Slow-Cooked Beef Cheeks in Red Wine and Root Vegetables

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-01 · Updated 2026-07-01

Melt-in-your-mouth beef cheeks braised slowly in red wine with carrots, parsnips, and onions, creating a hearty Australian-style comfort stew. This australian-inspired slow cooker ready in about 230 minutes pairs beef cheeks, large, diced yellow onion, minced garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, 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 beef cheeks
• 3 medium, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces carrots
• 2 medium, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces parsnips
• 1 large, diced yellow onion
• 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 leaves bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 300°F. Pat dry 2 lbs beef cheeks and season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a heavy oven-safe pot over medium-high heat and sear the cheeks on all sides until deeply browned, about 4 minutes per side.
2. Step 2: Remove the cheeks and add 1 large diced yellow onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, 3 chopped carrots, and 2 chopped parsnips to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in 1 1/2 cups dry red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom, then add 2 cups beef broth, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, and 2 bay leaves.
4. Step 4: Return the beef cheeks to the pot, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and place in the preheated oven. Braise for 3 to 3 1/2 hours until the cheeks are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
5. Step 5: Remove beef cheeks and cover to keep warm. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Reduce the sauce over medium heat on the stovetop for 10 minutes until slightly thickened, then serve the cheeks topped with the rich vegetable and wine sauce.