Fall-off-the-bone, red wine braised short ribs and their lush sauce coat tendrils of fettuccine for a Sunday’s best, comfort food dinner.
This fettuccine dinner is a stick to your “short ribs” Sunday dinner (bad pun, but I had to do it). It’s perfect for a casual, gather-the-family-around-the-table meal, or special enough to serve to company.
This recipe is a batch cooking extension to one of my favorite, slow roasted recipes, Red Wine Braised Short Ribs. What I love about the short rib recipe is that it’s a cook it once, eat it twice, style of meal. Make it the day you plan to eat it with the best mashed potatoes or soft and creamy polenta, or because it gets even better with time (just like my mama’s Spaghetti and Meat Sauce recipe) make the sauce ahead of time, refrigerate, then cook the noodles and add to the sauce when ready to serve.
Or, be like this recipe, and make the braised short ribs specifically to coat these lovely curls of noodles.
What’s In Short Ribs Fettuccine
- Bone-in beef short ribs. I use a combination of American-cut and Korean-cut, but you can use only one style if you prefer.
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Onion
- Carrot
- Celery
- Garlic
- Tomato paste
- Canned whole tomatoes
- Beef broth
- Red wine. Choose a brand you’d enjoy drinking.
- Fresh rosemary
- Fresh or dried thyme
- Bay leaves
- Fettuccine noodles. DeLallo is my favorite brand of Italian, semolina pasta.
- Parmesan cheese
How to Make Short Ribs Fettuccine
Use a large, cast iron skillet to sear the meat, and cook the sauce in. Always start with a generously seasoned meat. It’s where the flavor begins. Cook the meat in two batches and don’t over crowd the pan. Cooking the meat too tight will create steam and a soft exterior instead of a browned, crisp crust. Brown on all sides then set aside.
Cook the Vegetables
Cook the tomato paste with the vegetables. Instead of adding the tomato paste with the liquid, cooking it with the vegetables removes its raw flavor, and adds that deeper, umami flavor.
Simmer and Braise
Add the beef back to the pan with beef broth, wine, and herbs, then let ‘er simmer. Add the meat back to the pot along with the rest of the ingredients, and simmer away.
Plan on 3 hours cooking time for the meat to become fall off the bone tender. Cook for the first 1 ½ hours with the lid on, then remove the lid and simmer for another 1 ½ hours for the sauce to reduce.
Shred It Baby
Remove the meat from the bones. Remove the ribs from the sauce, then shred the meat. I get into it and do this by hand. Add the shredded meat back to the sauce and keep warm. Or, refrigerate to serve later for up to 3 days.
Cook the Fettuccine
Don’t overcook the pasta! In this dish, the pasta is added to the meat sauce where it will continue to warm and cook. You don’t want mushy pasta, or for it to fall apart, so even undercooking the pasta by 1-2 minutes will make this dish perfectly A-Ok.
Cook the fettuccine just until al denté. Always season pasta cooking water with a generous dose of salt before cooking the pasta. This is what gives it flavor. Cook according to package directions, drain, but do not rinse.
Add the pasta to the sauce, and finish with a sprinkling of more fresh herbs. Gently toss the pasta into the meat sauce, coating it well. Add another sprinkling of fresh herbs to revive the herby flavor of the herbs that have cooked into the sauce.
Make It Ahead
This recipe is the ideal candidate for no-stress, weekday company dinner. Make the rib sauce on the weekend, then refrigerate for up to 3 days before serving. To reheat, set at room temperature for an hour or so, then reheat on the stove on medium low until warmed through. Prepare the fettuccine noodles, and top with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese before serving.
How to Freeze Short Ribs Fettuccine
The sauce with pasta can be frozen for up to 3 months. This dish is an ideal candidate for individual frozen servings for frozen dinners or lunches. For the best results, I suggest freezing the ribs and sauce without the noodles, and preparing the noodles just before serving.
What to Serve With Short Ribs Fettuccine
- The BEST Garlic Bread
- Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
- Roasted Asparagus
- Killer Garlic Knots
- Sautéed Spinach with Garlic
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
Short Ribs Fettuccine
Ingredients
- 3 pounds beef short ribs
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped carrot
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 3 cloves garlic , minced or pressed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 15 ounce can whole tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh minced rosemary , divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme , or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound fettuccine
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Season the short ribs with kosher salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Sear half of the ribs on all sides until well browned, 5-7 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the rest of the ribs. Wipe out any burned bits and drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pot.
- Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes for the tomato paste to lose its raw taste. Use your fingers to crush the whole tomatoes straight into the pot, along with the liquid from the can. Add the red wine, beef broth, 1 ½ tablespoons rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves. Add the short ribs back to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 1 ½ hours, then uncover and simmer for another 1 ½ hours. The liquid will have reduced and thickened, and the meat should fall off the bone. Spoon off any extra fat from the sauce.
- Separate the meat from the short rib bones, shred, and add back to the sauce. Keep warm. Prepare the fettuccine noodles according to the package directions, drain, and toss with the short rib sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese, and sprinkle with more minced herbs if desired.
Notes
- The short rib sauce can be cooked 1-2 days before serving. To serve, reheat over medium-low heat, covered, until warmed through then toss with the cooked fettuccine noodles.
Nutrition
More Pasta Dinner Recipes
- 35 Pasta Recipes to Make Now
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- Pasta with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
- Sausage and Marsala Pappardelle Pasta
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The recipe looks & sounds delicious. In your commentary you write:
“Red wine. Choose a brand you’d enjoy drinking.”
I am not looking for a “brand” but would like recommendations for a “type”, i.e. Cabernet, Merlot, Chianti, etc. I know nothing about wine & do no drink it, but I would have no problem cooking with wine. I just don’t know what would be best.
Thanks!
Hi Shirley, I used a boxed Merlot. Chianti, Pinot Noir, Syrahs would all work too. Cabernet is a heartier wine, so the dish will have a slightly stronger wine taste after cooking. Not that there’s anything wrong with that :) .
As far as I am aware Short Rids are not necessarily the first thing you think about here in Britain. The recipe as a whole looks and reads(sounds) delicious but I am keen to use a different version of beef.
You started with 1.5kG of Ribs took it of the bone and then “did things to it :-)” so I am guessing a kG of beef. Would Ribeye Steak substitute? Or even some less expensive version of Beef. (preferred) :-).
Without making this I have given 5 stars because the recipe “tasted” wonderful.
Note to self “Must learn how to control my salivation”.
Hi James, yes, you could possibly use ribeye steak if you prefer, but since it’s not a roast best braised for long periods, it will cook faster. Instead of ribeye steak, try chuck roast instead.
I will say one thing….WOW!. Very simple and something to do on a cooler fall day with the leaves turning. This is as comforting as can be.
thanks for posting and wishing you a great season!
Thanks Thomas, I hope you enjoy it.