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This Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Rib Pasta is best for cold winter nights. Slow-cooked short ribs or chicken braised in a rich, garlicky, red wine/tomato/bacon sauce. The beef is then shredded and tossed with your favorite cut of pasta. If there’s one cozy winter meal you need to be making, it’s this simple short rib pasta. It’s the simplest dinner to put together, but feels fancy, festive, and most importantly? It’s truly delicious. Serve this Sunday style pasta topped with plenty of parmesan cheese and a side of crusty bread. You’ll have the perfect dinner for a cold night-in with family. You can make this pasta easily in the slow cooker, instant pot, or on the stove-top. Do what works best for you!
You guys, I truly love the month of December, but especially this year. It’s so refreshing to feel all the excitement in the air. I’ve never put a ton of pressure on myself to make everything perfect for the holidays, though I try! Instead I just attempt to have a lot of fun creating and sharing the things I love most.
And for me, that also means really good family meals. With my family all very slowly beginning to arrive for Christmas over the next couple of weeks, I’m excited to spend some time with them. I want to take a minute to soak everything in and be thankful for all this year has had to offer. It’s been a crazy year, a scary year, and also an exciting year, all at the same time. But this year more than ever I’m so thankful to be doing what I love each and every day.
It has been go, go, go for months now, so I haven’t really had the chance to chill, and probably won’t anytime soon. But the point in all of this rambling? With my family arriving soon, and things as hectic as they are, I’m currently on the lookout for the easiest recipes. Recipes that I can throw together in the morning and simply serve up that night.
And even more importantly? These are simple recipes that I know everyone will really love and enjoy. Enter this slow cooker pasta.
The Inspiration.
If any of you own the Half Baked Harvest Super Simple cookbook, you may recall a recipe for Caroline’s Family’s pasta. Caroline is my cousin’s longtime girlfriend and soon to be wife. This recipe has been in their family for quite some time. It’s a very simple chicken and tomato-based pasta, but it’s a recipe that everyone loves.
I was thinking about their family recipe the other week. I then had the idea to create the sauce in the slow cooker. And instead of using chicken, to use heartier short ribs. Since the sauce already has red wine, the short ribs sounded like they could be a delicious pairing.
I don’t make short ribs all too often, but whenever I do it seems to be around the holidays. Something about short ribs over pasta just feels extra special, even fancy, but yet they are so simple! I slow-cooked these all day and a few hours into cooking, I knew this was going to be good.
The smells coming from the slow cooker were those perfect cozy smells you want on cold December days.
This Slow Cooker Pasta is Simple
This recipe starts with a little bacon, which I think is key to Caroline’s family’s sauce. The bacon adds a rich layer of flavor that really hooks everyone in right away.
Once the bacon has been crisped, sear the short ribs or you can use chicken too! Trust me, I know how much of a turn off this is in any slow cooker recipe. But searing the ribs or chicken will give you an even more tender, flavorful short rib every time. I know you might not want to dirty the pan or deal with grease splatter, but if you want your short ribs to be great, give them a nice sear before slowly braising them all day.
Once the bacon has been crisped and the short ribs seared, you pretty much just throw all remaining ingredients into the slow cooker and cook all day long. Low and slow is key with short ribs, so I recommend cooking the full six hours on low. Of course, if you’re short on time, you can also cook this using the instant pot. And if you don’t have a slow cooker or an instant pot? The stovetop is a great option too!
The major flavor for this pasta come from dry red wine, tomato paste, garlic, and allspice.
One of my favorite things to do this time of year is to slow braise short ribs or chicken in red wine. Normally I make this recipe with cranberries, but I LOVE this more Italian-style short rib.chicken pasta too. The tomato paste paired with the warming allspice is really key and infuses the sauce with flavor. It feels very fancy when tossed with pasta. It’s really one of the best, coziest meals I serve up during the winter.
As the sauce slowly cooks, the kitchen is filled with warming hearty scents leaving you very excited for dinner. Every bowl of pasta is just oh so slightly spicy, creamy, and has just the right amount of garlic and cheese.
It’s that so very good…stick to your bones, enjoy a second helping, kind of delicious.
To sum it up
Our temperatures have been dropping so low at night, so this was perfect. If you need something warm and hearty to serve on these days leading up to Christmas, I highly recommend these short ribs.
Or? Make this pasta a part of your Christmas Eve or Christmas night dinner menu. It’s fancy enough for both, but yet so easy!
You can even prepare the sauce way ahead of time, then just add the pasta before you’re ready to serve. Try serving alongside my Pull-Apart Garlic Butter Bread Wreath or Salted Butter Parker House Rolls. Add a simple Winter Pomegranate Salad into the mix and you’ll have the perfect holiday meal. It’s one of those pasta dishes that’s easily loved by all.
Looking for other good wintery dinners? Here are my favorites:
Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and White Wine Cream Sauce
Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Squash Lasagna Boats
Lastly, if you make this Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Rib Pasta be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Slow Cooker Red Wine Braised Short Rib Pasta
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 788 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 4-5 pounds bone-in beef short ribs, chicken breast, or thighs
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, chopped or grated
- 2 cups dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 parmesan rind, plus parmesan, for serving
- 1 pound dry pasta any cut
- fresh basil or parsley, for serving
Instructions
Slow Cooker
- 1. In the bowl of your slow cooker, combine the wine, 2 cups water, the tomato paste, onion, garlic, allspice, and bay leaves. Season heavily with salt and pepper. 2. Season the short ribs or chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from the skillet, drain excess grease. Add the bacon to the slow cooker. Going back to the same skillet, sear the ribs on both sides over medium-high heat. Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker. Gently toss everything to combine. Add the parmesan rind. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-6 hours. 3. Just before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain4. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind. Shred the meat, discard the bones, and toss the meat with the sauce. If needed, thin the sauce with pasta cooking water. Serve the sauce over pasta. Top with lots of parmesan and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Instant Pot
- 1. In the bowl of your Instant Pot, combine the wine, 2 cups water, the tomato paste, onion, garlic, allspice, and bay leaves. Season heavily with salt and pepper. 2. Season the short ribs or chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove from the skillet, drain excess grease. Add the bacon to the Instant Pot. Going back to the same skillet, sear the ribs on both sides over medium-high heat. Transfer the ribs to the Instant Pot. Gently toss everything to combine. Add the parmesan rind. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 40 minutes.3. Once done cooking, use the natural or quick release function. Finish as directed above from step 3 on.
Stove-Top
- 1. Season the short ribs or chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp. Push the bacon to the side, add the ribs sear on both sides over medium-high heat. Drain off excess grease. 2. Add the in the wine, 2 cups water, the tomato paste, onion, garlic, allspice, and bay leaves. Season heavily with salt and pepper. Gently toss everything to combine. Add the parmesan rind. Cover and cook on low for 3-4 hours, stirring every hour until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. If needed, add water throughout cooking to keep the ribs mostly covered. 3. Finish as directed above from step 3 on.
Can the sauce be premade a couple days in advance and refrigerated?
Hi Dan,
Sure, that will work well for you! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
If I can’t find bone in short ribs how many pounds of boneless short ribs would I use??
Hi Beth,
I would use about 3 pounds. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This recipe was very easy and every delicious! Made for Christmas Eve and it was a huge success. Couldn’t get my hands on bone in short ribs, but the boneless ones worked well. Yum!
Hi Kelly,
Thank you so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Merry Christmas!?? xT
I’m right in the middle of making this and I realize the instructions say “combine the wine with 2 cups of water in slow cooker”, however the ingredients only list 2 cups of wine but no water at all…. I’m confused now, how much wine and water do I use? Do I use water at all?
Thank you!
Okay so I ended up doing the 2 cups wine & 2 cups water as I figured perhaps even though water was part of the recipe, maybe water isn’t included in the ingredients? If this was wrong than perhaps this was my issue…
Other than the above I followed the recipe to a T using chicken thighs rather than short ribs as it would have cost $80 (cdn) for the short ribs. The recipe turned out just “okay” for me. It smelled incredible all day so maybe my disappointment came from the fact that it didn’t taste nearly as good as it smelled? It was watery, even with adding pasta water. The taste was alright, nothing too interesting. More like tomato and wine. For me this recipe was just okay. I wonder if it would have tasted better with the beef short ribs bs chicken… but it’s not promising enough for me to find out via spending $80 on the meat.
It’s okay though! I’ll maybe try again with a corn starch slurry and chuck roast as other have suggested.
Hi Diana,
So sorry this recipe was not enjoyed, thanks for giving it a try! xTieghan
Hi Diana,
Water is never listed as an “ingredient”. Please follow the instructions and use the wine and water. I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
Delicious flavorful sauce! Aside from chicken, any other cuts of meat you’d recommend for this sauce?
I am not sure where I failed but I ended up finding a bunch of little bone pieces in the sauce…. I’ll still eat it as it is soooo yummy. But I wonder if there’s anything boneless I can use lol
Thanks!
Hey Ana,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try! You could use boneless short ribs next time. xTieghan
This happened to me too! Lots of bone pieces in the sauce and I wondered if I had done something wrong!
I made this for Christmas dinner last year and it was such a hit we’re having it again this year!
Hey Rachel,
Awesome! It’s so great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have the best weekend❄️ xTieghan
Tieghan this was a knockout! My boyfriend absolutely loved this dish and I love how simple it was. As I am trying to be budget conscious heading into the holidays, I used 2.5 lb chuck roast in place of the short ribs and you would never have known the difference. The sauce was decadent without being greasy. Only used 1.5 cups of water as my crockpot was about to overflow but thank you for an elevated dish that is so simple.
Hey Caitlin,
Happy Friday!! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend. xTieghan
So amazing. I did it in the oven at 250 for 3 hours and lowered to 225 for an additional 3. It was incredible.
Hey Jenn,
I am thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a try. I hope you have an amazing week! xTieghan
For those concerned about the consistency of the sauce: when I pull the meat out to shred it, I increase the burner temp up to a medium and just let the sauce reduce a LOT. Definitely less fiddly than adding more ingredients! 🙂 I served this with fried sage & garlic mashed potatoes, and chopped kale.
Hey! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Happy Monday ? xTieghan
I did the stove top Dutch oven version so DELICIOUS and relatively easy. My husband handed out the compliments tonight and was pumped to have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes 🙂
Hi Amanda! I really appreciate you taking the time to give this recipe a try! I hope you loved it 🙂 xTieghan
Hi! I really appreciate you taking the time to give this recipe a try! I hope you loved it 🙂 xTieghan
Just tried this in the Instant Pot! While my partner and I loved the flavors, I found that 40 minutes on high pressure was definitely not enough to tenderize the short rib. I ended up having to add some butter (to adjust for sauce thickness) and putting it in high pressure for 10 more minutes which helped, but it was still a bit tough. I will try to cook it some more tomorrow and see if that helps — but overall love this recipe!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, I really appreciate the feedback as well! xTieghan
This was delicious. I’ve never cooked with short ribs before and wanted something different. My husband said he wants this recipe in the rotation, and it will be great to serve when hosting guests because it makes a lot. There was a bit of oil and fat on top, but skimming it off before serving wasn’t a big deal at all. Wonderful recipe!
Hi there! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe, so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 xTieghan
How would this recipe be without the parmesan rind? I cannot eat dairy!
My husband picked out this recipe. We loved it! I did grocery pickup so I didn’t get to pick out my ribs. They may have been too fatty and caused the sauce to be very greasy. I had some old bread in the fridge. I placed some slices on top of the sauce and it soaked up all the grease. Sauce saved!!!! Great tip if anyone gets a greasy sauce like me. Beef ribs just tend to be more fatty. Sauce had awesome flavor.
Hey Siri,
Awesome!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was SO good! Made it last night even though it’s 90 degrees where I live. I did the slow cooker version and followed the recipe almost exactly (rare for me); I even had a Parmesan rind on hand. I used a little less short ribs (which I got from Whole Foods) and it was a perfect amount. I’m glad I read the other comments before I made it so that I was prepared for the sauce to be pretty thin. I added some cornstarch and even a little butter at the end and that helped. I think next time I would add a little less wine and a little more tomato paste, or even some crushed tomatoes. We served it over rigatoni and a side of roasted asparagus and it was a huge hit. Thanks for another great recipe Tieghan!
Hey Kaitlyn,
Fantastic! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
What is the name of the pasta you used in this dish? I know you can use anything but this pasta is so pretty!
Hey Meagan,
I used Delallo trumpets for this recipe. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Love this savory goodness! Thanks for continuing to give us FREE and SUPERB recipes to whip up! You’re a culinary genius!
Hey Stacy,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan