Stifado

This slow Greek stew turns beef and a mountain of small onions into something deeply savory and sweet, perfumed with cinnamon, bay, and red wine. It simmers low and long until the meat falls apart and the onions melt into the sauce — best spooned over rice or crusty bread.

Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

90 mins

Total time

115 mins

Servings

4 servings

Calories

520

Ingredients

• 800 g beef stewing steak, cubed
• 500 g pearl onions, peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 400 g chopped tomatoes
• 150 ml red wine
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot and brown the beef in batches until deeply colored on all sides.
2. Add the pearl onions and cook for 5 minutes until lightly golden at the edges.
3. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and vinegar, scraping the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, bay leaves, and oregano, then season and bring to a gentle simmer.
5. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is spoon-tender and the sauce is rich.
6. Remove the cinnamon and bay leaves, adjust the seasoning, and serve scattered with parsley.

Pro tips

• Brown the beef properly — that color is where the stew's flavor comes from.
• Keep the simmer gentle; a hard boil toughens the meat.
• Stifado tastes even better the next day, once the flavors have married.

Frequently asked questions