Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek Ragu with Red Wine

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-14 · Updated 2026-07-14

A rich and tender slow-cooked beef cheek ragu simmered in red wine and tomatoes, perfect over fresh pasta or creamy mashed potatoes. This Australian-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 200 minutes, pairs beef cheeks, olive oil, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, 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 lbs, trimmed beef cheeks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, diced yellow onion
• 2 medium, diced carrots
• 2, diced celery stalks
• 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Season 2 lbs beef cheeks with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then sear each cheek for 4-5 minutes per side until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: Reduce heat to medium and add 1 large diced yellow onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 diced celery stalks to the pot. Sauté for 7-8 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 tbsp tomato paste, cooking for 2 minutes until the paste darkens and smells sweet.
4. Step 4: Pour in 1 cup dry red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze and cook for 5 minutes until reduced by half.
5. Step 5: Return the beef cheeks to the pot and add 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes, 2 cups beef broth, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Step 6: Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook for 3 hours, turning the meat occasionally, until the cheeks are fork-tender and the sauce thickens.
7. Step 7: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf before serving. Shred the beef cheeks into the sauce and serve over your choice of pasta or mashed potatoes.