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Kokkinisto Greek Beef Stew

Kokkinisto Greek beef stew is slow-simmered until the chuck is very tender in a red, cinnamon-scented tomato sauce. Browned beef, a short wine simmer, then covered cooking creates a thick, spoonable stew that's great over orzo with feta and parsley.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and seasoning
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
Aromatics and base
  • 2 onions, finely diced
  • 4 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 0.5 cup dry red wine
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
Spices
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 allspice berries
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp sugar
Serving and garnish
  • 1 cooked orzo or potatoes for serving
  • 1 crumbled feta and parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Season and brown the beef
  1. Season the beef chuck cubes with salt and black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and brown the beef in batches so the cubes sear instead of steam.
Build the tomato base
  1. Add the diced onions and cook for 6 minutes until soft. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Pour in the dry red wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom to loosen the browned bits. Let the liquid reduce slightly before adding the tomatoes.
Simmer until tender
  1. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, bay leaves, and sugar, then return the browned beef to the pot. Stir well so the beef is coated in the red sauce.
  2. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is very tender and the sauce is thick. Keep the simmer gentle so the sauce stays rich and concentrated.
  3. Remove the whole spices (cinnamon stick, allspice berries, and bay leaves) before serving. Skim any excess fat if needed for a cleaner sauce texture.
Serve
  1. Serve the kokkinisto over cooked orzo or potatoes. Top each bowl with crumbled feta and parsley for garnish.

Notes

For the best texture, brown the beef in small batches and avoid crowding the pot—this helps form flavor on the outside before the long simmer. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is yes: cool completely, freeze in portions, and thaw in the fridge before reheating. For a lower-fat option, use trimmed chuck and skim off any fat that rises during simmering.