Slow Cooker Beef Cheeks with Butternut Squash, Green Olives, and a Gentle Tomato, Cinnamon, and Cocoa Sauce

Name: Slow Cooker Beef Cheeks with Butternut Squash, Green Olives, and a Gentle Tomato, Cinnamon, and Cocoa Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 420 min
Total time: 445 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Fusión mediterránea
Ingredients: 2.6 lb beef cheeks; 5 cups butternut squash; 1 1/2 cups yellow onion; 1 tbsp garlic; 14 oz crushed tomatoes; 1 cup beef broth; 3/4 cup green olives; 1 tbsp sherry vinegar; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 2 leaves bay leaves; 1 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp black pepper; 1/4 cup fresh parsley

An original slow cooker recipe featuring tender beef cheeks, butternut squash, and green olives in a silky tomato sauce with a subtle touch of cinnamon and cocoa. Comforting, deep, and well balanced.

25 minPrep

420 minCook

445 minTotal

6Servings

Gluten-FreeDairy-FreeHigh ProteinDiabetic-Friendly

Important notice: This recipe is not medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional.

Ingredients

Adjust servings

1200 g beef cheeks (limpias of exceso of grasa)
700 g butternut squash (pelada and diced of 3 cm)
200 g yellow onion (en pluma fina)
15 g garlic (chopped)
400 g crushed tomatoes (en conserva or casero)
240 ml beef broth (without exceso of salt)
90 g green olives (boneless and partidas por the mitad)
15 ml sherry vinegar (aporta brillo al final)
30 g tomato paste (for intensificar the sauce)
30 ml olive oil (divided)
5 g unsweetened cocoa powder (solo a toque)
1 g ground cinnamon (suave and aromática)
2 g sweet paprika (optional pero recomendado)
2 unit bay leaves
8 g salt (or to taste)
2 g black pepper (freshly ground)
12 g fresh parsley (chopped for terminar)

Nutrition facts

per serving

412 kcal

Calories

35 g

Protein

16 g

Carbs

22 g

Fat

4 g

Fiber

12 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

Sulfites

Instructions

1
1. Pat the beef cheeks dry with paper towels and season them with 6 g salt, black pepper, ground cinnamon, and sweet paprika.
2
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Brown the beef cheeks for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until well colored. Transfer them to the slow cooker.
3
3. In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the yellow onion, and the garlic. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until the onion softens.
4
4. Stir in the tomato paste and unsweetened cocoa powder. Cook for 1 minute so both ingredients blend and become fragrant.
5
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, and bay leaves. Stir well, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release the caramelized bits.
6
6. Pour this mixture over the beef cheeks in the slow cooker. Add the butternut squash and green olives around the meat.
7
7. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours, or until the meat is very tender. If your model allows high heat, cook on HIGH for about 4 hours; the dish should reach at least 165 °F / 74 °C in the center of the meat and feel silky-tender when pierced.
8
8. Remove the bay leaves. Carefully lift out the beef cheeks and, if desired, shred them slightly or leave them whole.
9
9. Stir the sherry vinegar into the sauce and taste. Adjust with the remaining 2 g salt if needed.
10
10. Return the meat to the slow cooker and let it rest for 5 minutes with the lid on so the sauce can settle.
11
11. Serve the beef cheeks with the butternut squash and spoon the sauce over the top, finishing with chopped fresh parsley.

Chef tips

For a thicker sauce, uncover the slow cooker for the last 20 to 30 minutes if your appliance runs hot enough. You can also mash a few squash cubes into the sauce for natural body.

Substitutions

You can substitute the beef cheeks with large chunks of beef chuck. Green olives can be replaced with Castelvetrano olives. If you do not have sherry vinegar, use a smaller amount of red wine vinegar.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
Ninja Professional BL610 Blender
Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Smoothies, sauces and soups
- Easy-to-wash jar
- Check the power and jar size
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Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
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Illustrative image
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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