Description
Stifado is a traditional Greek beef stew made with tender chunks of beef, sweet pearl onions, and a rich tomato-based sauce infused with warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. It’s the ultimate comfort food for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 kg (2.2 lbs) beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into large chunks
- 500g pearl onions, peeled
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 400g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup beef broth or water
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season beef with salt and pepper, then brown in batches. Set aside.
- In the same pot, sauté pearl onions until golden. Add garlic and tomato paste, cooking for 1–2 minutes.
- Return beef to the pot and add crushed tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, sugar, and broth. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 2 to 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Uncover during the last 30 minutes to thicken the sauce. Remove cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves.
- Taste and adjust seasoning. Let rest before serving with bread, potatoes, or rice.
Notes
- Blanch pearl onions for 30 seconds to peel them easily.
- Let the stew rest before serving for deeper flavor.
- Use bone-in beef for even more richness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 480mg
- Fat: 28g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 110mg