French Onion Short Ribs
Melt in your mouth short ribs married with the flavors that you love about french onion soup, this recipe is simple to make in the oven or crockpot!
Table of contents
Why you’ll love these French Onion Short Ribs
French onion is one of those flavors that I just can’t get enough of. Caramelized onions always hit the mark, and recipes like my French Onion Pot Roast and French Onion Chicken and Rice are reader favorites over on this corner of the internet.
I’ve been wanting to make a short rib recipe, and what better flavors to pair it with than French onion! Here’s why you’ll love it…
- Fall-off-the-bone short ribs. The best part about short ribs is how incredibly tender they are, but it doesn’t always work out that way. It’s all about cooking them correctly, and this recipe gets it right for perfectly fall-of-the-bone short ribs that everyone will love!
- Oven-braised or slow-cooker. I prefer to braise short ribs in the oven, but I’ve also included a slow-cooker method.
Recipe Ingredients
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Short ribs. You’ll want to get bone-in short ribs for the most flavor!
- Onion and garlic.
- Fresh herbs. I like to use thyme and rosemary that are bundled together. I also add dried bay leaves.
- Beef broth. You can easily use homemade beef broth or store-bought, like Kettle and Fire!
- Red wine. Red wine adds a flavor depth to the dish.
- Coconut aminos. This adds a rich umami flavor!
How to Make French Onion Short Ribs
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.
Step One. Season the short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. Add the short ribs to hot Dutch oven.
Step Two. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until browned and crisp. Set aside.
Step Three. Cook onions for 10-12 minutes, then salt the onions and add the garlic, cooking for another few minutes. Add the wine & bring to a simmer before adding the short ribs in. Pour over the broth and coconut aminos, then add the herbs.
Step Four. Cook in the oven for 3 – 3 1/2 hours, or until the short ribs easily shred.
Step Five. Once tender, remove from the oven Whisk the arrowroot starch with equal parts water or broth, and add it to the pot. Stir to allow the liquid to thicken. Then allow to rest before enjoying!
Slow cooker instructions
- Follow the recipe as written for the first 5 steps.
- Transfer to the crockpot and allow to cook on low for 6-8 hours, or until the short ribs easily shred.
- Add the arrowroot slurry at the end and stir well to combine to thicken the broth. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Michelle’s Tips & Tricks
- Make sure to buy bone-in short ribs. The bone is key for extra flavor!
- Don’t skip searing the short ribs. Yes, the oven or crockpot does the heavy lifting of cooking the meat, but searing is an important step to achieve the initial color and crisp on the short ribs.
- Rest your meat. You can for sure shred the short ribs just a touch to make sure they’re tender, but don’t completely shred them all once they’re out of the oven. Allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes to keep the juices intact.
Serving Suggestions
Serve with sides like…
- Mashed white sweet potatoes
- Gluten-free bread topped with melted cheese. I like to slice and toast the slow-fermented brioche rolls from my Wildgrain box!! I love partnering with Wildgrain, and we thoroughly enjoy their GF bread in my home! Use the code UNBOUNDWELLNESS for $30 off your first box!
If you tried these French Onion Short Ribs or any other recipe on my blog please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Other French Onion Recipes to Try…
French Onion Short Ribs
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Ingredients
- 3.5 lbs bone-in beef short ribs
- Salt & pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
- 2 yellow onion, halved and sliced thin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 cup red wine, cabernet or merlot (see notes)
- 3 cups beef bone broth
- 1 bundle of herbs, see notes
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven See notes for slow cooker option
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Season the short ribs on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Using a large, deep dutch oven heat the avocado oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the short ribs and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until browned and crisp. Set aside.
- Reduce the heat and add the sliced onion. Allow to cook for 10-12 minutes, just enough for the onions to soften, but not fully caramelize. Salt the onions and add the garlic, cooking for another few minutes.
- Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot, bring to a simmer for 4-5 minutes before adding the short ribs to the pot. Pour over the broth, coconut aminos, and add the herbs. Cover and transfer to the oven.
- Cook in the oven for 3 – 3 1/2 hours, or until the short ribs easily shred. I recommend removing from the oven every hour or so to gently stir and prevent any burning if your oven runs hot.
- Once tender, remove from the oven and carefully remove the herbs and bay leaves. Whisk the arrowroot starch with about 2 tbsp of water or broth, and add it to the pot. Stir to allow the liquid to thicken.
- Allow to rest before serving the short ribs with a side of mashed white sweet potato, or gluten free toast!
