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Red wine-braised short ribs with gnocchi is my favorite cold-weather meal. It’s a nice Italian spin on classic shortribs over mashed potatoes. Homemade gnocchi may seem intimidating but it’s actually easy to make and comes together fairly quickly without any special equipment.
Braising short ribs consists of slow-cooking beef short ribs in red wine, beef stock, veggies, and herbs for 2-3 hours in a Dutch oven until very tender. The recipe and process are not dissimilar to classic bolognese, substituting red wine in place of tomatoes. Braising is a fantastic way to cook short ribs because it breaks down the meat and makes it juicy and tender.
Looking for more comfort in a bowl? Shepherd’s Pie also makes great use of mashed potatoes, and Chicken Pot Pie comes together in just one skillet.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Bone-in beef short ribs: short ribs will probably be labeled as beef chuck short ribs. Look for the meatiest ones you can find with some marbling throughout. Too much fat and you’ll be picking around it on your plate. Short ribs typically have a bone in the middle. Do not buy boneless short ribs or any alternatives.
- Red wine: use a dry red wine, nothing sweet and nothing expensive. A cheap pinot noir or cab works great. Old leftover wine that’s past its drinking prime is perfect to use.
- Low-sodium beef broth: can also use chicken broth in a pinch.
- Russet potatos: Russet potatoes are a very popular option, however you can also use Yukon gold potatoes
- 00 Flour: 00 flour is finely milled and lower in protein than all-purpose flour, meaning it develops less gluten. Less gluten prevents the gnocchi from becoming tough or chewy. All purpous flour is fine to use in a pinch and still makes good gnocchi.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Freezing Gnocchi
Like most homemade pasta, gnocchi freezes really well. You can make the pasta a few days in advance and boil it with no other adjustments. Frozen gnocchi should not be thawed prior to cooking. To freeze gnocchi, freeze on a baking sheet until frozen through. Once it’s cold, you can transfer it to a plastic bag for longer storage. This prevents pieces from sticking together.
Expert Tips
Easy Gnocchi
- Ensure the potatoes are fully cooled before adding the egg yolks. I bake my potatoes to reduce excess moisture. Letting them steam off once riced will also help reduce moisture. This prevents sticky dough.
- Always keep your work surface and gnocchi well-floured. This prevents clumping and makes the dough a lot easier to work with.
- Gnocchi cooks very quickly, as soon as they float to the surface of the water, they are done.
- A potato ricer renders the perfect texture for gnocchi. I also use it for my mashed potatoes. You don’t even have to remove the skin.
- Gnocchi is typically served with ridges, which hold sauce better and adds texture. This is an additional step that you can skip to save some time.
More Beef Recipes You’ll Love
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Braised Short Ribs and Gnocchi
Slow-cooked red wine braised short ribs served with homemade potato gnocchi,
Ingredients
- 8 bone-in beef short ribs
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 2 whole sprigs thyme
- 2 whole sprigs rosemary
- 3 whole garlic cloves, grated
- salt and pepper, to taste
- minced parsley, for garnish
Gnocchi
- 2 pounds Russet potatoes
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 1/2 cups 00 flour, or all-purpose flour
- pinch salt
Panko Topping
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
Short Ribs
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously season short ribs all over with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add ribs in two batches (four per), browning each side for about 1 minute (flip four times). Place on a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add tomato paste and flour, stirring to coat. Add red wine and deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes.
- Add beef stock, rosemary, and thyme. Nestle ribs and any accumulated juices in the Dutch oven and submerge. Season all over with salt and pepper.
- Cover and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours. Ribs should be fall-off-the-bone tender. Remove from the oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes covered before serving. Skim the fat off the top with a spoon. Shred ribs and remove bones and any chunks of fat.
- For the panko topping, heat butter and oil in a pan over medium heat. Add panko and toss until golden.
- To serve, add a splash of reserved pasta water to shortribs/sauce to thin. Stir in gnocchi and serve topped with toasted panko and parsley.
Gnocchi
- Pierce and bake potatoes at 400°F for 1 hour or until fork tender. Cut in half, let cool, and push through a potato ricer (with the skin still on). You can also manually remove the skin and crush with a fork. A potato ricer makes the process much easier.
- Add riced potatoes to a bowl and ensure the potatoes are no longer hot to the touch (should be warm to room temp). Add egg yolks and a big pinch of salt. Stir with a fork until mixed and fully incorporated.
- Add the flour on top and mix with a fork until a crumbly dough forms. Use your hands to gently bring the mixture into a smooth dough ball. Don’t overmix or over flour. Transfer to a floured surface and knead a few times until incorporated. Cover and let rest for 20 minutes.
- Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope that is roughly 3/4 inches thick in diameter. Cut into small peices of desired size. Work in batches and keep other pieces covered until ready to roll. Lightly dust the finished gnocchi with flour and Transfer to a floured baking sheet while you prepare the remaining.
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add gnocchi and cook for 3-4 minutes or until gnocchi float to the surface. Stir if they get stuck to the bottom. Be sure to save a cup of starchy pasta water.
Notes
Short ribs will probably be labeled as beef chuck short ribs. Look for the meatiest ones you can find with some marbling throughout. Too much fat and you’ll be picking around it on your plate.
Make gnocchi ahead: You can also freeze uncooked gnocchi and cook at a later date. (flash freeze on the baking sheet and transfer to a freezer bag once frozen to avoid clumping).
A potato ricer renders the perfect texture for gnocchi. I also use it for my mashed potatoes. You don’t even have to remove the skin.
Gnocchi is typically served with ridges, which hold sauce better and adds texture. This is an additional step that you can skip to save some time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 773kcalCarbohydrates: 109gProtein: 18gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 603mgPotassium: 1862mgFiber: 8gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 8286IUVitamin C: 23mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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