Description
A flavorful and comforting short rib soup made with tender beef short ribs, aromatic shiitake mushrooms, and fresh cilantro, enhanced by spices like star anise and black peppercorns. This soup is enriched with vibrant Swiss chard and garnished with lime, ginger, and red pepper for a perfect balance of warming and bright flavors. Ideal for a hearty meal, it can be prepared quickly using an Instant Pot or slowly simmered on the stovetop.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 5 short ribs (about 4 oz each with bone, or 3 ounces each without, trimmed of excess fat)
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms (stems removed and sliced)
- 1 1/2 inches ginger (peeled, sliced into disks, and smashed)
- 5 scallions (3 whole, 1 chopped for garnish)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro (stems separated and leaves chopped)
- 8 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 3 whole star anise
- 1 lb Swiss chard (stems and leaves separated and coarsely chopped)
For Serving
- Lime wedges
- Crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha
- Fresh ginger cut into thin matchsticks
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Gather and trim the short ribs, slice the shiitake mushrooms, peel and smash the ginger, separate scallions and cilantro stems and leaves, and chop the Swiss chard into stems and leaves.
- Instant Pot Cooking: Place short ribs, mushrooms, ginger slices, 3 whole scallions, cilantro stems, black peppercorns, star anise, and beef broth into the Instant Pot. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 1 hour. Allow the pressure to release naturally or perform a quick release once cooking is complete.
- Stovetop Cooking (Alternative): Combine the short ribs, mushrooms, ginger, scallions, cilantro stems, peppercorns, star anise, and beef broth in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for about 2 hours or until the meat is tender. Increase the broth by 1/2 cup if using this method.
- Prepare Garnishes: While the soup cooks, prep chopped scallions, cilantro leaves, lime wedges, crushed red pepper flakes, and fresh ginger matchsticks for garnish.
- Strain and Separate: After cooking, divide short ribs and mushrooms evenly into 5 soup bowls. Strain the remaining broth through a fine mesh sieve to remove solids, discarding the bones and aromatics leftovers.
- Cook Swiss Chard: Return the strained broth to the Instant Pot and use the ‘Saute’ function or place the pot back on the stovetop to bring it to a simmer. Add Swiss chard stems and cook for 3 minutes, then add the leaves and cook until bright green, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Assemble and Serve: Ladle about 1 3/4 cups of the broth with Swiss chard into each soup bowl containing short ribs and mushrooms. Garnish with lime wedges, crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha, ginger sticks, cilantro leaves, and chopped scallions. Serve hot.
Notes
- The soup can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.
- Adjust the spice level by varying the amount of crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha used as garnish.
- Swiss chard can be substituted with kale or spinach if preferred.
- If short ribs are not available, beef chuck roast cut into large chunks can be a suitable substitute.
- For a gluten-free version, ensure beef broth and all spices are certified gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1 3/4 cups broth with meat and vegetables)
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
