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Keeping it cozy but fancy…ish with White Wine Braised Short Ribs with Buttered Mushroom Cream Sauce. Slow-cooked short ribs in white wine with fresh herbs. Topped with a creamy French-inspired mushroom sauce made using herbs, Dijon mustard, and parmesan cheese. Serve over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes, polenta, or buttered noodles and you’ll have the perfect dinner for a cold night in. Bonus? You can also make this in the Instant Pot or on the stove-top. An easy, hands-off dinner that’s so delicious…the perfect cozy holiday meal!
Do you have go-to holiday recipes? For me, one of my favorite holiday dinners to serve is slow-braised short ribs. I often make these red wine braised short ribs when all of the family arrives for Christmas. They’re simple and everyone loves the recipe. This Christmas however, I wanted to switch things up a little and create a completely different short rib dinner. Enter these French-inspired short ribs. Made with plenty of white wine and the most delicious, incredibly creamy (plus oh so buttery) mushroom cream sauce.
I was inspired by my French wine and mustard chicken to create this dinner. Everyone LOVES that recipe so much, but I wondered how the same flavors would pair with a heartier short rib. It sounded pretty delicious to me so I gave it a try. I quickly realized I had just created one of my better recipes of the year. Yes, that is bold, but these short ribs are SO GOOD.
But let’s be honest, what’s not to love about short ribs that have been slowly cooking in white wine all day long? And when served with a creamy, buttery mushroom sauce, well that’s complete comfort food and it’s completely delicious!
As with most crockpot recipes, this recipe is pretty simple…toss everything together and forget about it!
Start with the short ribs, as they need a low and slow cook time. I prefer to sear my meat before adding it to the crockpot. Searing the meat gives it a nice coloring and adds additional flavor. But if this step is too time-consuming for you, you can easily skip it. Once the short ribs are in the crockpot add a good amount of white wine, onions, garlic, and herbs. Cook low and slow, ideally all day long. The beauty of crockpot recipes is that they are so hands-off. I love that this can be cooking away while I’m busy doing whatever needs to be done…say wrapping gifts.
As the short ribs cook, your kitchen will be filled with cozy smells. Ideally, these ribs are best when given plenty of time to cook. So if you can, start cooking the ribs in the morning. My little tip for busy days? Sear the ribs the night before, add everything to the crockpot insert, then keep in the fridge overnight. In the morning, start the slow cooker, place the insert in, and come home to dinner. Easy. Easy.
The ribs come out tender and falling off the bone. They’ll almost melt in your mouth, and yes, it’s truly delicious.
PS. If you don’t have a crockpot, I’ve also given Instant Pot and oven directions too! I want to make sure everyone can make these delicious short ribs!
A little before you’re ready to eat, make the buttered mushroom cream sauce. Yes, I know, sauce kind of defeats the “make it all in the crockpot” idea, but trust me, this buttery, herby mushroom cream sauce is worth every last bit of extra effort. And really, it’s a very easy sauce to put together. You can even make it ahead of time and simply warm it up before serving.
Start with the mushrooms. I love using a mix of wild mushrooms and cooking them with butter plus plenty of fresh herbs. As the mushrooms slowly cook, the butter browns and the herbs become crisp, infusing the butter with delicious flavor. Once the mushrooms have caramelized, add a splash of white wine, a touch of cream, Dijon mustard (the key to this French-inspired sauce), and parmesan cheese. Simmer a few minutes until the sauce thickens, and that’s it.
This sauce only takes fifteen or so minutes to throw together. It makes for an incredible dinner that’s nothing but hearty, warming, and extra cozy…
Just what all December recipes should be.
I’d recommend a side of creamy mashed potatoes or polenta. I always find short ribs to pair best with something creamy. I made the instant pot mashed potato recipe from the Half Baked Harvest Super Simple cookbook, but my creamy herbed mashed potatoes would be equally delicious. Or try some rosemary polenta. Either will be great!
I’d also serve up some crusty bread and a bright salad too. This arugula salad is my current go-to when it comes to side salads.
Usually, I’ll serve beef tenderloin on Christmas Eve, but this year it’s going to be these white wine braised short ribs. I’m already excited about the fact that I don’t have to worry about under or over cooking the beef, slicing it, and figuring out how to keep it warm. With this recipe, I can leave the short ribs in the crockpot, and the cream sauce on the stove, allowing everyone to help themselves.
It’s as no-fuss as it can get. Perfect for busy holiday dinners…especially ones full of hungry brothers who love a meat and potatoes dinner more than anything in the world.
This will make their Christmas Eve.
If you make these white wine braised short ribs with buttered mushroom cream sauce, 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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Can I sub the mushroom with sun dried tomatoes? Or something else?
I made these short ribs last night for my dad’s 71st birthday. My parents just moved to be closer to us (grandkids) and this was the first of his birthdays we’ve all spent together since I was a kid. It was a special night with a very special meal. He absolutely love the dish. Thank you so much for all of your recipes! They pair so well with all of the wonderful memories we are making.
(Was only able to find boneless at Costco and 3 lbs was the perfect amount for the mushrooms)
Aww happy birthday to your dad! That is so awesome! 🙂 xT
When I saw this recipe it just screamed delicious. I’m starting to test recipes for Christmas dinner and decided this was one to try. It was absolutely delicious. I halved the recipe as it’s just me and my husband. We had dinner for two nights and the second night tasted just as delicious as the first. This was my first time ever cooking spareribs and they turned out perfect…..it’s definitely easier than you think if you have a crockpot! To cut the carbs we served it over cauliflower rice. I would highly recommend this recipe. Not sure how to share my photos.
Hey Jody,
That’s fantastic to hear! Thanks for trying this dish and your comment, love that it was enjoyed! xT
I made this dish in my dutch oven for Sunday dinner.
The mushroom sauce was delicious, but a bit too rich. Other than that, absolutely phenomenal dish!
Thanks so much for trying out the recipe! 🙂 xT
Yummmmmy! SO tasty and simple! Easily one of the best if not THE best short recipes I’ve tasted!
Love to hear this! Thank you so so much! xT
Could I do this with a pot roast?
Hi there! I haven’t ever tried this with a pot roast before so I can’t say for sure! xT
This recipe is a winner!! It was easy to make and the sauce is fabulous. The short ribs fell off the bone and the flavor was delicious. Question. Do you think you could make this recipe with short-ribs that are not bone-in?
Hey Gretchen! Yes, you could use non bone in short ribs, you just might have to adjust the time a bit! xT
How long would we cook if we did boneless?
Hi Molly,
I would keep the recipe the same:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope this turns out well for you! xT
Hello! Instead of using short rib, can I use Beef Top Round Baron in the slow cooker?
Thank you!
Hi there,
Sure, I don’t see why that wouldn’t work for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
What do I do with the leftover crockpot juice?
Hi there,
You can serve it over the short ribs to your liking:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT