Stifado with tender beef, pearl onions, red wine tomato sauce and bay leaf
Greek Recipe

Stifado

This Stifado recipe stews beef with shallots or onions in red wine tomato sauce. Cinnamon, bay leaf and piment give the typical warm taste.

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Total time 3 hr
Calories 640 kcal
Servings 4 servings
Difficulty Advanced
By the Published Updated Editorially approved

Why this recipe works

Stifado with beef, red wine and onions

Stifado is not cooked quickly. Meat and onions need gentle heat so that the sauce becomes sweet-spicy and the meat decays delicately. The small onions remain as whole as possible and give the dish its character.

Mediterranean Cuisine Lunch One-Pot Recipes Dinner

Recipe

Stifado

Stifado is a Greek stew dish with beef, many small onions, red wine, tomatoes, cinnamon, bay leaf and piment. It takes time.

Ingredients

4 servings

Method

  1. 1

    Fry meat

    Salt beef and fry vigorously in olive oil. Remove.

  2. 2

    Roast onions

    Roast onions or shallots in the casserole golden brown without disintegrating them.

  3. 3

    Put on sauce

    Add garlic, tomatoes, red wine, vinegar, broth, bay leaf, cinnamon and piment.

  4. 4

    Broken

    Stifado covered gently simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours until the meat is tender.

  5. 5

    Flavouring

    Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Cook the sauce open and season with salt and pepper.

Kitchen know-how

Tips for Stifado

Gently stew

Strong heat makes meat dry. Lean bloating makes it tender.

Leave onions whole

Small onions give Stifado its character and should not disintegrate completely.

Warm spices

Cinnamon and piment give depth. Too much of it can make the sauce sweet.

Variations

How to adapt this recipe

Rabbit is a classic alternative. Depending on the piece, cooking time can be a little shorter.

Stifado tastes warmed up often even rounder. Heat gently and add little water if needed.

Nutrition per serving

640kcal
28.0 gCarbohydrates
45.0 gProtein
36.0 gFat

Values are estimates per serving and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.

Frequently asked questions

FAQ about Stifado

Small onions or shallots are ideal, because they remain whole and sweetly stew.

beef shoulder or other stewed meat fits well. Rabbits are also a classic variant.

The meat becomes tender by gentle stew and the onions give the sauce sweetness.

Yes, Stifado often tastes better the next day. Warm up gently and add some water if needed.

Keep cooking

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