjoy this Japanese version as well. It’s on the lighter side but bursts with sweet-savory flavors.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easily accessible ingredients. I can get all the ingredients in my local American grocery stores. I hope you can find them as well.
- Time saving and so easy to prepare. A one-pot meal for the win! Toss in the vegetables, sear the meat, hit the button, and viola, dinner is done in 30 minutes.
- It goes well with any Japanese and Asian dishes. Enjoy as it is with steamed rice, or serve alongside with miso soup and a salad for a well-balanced meal.
- So delicious! …is what everyone who tried this recipe has said.
- Tiff said: “I keep coming back to this recipe because it is just SO delicious and easy!”
- Arlene said: “The Short Ribs were so unbelievably, melt-in-your-mouth delicious.”
- Lyn said: “This was most delicious and tender.”
How to Make Instant Pot Short Ribs
The Ingredients You’ll Need
- Boneless beef short ribs – I used boneless ribs for my recipe, but you can use the bone-in short ribs and cook a little longer. See substitution info below.
- Onion
- Daikon radish – It absorbs all the juices and adds sweetness to the sauce. Substitution info is below.
- Carrot – It adds sweetness to the sauce.
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Green onion/scallion
- Salt and black pepper
- Roasted sesame oil – Use it to add a nutty aroma and flavor.
- Seasonings: salt, black pepper, brown sugar, sake, mirin, and soy sauce
The Cooking Steps
- Prepare the ingredients. Cut the onions, carrots, and green onions. Cut the beef short ribs into smaller bite-size pieces and season with salt and pepper.
- Sear the beef in an Instant Pot and transfer it to the plate.
- Add the onion and water, scraping off the bottom of the pot. Then, add the ginger and garlic and sauté.
- Add the beef and all the seasonings. Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes.
- Release the pressure and serve hot.
Ingredients Substitute
- Beef short ribs – I usually have to ask the butcher to remove the bone for me. I really like this cut for this recipe because the fat and collagen in a beef short rib run evenly throughout the meat, producing that juicy texture. If you can’t find short ribs, you can also use the tender part of beef brisket or chuck roast.
- Daikon radish – I don’t recommend skipping it, but you can substitute with turnips, parsnips, or jicama.
- Brown sugar – You can use white granulated sugar, but brown sugar adds more depth and flavor.
Cooking Tips
- Cut the daikon radish and carrot into bigger chunks. As we cook the meat and vegetables all together in the pressure cooker, you want slightly bigger chunks of vegetables so that they don’t get too soft and disintegrate easily.
- Season the beef well with salt and pepper. Salt helps draw out water and enhance the meat’s natural taste. It also makes the piece of meat more delicate and richer in flavor.
- Don’t skip searing. Searing the beef so that the surface becomes caramelized. This enhances the savoriness and complexity of the taste (this is called the Maillard Reaction). I believe it’s worth spending extra time for the best flavor!
- You can increase the amount of meat. This recipe is good for 3-4 people. If you or your family are big meat eaters, you can increase the short ribs up to 2½ lb (instead of 1¾ lb written in the recipe). I’ve tried that amount and the dish still came out great. If you increase the vegetables, however, more moisture is released from the vegetables, which will dilute the flavor a bit. So cautiously increase the amount of veggies, or slightly increase the seasonings ahead of time.
What to Serve with Instant Pot Beef Short Ribs
These short ribs are perfect to enjoy alone with rice, but here are some suggestions if you wish to serve it with a more elaborate meal:
- Rice: White Rice, Brown Rice.
- Soup: Vegetable Miso Soup, Kabocha Miso Soup.
- Salad: Asian Cabbage Salad, Harusame Salad, Japanese Potato Salad.
- Side Dishes: Kinpira Gobo, Tamagoyaki, Chrysanthemum Green Salad.
Why I Love Pressure Cooking
An Instant Pot (I have this and this) has both slow cooker and pressure cooker functions, but I almost always use the pressure cooker as I don’t prepare dinner early enough to slow cook.
Since I work from home, I try to get as much work done as possible while my children are at school. By the evening, I usually have about 30-45 minutes to prep dinner before driving them around for after-school activities.
To make these short ribs, all I need is to chop up the vegetables and sear the beef. After all the ingredients go into the pressure cooker, I hit the start button and leave the kitchen. By the time we get home, the food is all cooked and ready to be enjoyed.
I also schedule my rice cooker to finish at dinner time so we have freshly cooked rice at the table. While the family is settling down, I quickly prepare miso soup and salad.
Thanks to the electric pressure cooker, my family gets to sit down together for a home-cooked meal despite everyone’s busy schedule.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Cooking with an Instant Pot has been a real timesaver. It’s hard to believe that I can cook up a luxurious meal for the family on a busy weeknight! If you’re looking for more comfort foods that you can cook with an Instant Pot, here are some of our favorites:
- Instant Pot Pork Belly
- Instant Pot Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
- Instant Pot Sticky Asian Ribs
- Instant Pot Asian Pulled Pork
- Instant Pot Honey Spare Ribs
- Instant Pot Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)
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Instant Pot Short Ribs (Pressure Cooker)
Video
Ingredients
- 8–10 slices ginger (peeled and sliced from a 1-inch, 2.5-cm knob)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 onion (8 oz, 227 g)
- 3 inches daikon radish (10.5 oz, 300 g)
- 1 carrot (5 oz, 140 g; or use 2 thin carrots)
- 1 green onion/scallion
- 1¾ lb boneless beef short ribs (fat and collagen run evenly through this cut for a juicy texture; you can ask the butcher to debone English-style short ribs; or substitute the tender part of a beef brisket or chuck roast)
- ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- Peel the ginger knob and cut thinly into 8–10 slices ginger. Mince or crush 2 cloves garlic (I use a garlic press).
- Cut 1 onion in half. Slice each half into 5–6 wedges.
- Peel 3 inches daikon radish and cut in half lengthwise, then slice it ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick. Tip: If you prefer a firmer texture, cut the daikon into bigger pieces.
- Peel and cut 1 carrot into bite-size pieces. I use the rangiri Japanese cutting technique to slice the carrot diagonally while rotating it a quarter turn between cuts. This makes an ideal shape for stews and simmered dishes and increases the surface area to help absorb the seasonings. Tip: If you prefer a firmer texture, cut the carrot into bigger pieces.
- Cut 1 green onion/scallion into thin rounds. Set aside for garnish.
- To promote searing, pat dry all sides of 1¾ lb boneless beef short ribs with paper towels. Then, cut it into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces.
- Season with ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper.
To Cook
- Press the Sauté button on your Instant Pot (I use a 6-QT Instant Pot Ultra) and heat 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil.
- Now, sear the meat in batches (do not crowd the pot to avoid steaming). When the inner pot is hot, sear a single layer of meat, 1 minute per side. Don‘t touch the meat while it‘s searing. When a beautiful crust forms, the meat will release naturally from the pot. When this happens, flip it over.
- When seared, transfer the first batch to a plate. Continue with the next batches.
- You might sear 3–4 batches for about 8 minutes total. Transfer the last batch to the plate. Deglaze the pot with a bit of water and wooden spatula to release any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom.
- Add the onion and 2 Tbsp water to the pot. Sauté while scraping the bottom of the pot with the spatula for 2 minutes.
- Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute.
- Add the short ribs and their juices back to the pot.
- Add 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 Tbsp sake, 4 Tbsp mirin, and 4 Tbsp soy sauce.
- Mix it all together.
- Then, add the daikon and carrot. Mix it all together.
- Cover and lock the lid. Point the steam release handle at Sealing and not Venting. Press the Keep Warm/Cancel button to stop sautéing. Select the Pressure Cooking mode or switch to the Manual mode and cook under high pressure for 35 minutes.
- For a stovetop pressure cooker: Cook on high heat until it reaches high pressure. Then, reduce the heat to low and maintain pressure for about 30 minutes. For a standard pot on the stove: Cooking under pressure will yield the best results, but you could cook this in a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add enough beef stock to just cover the sides of the meat, then place the lid tightly and simmer on low to medium-low heat for 3 hours or until the meat is tender; add more stock or water if the sauce evaporates.
- When finished, the Instant Pot will switch to the Keep Warm mode. Let the pressure release naturally (ideally) for 15–20 minutes or quick release it using the pressure release button. Unlock the lid and stir.
To Serve
- Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the sliced scallion/green onion. Enjoy!
To Store
- You can store the leftovers in the airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or 2 weeks in the freezer.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on December 3, 2015. It has been republished with a new video, new step-by-step and final images, and updated content on November 3, 2023.
HI Nami,
You certainly get me tempted on buying the instant pot! But I am in Singapore, and the only way to get is to buy from Amazon UK for same voltage. Imagine the shipping cost????
Could you kindly tell me where did you get the little measuring cylinders you used in the video for your sake, Mirin etc?
Thanks very much!
Hi Min! I saw Instant Pot sold in Amazon Japan too, and it was close to 3 x the cost here.
Sure, the measuring cups are from Oxo: http://amzn.to/20ivC1W
Is there a difference in cooking if I used short ribs with bone?
Hi Susan! First, short ribs with bone take up more space, and depends on how much you add, you might need to adjust the seasoning amount. It also takes a little longer to cook – add 3-5 mins would do. 🙂 Hope this helps!
Hi. I just realized I bought two bone-in short ribs, instead of boneless. I have 2 giant cuts with bone-in, and I can’t really cut them into the 1-inch pieces (unless I take them off the bone). Do you have any suggestions on how to handle this? Thanks!
Hi Tim! Does it fit into the pot side ways? If you roll up and bend each piece, do you think it’ll fit okay? With bone is okay, as long as it fits. Proportionally about the same amount?
Thanks for the quick response! Yes, they ended up fitting. They were more cube-shaped, so I just seared around each of the big sides. Cooked for 35 minutes, and they turned out wonderfully. Keep the Instant Pot recipes coming!
Hi Tim! Oh good to hear! Thank you so much for your feedback. Yes, more coming this winter. Hopefully another one next week if I can finish writing. 🙂
Hi, I made this today. I live in the bay area as well. I got ribs from Ranch 99 but they were flat, like the kind used for Korean BBQ. I didn’t see ribs like the ones in your video. Where do you buy them?
Hi hmucha! Thank you for trying this recipe! I buy this cut of meat from American butcher. I’ve bought this cut from Whole Foods, Lundadi’s, Piazzas Fine Foods in the past… they are my local stores in Peninsula, in case you live around here. 🙂
Hi, can this be made without daikon? Should I substitute potatoes? Do you have any other suggestions if we don’t have any daikon? Thanks!
Hi Danielle! You can make it without daikon, if you like. Root vegetables like turnips would be great since it keeps the shape for a long time without being mushy (while cooking the meat). 🙂
I made this tonight as written with brisket. 50 minutes in the Instant Pot and the meat was perfect-tender but not falling apart. I love the peppery/sweet flavor that the daikon gives the stew, it reminds me a little bit of parsnips. Thank you for this wonderful recipe which I’m sure we’ll be making again.
Hi Andrew! Thank you for trying this recipe! I hope you try with short ribs one day. I’ve tried with brisket too, but it’s less fatty so the “melting” effect is missing and it’s probably required to cook for a longer time. Thank you for your kind feedback on this recipe!
I’ve had my eye on this recipe since you posted it in the beginning of December. I bought the hot pot around Christmas time. Last night was the first time I used it and I made this recipe. This was most delicious and tender. I want to make this for company. Have you ever doubled recipe?
Thank you Nami for another 5* recipe and for recommending my new favorite kitchen gadget. Keep those hot pot recipes coming.
(my picky husband even loved the Daikon…what a pleasant surprise)
Hi Lyn! You bought the instant pot? Cool! I’m so happy to hear you liked this recipe, and thanks so much for trying this recipe!
No, I haven’t double this recipe yet. Maybe just a little bit but not double. Only part is that you have to sear the meat in 2-3 batches. I think it should work, but you might want to double check the max amount of ingredients you can put in the instant pot. I am pretty sure it will work, but I hope that flavors will go all around the ingredients. If you end up trying, would you let us (me and other readers) know? That would be very helpful for those who want to make double batches. Thank you!
p.s. Haha I’m so happy to hear your husband enjoyed daikon! It absorbs so much flavor – and it also gives out liquid to this dish, so when you double the batch, make sure to add the same or close amount of veggies too.
Hi Nami!!
I’m so happy to stumble upon your website of many easy (and looks simply delicious) recipes for Instant Pot. I’m a newbie to the pot and I’m now very excited to try this dish using the IP.
As I do not have sake and mirin, can I omit them or replace them with something else? What do you suggest?
Thank you!
Hi Sheena! Welcome to my blog! I hope you find some recipes that interest you on my site. 🙂
Sake and mirin is key ingredients for Japanese cooking, and without them, result will be slightly different. If you end up cooking more Japanese recipes, you’ll know mirin and sake are in the recipes all the time. 🙂
For sake, you can use dry sherry or Chinese rice wine. For Mirin, you can use 1 Tbsp. sake (or above replacement) + 1 tsp. sugar for 1 Tbsp. mirin.
Hope you enjoy!
Hi Nami,
I’ve bought the sake and mirin already! My husband and I love Japanese food so we thought that it would be best to just get those key ingredients. Going to try it out tomorrow! Thanks for your reply and keep up the good recipes 🙂
Hi Sheena! Awesome! Glad you got the essential ingredients for Japanese food! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Hi Nami,
Cooked this last night and it was SO delicious! My husband was so happy and impressed with the taste. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Do share more recipes to cook with Instant Pot 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. Yes, I plan to share more recipes using instant pot in the future, but I have other recipes to share in between since not everyone has instant pot. 😀 Meanwhile, hope you enjoy other two Instant Pot recipes on the blog.
What liquid is used? Surely the soy, sake & mirin isn’t enough.
Hi Gram! This is a pressure cooker recipe, so you don’t need that much liquid to cook with (Instant Pot doesn’t let the steam evaporated once cooking). Oh, and daikon will release more water too.
Hi there, I am thinking of getting an Instant Pot. Which model are you using? I am thinking of getting the Instant Pot Lux60 6 in 1. Will they work the same for your recipe? Cheers!
Hi Brynda! I’m using 7 in 1 (http://amzn.to/239pKut). The size and watt etc are different, so make sure it is suitable for what you need. I recommend reading Amazon reviews to compare. 🙂
Hi Nami, thank you so much for your response and the information – really appreciate them 🙂
Hi Nami,
Usually in the supermarket we can only get 1kg cut of beef.
How would I have to adjust the cooking time and ingredients to match this?
I love your blog. I have tried your Soboro Don and they’re a winner!
Hi Yenni! If you’re using a pressure cooker that’s about the same size as this one, the sauce will be enough to cook for 1 kg of meat. But you could also save 200 g for other dishes too. Happy to know your soboro don came out well! Thanks so much for trying my recipes!
Hi Nami, I have tried to cook it yesterday but it turned out to be on the sweeter side. Is the sauce supposed to be sweet? Thank you.
Hi Star! Definitely sweet taste to it but not excessively. However, it’s possible that the balance is off if you change the other ingredients, such as omitting daikon etc since daikon releases water while cooking and dilute the flavor (which I included in overall taste). Hope this helps!
Thank you for a great recipe! I just made it in my rice/slow cooker and it smells devine. Would I be able to use this recipe with other cuts of meat in the future in case I can’t find short ribs?
Hi Justine! So sorry for my late response. Yes, you can. I have tried with beef brisket and chuck roast but cook for a longer time, about 45-50 minutes. 🙂
I made this dish today and OMG! How easy, quick and delicious! Will definitely enter our household weekly meals roster. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Julia! You made it already! Thank you so much for your kind feedback! I’m glad you liked it! 😀 xo
The Instant Pot is on sale on the Amazon PRIME now app for $78.50. Code getitnow for first time users gets an additional $20 off. I just ordered it and it will be here in an hour or so! Amazing. Will try this recipe once I get it.
Hi Ronnie! Thanks so much for the tip on such a great deal! I hope you enjoy this recipe. I have to cook it soon again… so yummy. 😀
Hi Nami, this one look delicious.. will def give it a try this week. Could you let me know what other protein that work with this recipe? Will pork spare rib or beef shank also work? Thank you 🙂
Hi Margiee,
Thank you so much for trying this recipe!
This recipe is only tested with beef (short ribs, chuck, stew meat). So we can’t tell you if an adjustment is necessary for other proteins. Please let us know how it goes!
Hi Nami! I want to try this recipe, but I don’t have a pressure cooker. I have a slow cooker and a big Dutch oven though. Can I cook this recipe using what I have? If so, how? Thank you!!!
Hi Sylvana! Sure, you can use a slow cooker or Dutch oven, but it will take a long time to get that same tenderness. 🙂
What would I need to do differently and how much longer would I need to cook this if I were using my Dutch oven or slow cooker? Thank you so much, Nami!!
Hi Sylvana! At least 3-4 hours. At least. Hope you will enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Hi Nami! I’ve cooked your recipes every night this week and they’ve been amazing. My husband doesnt like tofu and he’s “ordered” tofu pizza for next week too! The hambagu is also to die for.
Do you know if you can get these boneless ribs in grocers in Japan and if so what the kanji might be?
Thank you!!
Hi Kirsty! I’m so happy to hear you’ve been cooking my recipes this week! Thanks so much for your kind words about my recipes too! I hope your husband enjoyed the tofu pizza. 😀
Boneless ribs should be 骨なし (boneless) 牛バラ肉 (beef ribs). Sometimes it might say カルビ (kalbi). Hope this helps! 🙂