This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This restaurant-quality Braised Beef and Tortelloni is loaded with tender chunks of beef in the most amazing Marsala wine sauce, and spooned over Asiago cheese tortelloni.
If you are like me – and you always order the Braised Beef and Tortelloni every time you eat out at Olive Garden – you are going to love today’s recipe!
I adore just about any meal made with tortellini or its larger cousin, tortelloni. (It’s my favorite pasta!) And this particular dish – made with beef short ribs that are braised until fork-tender and hearty chunks of Portobello mushrooms, all served with a super flavorful creamy Marsala wine sauce – makes my pasta-loving heart very happy!
After noticing that I always order the Braised Beef and Tortelloni every single time we go out to eat at Olive Garden, Jack suggested we try making a copycat recipe at home. And dare I say…our Braised Beef and Tortelloni is EVEN BETTER than the version at the restaurant? Yep – Jack totally nailed it!
I’m going to say right up front that this Braised Beef and Tortelloni isn’t a quick recipe, and it does take a little bit of time and effort to prepare. But if you follow our recipe below – you’ll be rewarded with a delicious pasta meal with deep, rich flavor that will have you tempted to lick then plate clean!
Using a quality Marsala wine in this recipe is important. Whatever you do, please don’t make this dish with the Marsala cooking wine you find on supermarket shelves – it just isn’t going to give you the flavor you want. Instead, buy a real Marsala drinking wine from a liquor store.
Additionally, this Braised Beef and Tortelloni recipe makes a generous amount – so it’s perfect for feeding a crowd, or for enjoying as leftovers the next day.
Enjoy!
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Braised Beef and Tortelloni
This restaurant-quality Braised Beef and Tortelloni is loaded with tender chunks of beef in the most amazing Marsala wine sauce, and spooned over Asiago cheese tortelloni.
Ingredients
3–4 pounds short ribs, bone left on **see note below
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup sweet onion diced, such as Vidalia
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 cup marsala wine (do not use the Marsala cooking wine from the supermarket, get real Marsala drinking wine)
1 1/2 cups beef stock (store bought is fine, or see here)
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
2 large portabella mushroom caps *see note
2 plum tomatoes, cut into eight pieces
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 20-ounce package Asiago-filled fresh tortelloni (or any fresh cheese-filled tortelloni available at your market)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Salt and pepper all sides of the short ribs.
In a large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed oven proof pot with an oven proof lid, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.
Add the beef ribs and sear on all six sides for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the seared meat to a platter and pour off all but two tablespoons of the fat remaining in the pan but do not discard the remaining fat. More will be used later in this recipe.
Add the onions and sauté for three minutes. Add the basil and cook for one more minute then add the marsala wine.
Reduce by half then add the beef stock, water and the bay leaf and add the seared ribs back into the pan. The liquid will not cover the tops of the beef. Cover and place in the oven for two hours, untouched.
While the beef is braising, in a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved beef fat and once hot, add the mushrooms. Sauté for 5-6 minutes or until tender.
Add the tomatoes, cook for one minute then add the balsamic vinegar. Cook for one more minute and remove from heat. Set aside.
After two hours, remove the pot from the oven and pick the beef pieces out to your cutting board with tongs. The bones should slip right off and be discarded. Once they are cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife and remove fat and gristle from the beef. Cut the remaining beef pieces against the grain into slices.
Place a large pot of water on to cook the tortelloni while you finish the dish. The tortelloni takes about 6-7 minutes to cook, assuming you are using fresh.
In a small sauté pan, melt butter and once melted, add flour. Cook for three minutes over medium heat and then remove from heat.
Heat the liquid left in the pot of beef over medium high and once it starts to boil, add the butter and flour mixture and whisk to combine. Once thickened, add heavy cream and whisk again. Add cooked sliced beef and cooked mushrooms and tomatoes from earlier. Stir to combine.
Drain the cooked tortelloni and add back into the pot it was cooked in and add a little of the finished sauce to coat.
Pour the tortelloni into a serving platter and pour the finished braised beef over the top.
Garnish with some chopped fresh basil.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Notes
*To prepare the portabella mushroom caps, remove stem if present and discard. Use a soup spoon and scoop out the dark ribs and also discard. Cut up the remaining cleaned mushroom cap into ½ inch sized pieces. After cleaning and cutting, you should have about 6 ounces or approximately two cups.
**3½ pounds of bone-in short ribs will yield one pound of usable meat. The rest are bones and scrap after cooked.
You may also like:
Baked Tortellini with Chicken Gratinati
So I’ve made this 4 times in the last year and it is by far one of my favorite recipes. I’ve also noticed the third day of the left overs is when it is at its best. There is absolutely nothing that needs tweaked or doctored up in this recipe. Using quality Marsala wine was a great tip and using my homemade beef stock makes a huge difference also.
Interesting Kevin! I don’t think we’ve had leftovers last that long (usually eaten by then) but now you have us very curious!! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
I made this recipe exactly as stated. It tasted very good. The Olive Garden original was my favorite dish at Olive Garden restaurants until they sadly discontinued it on the menu. Your recipe is missing something from the original and that is the gremolata, which is a sauce made of garlic, lemon zest and fresh parsley. I believe the description of the dish on the Olive Garden menu references this. This would enhance the taste of your recipe, IMO.
The only other change I would make is reducing the amount of grease in the pot after the short ribs are finished cooking and removed from the pot, before mixing with the flour and Marsala wine rue, and the tomatoes and mushrooms. My dish came out a little greasy. I love cooking Italian food. My mother was full Italian, as is my wife.
Thanks for the recipe. I will use it again, but add the gremolata.
Thanks for your feedback Mike – I honestly don’t recall the gremolata served with this dish, but it would be a nice fresh addition to offset the richness of the dish. And yes, if your ribs are very fatty, you can definitely drain some of the fat off before proceeding. (We love cooking Italian food too!) Thanks to taking the time to write to us.
Absolutely amazing! I’ve made this recipe twice and my husband and mother-in-law say it may be the best thing they’ve ever eaten! I cook the ribs in the instant pot after searing to save time, and it comes out soooooooo tender. Just gotta cook down the broth for a bit before adding the thickener and cream.
Thanks Jen!
I’m not finding fresh tortellini where I live. Will the dry tortellini on the shelf be an ok substitute or frozen tortellini ??
Hi Ali – Yes, you can use either but the cooking time for both will differ from the fresh, so follow the package instructions.
Can this be made ahead?
Sure Lynnette – I’d suggest cooking the pasta just before serving, but the braised beef can definitely be made ahead of time.
This is the BEST braised beef and tortelloni I have ever had. Like you, I always ordered it when going to the Olive Garden. I was very upset when I went to the restaurant the last couple of times and to my dismay, they no longer offered it on their menu. I came home and needed to find a way for me to still get to eat such a wonderful meal. I found your recipe…I was intimidated by it at first because I never cooked short ribs, braised anything, or used a dutch oven, so the recipe sat for about a year. I finally got up the nerve to make it and it is fabulous and actually very easy to prepare! My husband never had it before and said it is the best meal I have ever made. It is now our “special celebration ” go to meal. Thank you for sharing it. Not one thing needs changed. It is perfect!
Wow Diane – thank you!!
Omg!! I do not leave comments. This is the first comment I have ever made. This recipe was out of this world delicious!!
Thanks so much Sherry – glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Best copycat of this recipe we have tried!!
Thanks Matt!
This dish was amazing. I followed the recipe exactly but added fresh parmesan to the sauce, it was perfection! My boyfriend said it was his new favorite dish, I will definitely be making this once a month. Thanks!
You’re welcome Michaelle – so glad the recipe was a hit!
If I use beef sirloin instead of short ribs
How long do I leave it in the oven?
Tina, this is Jack. The braising process is a long and slow process that cooks and tenderizes tough cuts of meats like chuck or in this case short ribs. Sirloin is best cooked quick as it is a tender part of the animal. When sirloin is cooked for a long period of time, it dries out, loses taste and gets chewy. You can use sirloin but the whole recipe is going to change to cook it quickly and without remaking it and testing it, it would be too difficult to just give you a cooking time without adjusting the liquid and testing the results. I would be guessing. You are better off finding a different recipe to use the sirloin and buying short ribs to make this.
Wish I was more helpful,
Jack