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Greek Beef Stifado stew with pearl onions
Rich Greek beef stew with onions

Greek Beef Stifado (Pearl Onion Stew)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Stifado is a Greek 'slow dance': beef and pearl onions simmering for hours in a red wine and tomato sauce. The secret lies in the 'warm' spices—cinnamon, cloves, and allspice—which make this a deep, aromatic savory dish rather than a dessert.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 3 hrs
🍽️ Servings 6 servings
🔥 Calories 600 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Greek

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large Dutch oven or heavy pot

Instructions

1 ✓

Peel onions. Sauté whole in half the oil until browned spots appear. Remove and set aside.

Tip: Browning creates a skin that helps onions hold their shape. Blanching in boiling water makes peeling easier.
2 ✓

Brown the cubed beef in the remaining oil. Add minced garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 min.

Tip: Cooking the paste removes the raw flavor.
3 ✓

Deglaze with wine and vinegar. Add canned tomatoes, spices, and water.

Tip: Vinegar helps tenderize the meat.
4 ✓

Simmer covered on low for 1.5 hours.

Tip: A gentle simmer is key.
5 ✓

Add the browned onions. Simmer another 30-40 mins until meat is tender.

Tip: Do not stir too much now to protect the onions.

Recipe FAQ

The onions fell apart.
You likely didn't brown them enough initially or stirred too vigorously. Handle pearl onions with care!

Ingredients

  • 2.25 lbs Beef Chuck Roast
  • 2 lbs Pearl Onions (fresh or frozen)
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 3.5 oz Tomato Paste
  • 14.5 oz Canned Whole Plum Tomatoes
  • 1 cup Dry Red Wine
  • 3 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
  • 1 stick Cinnamon
  • 2 whole Bay Leaves
  • 4 whole Cloves
  • 5 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Pepper
  • 2 cups Water or Beef Broth