Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek Ragu with Tomato and Red Wine

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-21 · Updated 2026-05-21

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Rich and tender beef cheeks slow-cooked in a robust tomato and red wine sauce, perfect for comforting pasta nights. This Australian-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 210 minutes, pairs beef cheeks, olive oil, yellow onion diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 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.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 190 min Serves 6 Australian cuisine 480 cal/serving

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Ingredients

2 lbs beef cheeks
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion diced
1 large carrot diced
1 celery stalk diced
4 garlic cloves minced
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups beef stock
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Season 2 lbs beef cheeks with salt and pepper, then sear for 4-5 minutes each side until deeply browned. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Add 1 diced yellow onion, 1 diced large carrot, and 1 diced celery stalk to the pot. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.
Step 3: Pour in 1 cup dry red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits. Let simmer for 3-4 minutes until reduced by half.
Step 4: Add 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 cups beef stock, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and the seared beef cheeks back into the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for 3 hours or until cheeks are tender and sauce thickens.
Step 5: Remove thyme and bay leaf, shred the beef cheeks into the sauce, stir well, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve over pasta or creamy mashed potatoes.