Description
French Onion Short Ribs is a comforting and hearty dish featuring tender, slow-cooked beef short ribs simmered with caramelized onions, herbs, and a splash of white wine. Served with cheesy toasted French bread, this meal blends rich, savory flavors perfect for a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 4 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 shallots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- Chili flakes to taste
- 6-8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 cup tamari or low sodium soy sauce
- 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 2 cups baby carrots
For Serving
- 6 slices French bread
- 2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven. Set your oven to 325° F to prepare for slow roasting the short ribs.
- Sauté onions and aromatics. In a large oven-safe Dutch oven over high heat, melt the butter and add the sliced onions. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Pour in the white wine and season with black pepper. Cook an additional 8 minutes until the wine evaporates and the onions turn lightly golden. Add shallots, garlic, thyme, sage, and chili flakes, stirring to combine.
- Add short ribs and broth. Place the short ribs into the Dutch oven, then pour over 6 cups of chicken broth. Add tamari, bay leaves, and star anise if using. Cover the pot with a lid.
- Roast short ribs. Place the Dutch oven in the oven and roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the ribs are tender and fall off the bone. Add baby carrots into the pot during the last 1 to 2 hours of cooking to soften.
- Shred meat and season. Remove bay leaves and star anise, discard any bones and excess fat. Gently shred the meat in the pot and season with salt if needed. Keep warm on the stovetop over low heat.
- Prepare cheesy toast. Increase the oven temperature to 425° F. Arrange the French bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them for 10 minutes until they are very dry and crisp. Switch the oven to broil, top the toasted bread with shredded Gruyère cheese, and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Serve the dish. Ladle the short rib and onion mixture into bowls. Top each serving with a cheesy toast slice, freshly ground black pepper, and some fresh thyme leaves. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- For a quicker version, use a crockpot following the same sautéing steps but slow cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 5 to 6 hours, adding carrots during the last 1 to 2 hours.
- If you don’t have tamari, use low sodium soy sauce instead.
- Star anise is optional but adds a subtle aromatic flavor; omit if not preferred.
- Make sure to dry out the bread well before broiling to get the perfect crunchy base for the cheese.
- Adjust chili flakes to your preferred spice level or omit for milder flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg
