Slow-Braised Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine and Root Vegetables

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-19 · Updated 2026-04-19

Tender beef short ribs slow-cooked in a rich red wine reduction with carrots, celery, and thyme for a comforting weeknight meal. This american-inspired slow cooker ready in about 380 minutes pairs beef short ribs, olive oil, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 500 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef short ribs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large, diced onion
• 2, peeled and diced carrots
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• to taste salt
• to taste pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat 2 pounds beef short ribs dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear ribs in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned, then transfer to a plate.
2. Step 2: Add 1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks to the Dutch oven and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened. Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup red wine and scrape the pot bottom to release browned bits. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
4. Step 4: Return seared ribs to the pot. Add 2 cups beef broth, 2 sprigs thyme, and 2 bay leaves. Cover and simmer on low heat for 6 hours until meat is fork-tender.
5. Step 5: Remove ribs and set aside. Strain cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Skim off excess fat.
6. Step 6: Return strained liquid to Dutch oven and simmer over medium heat until reduced by half (15-20 minutes). Stir in reserved ribs and heat through for 5 minutes.