This red wine braised short rib spaghetti is basically the only recipe you need to stay warm and cozy all winter long. If you like hearty, satisfying pasta dishes, this is for you.
Oh my goodness…
I cannot tell you how good this braised short rib spaghetti is. I made it last night for our Sunday dinner and will happily be enjoying leftovers tonight! Let’s just say, it was the perfect way to end a long holiday weekend, and now is the perfect way to stay cozy as we start the week.
With the winter season officially in full swing (we had our first big snowfall today!!), I couldn’t think of anything better than a big bowl of pasta for dinner.
If you’re a braised short rib fanatic like me, you will love this dish. I basically turned classic braised short ribs into a rich, tomato meat sauce, full of red wine and herbs, and finished with a few swirls of butter. It’s creamy, extremely hearty, and full of melt-in-your-mouth pieces of slowly cooked meat.
Technically speaking… you’ll sear the meat, transfer it to a plate, saute aromatics, add red wine + canned tomatoes + stock, add the meat back in, simmer for a few hours, remove and shred the meat, strain and reduce the sauce, add the meat back in, and then toss the whole thing with spaghetti. It takes a bit of time and love, but it’s a really simple process.
Oh… and you must top the spaghetti with lots of parmesan cheese & more herbs, for good measure. Enjoy!
PrintBraised Short Rib Spaghetti
hearty & satisfying braised short rib spaghetti, full of red wine & herbs
servings: 8
Ingredients
- 6 lbs bone-in short ribs
- kosher salt, as needed
- freshly cracked black pepper, as needed
- vegetable oil, as needed
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 (14 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (29 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 large sprigs of thyme
- 1 sprig of sage
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 1/2 lbs spaghetti
- high-quality grated parmesan, to garnish
- fresh parsley or fried sage, to garnish
Instructions
- Let the short ribs sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Season generously with salt and black pepper on all sides. Heat a large, heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add enough vegetable oil to just coat the bottom of the pot.
- Working in batches, sear the short ribs really well, about 3-4 minutes on all four sides. Transfer each batch of meat to a foil-lined sheet pan or plate once seared.
- To the pan drippings, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and black pepper. Sauté the vegetables for a few minutes until tender and caramelized. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Stir in the flour and let cook for a minute or so, stirring continuously. Deglaze the pot with the red wine. Bring to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan to release all of the flavors. Let simmer for another minute.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, thyme, sage, and another pinch of salt. Let the tomatoes simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the beef stock. Add the short ribs back to the pot. Bring the liquid to a simmer. Cover the pot, leaving a small crack open to allow some steam to escape.
- Turn the heat all the way to low and let the short ribs braise for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
To Assemble:
- Prepare of large pot of boiling, salted water.
- After 3 hours, remove the short ribs from the pot. Strain the sauce, using a wooden spoon to really press and release all of the flavor from the vegetables and herbs.
- Pour the sauce back into the pot. Using a folded paper towel, blot as much fat off the top as possible. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce cook and reduce for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, use your hands and a pair of gloves to shred the meat, discarding any large chunks of fat, bone, and connective tissue. At the same time, drop the spaghetti into the boiling, salted water and cook for 2 minutes less than the package’s instructions.
- Once the sauce has reduced and thickened, whisk in the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Stir the shredded meat back into the sauce. Taste and season with more salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce. Alternatively, ladle the sauce over the spaghetti. Serve with the parmesan cheese and herbs on top.
Notes
Since this recipe takes a good amount of time to prepare, I like to make a lot of it! It’s perfect for leftovers or for a dinner party. You can also always cut the recipe in half. The braising time will still be about the same in order to tenderize the meat.
This recipe is fantastic! My only recommendation (assuming one has the time) is after the short ribs have been removed (after the 3 hours) and the sauce has been strained and pressed, put the strained sauce in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight so the fat (of which there is a lot!) can be easily removed the next morning. I also shredded the beef while it was still warm. An hour before serving, reheat the sauce and continue on with the recipe!
By the way, this sauce only gets better with age if you’re fortunate enough to have any leftovers!
I made this for dinner tonight. I somehow had all the ingredients in the kitchen. It turned out amazing. Such a great flavor. I made mine in the instapot (like I do everything haha) so I was done much faster. Also, I ate the carrots after as a nice pre-dinner snack. And drank half the bottle of wine :). It was a nice little evening. Thanks for the recipe!
If you’re cutting the recipe in half about how long do you braise for?
Braise time is still about the same because you’ll need that time to break down and tenderize the tough meat. But, start with 2 1/2 hours and test it (you’ll want the meat to fall off the bone and shred easily with a fork) and then go from there. Hope this helps!
Think you could Crock Pot it at step 7?
I haven’t tried this, but yes I think you absolutely could!
This looks delicious and I plan to make for Friday night! Can I sub cassava or almond flour in order to make gluten free?
Hey there! Sorry I’m just seeing your comment now and you might have already made this, but yes! I absolutely think a cassava or almond flour would work. The flour is just used to thicken the sauce slightly and there’s not too much of it to make a huge impact. Let me know if you tried it!
oh my!! This LOOKS and SOUNDS delicious!!!
Thank you so much!! I hope you get to try it this winter…it’s a really good one!