Speedy beef stifado
Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Maja Smend
Speedy beef stifado
This cheat’s stifado uses ready-made meatballs instead of stewing beef to deliver the same tender results in a fraction of the time
Serves: 6
Prep time: 15 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
323Kcal
Fat
13gr
Saturates
3gr
Carbs
17gr
Sugars
15gr
Fibre
3gr
Protein
24gr
Salt
1gr
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 x 350g packs 10% fat beef meatballs
- 400g shallots, peeled, topped and tailed
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- 200ml red wine
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp clear honey
To serve (optional)
- orzo pasta* or rice
- butter*
Step by step
- Heat the oil in a large casserole and fry the meatballs for 5-6 minutes or until browned all over. Do this in two batches if your pan would be overcrowded. Remove to a plate, then add the shallots to the pan. Fry for 8-10 minutes, or until just starting to soften. Add the garlic and all of the herbs and spices and continue to cook for a couple of minutes before adding the wine to deglaze the pan. Let the wine bubble for a minute or two, then add the tinned tomatoes, vinegar and honey. Season and bring to a simmer.
- Add the meatballs back into the pan, partially cover and simmer for around 30 minutes, until the sauce has reduced to a thick consistency.
- Meanwhile, cook the orzo pasta or rice to packet instructions, if using. Drain and toss with the butter.
-
Season the beef stifado well and serve with the buttery pasta or rice. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, or can be frozen.
*Serve with rice, not orzo if gluten-free, and use olive oil rather than butter if dairy-free.
