Sticky Beef Short Rib Mac & Cheese
Sticky Beef Short Rib Mac & Cheese is a high-protein oven-baked recipe ready in 3 h 15 min. It makes 6 servings, each 960 kcal with 50 g protein. Expert level, 15 ingredients.
Adapted from a home cook's recipe and measured by Cookpath.
- 3 h 15 mintotal
- Expertlevel
- 960kcal a serving
- 50 gprotein
What is Sticky Beef Short Rib Mac & Cheese
Short ribs braised in a soy, tomato and red wine sauce until tender, shredded and stirred through macaroni in a creamy cheddar and parmesan sauce.
- From the oven · Beef
- Searing & grilling
- Simmer & braise
- Sauces & dressings
How to make Sticky Beef Short Rib Mac & Cheese
Tips from the cook
- Brown the ribs really well on all sides, as that builds the flavour of the braise.
- Add the cheese off the heat and stir until melted and smooth, so the sauce does not split.
- If the sauce is too thick, loosen it with a splash of milk.
Step by step with timers, in your shopping list in one tap.
Goes well with
Sides from Cookpath that balance this dish, the same picks the app suggests.
Meal prep and storage
Cook the beef a day ahead if you like, as it reheats well, and make the macaroni on the day.
Keeps 3 days in the fridge. Reheat the mac and cheese with a splash of milk.
See this week’s meal prep plan on the blog, or plan your own week in the app.
Sticky Beef Short Rib Mac & Cheese substitutions
Out of something, or cooking around an allergy. Each swap was checked against a source.
Onion2 options
- Leek, white and light-green part 1:1 by volume
Still an allium; raw dishes.
- Fennel bulb, finely diced 1:1 by volume
Sweet aniseed note; raw dishes.
Soy sauce2 options
- Tamari (labelled gluten-free) 1:1
Still soy.
Still contains soy.
- Coconut aminos 1:1 (sweeter, use a bit more salt)
Less salty; dark, sold in health-food aisles.
Red wine1 option
- Beef stock + 1 tsp red wine vinegar per 100 ml 1:1 by volume
Less depth; stock may contain celery.
Still contains celery.
Beef stock3 options
- Vegetable stock (check the label for celery) 1:1 by volume
Less meaty; vegetable stock typically includes celery.
Still contains celery.
- Mushroom broth (a handful of dried or fresh shiitake simmered in plain water 20-30 min) 1:1 by volume
Earthy rather than beefy.
- Miso in hot water (1-2 tsp white or yellow miso per 1 cup water) 1:1 by volume
Added late, do not boil hard; miso may also carry gluten (not confirmed).
Still contains soy.
Macaroni1 option
- Gluten-free pasta (corn/rice or corn-rice blend) 1:1 by weight; cook per packet, slightly al dente
Soups (goes soft fast) and long simmers.
Butter2 options
- Vegan/dairy-free butter block 1:1 by weight
Soft tub margarine fails in pastry and cheesecake base.
- Olive oil use about 3/4 as much by volume
Not for creaming or pastry; base goes oily.
Flour1 option
- Gluten-free plain flour blend (rice/potato/tapioca) 1:1 by weight
Pizza dough needs extra water and binder.
Milk3 options
- Unsweetened soy drink 1:1
Thickens less than dairy.
Still contains soy.
- Gluten-free oat drink 1:1
Must be labelled gluten-free.
- Unsweetened almond drink 1:1
Thin; tree nut.
Still contains tree nuts.
Cheddar3 options
- Mozzarella or Swiss 1:1 by weight
Milder than cheddar.
Still contains dairy.
- Dairy-free cheddar-style shreds (a labelled dairy-free product) 1:1 by weight
The page says dairy-free cheese will never taste or melt like real cheese; soy/nut content varies by brand.
Still contains soy.
- Nutritional yeast 2 tbsp per 50 g
Does not melt.
Parmesan2 options
- Vegetarian hard Italian-style cheese (made with microbial rennet) 1:1 by weight
Grana Padano is not suitable for egg-free (lysozyme from egg).
Still contains dairy.
- Nutritional yeast (fortified flakes) 1:1 by volume, less salty so add pinch of salt
Does not melt; less sharp.







