Greek Beef Giouvetsi With Orzo
A traditional Greek Beef Giouvetsi With Orzo featuring tender slow-cooked beef, rich tomato sauce, warm spices, and baked orzo pasta topped with cheese.
Servings
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg chuck steak or gravy beef cut into large chunks (approximately 4x8 cm)
- 2 small onions finely sliced or chopped
- 1 large garlic clove thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot coarsely grated
- 1 large celery stalk with leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 beef stock cube crumbled
- ½ cup red wine Merlot recommended
- 1 can 400 g diced tomatoes
- 800 mL hot water
- 1 cup 190 g orzo pasta (risoni)
- 10 sprigs fresh parsley chopped
- Crumbled feta grated mizithra, or halloumi, for serving
Instructions
Preheat the Oven:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan forced).
Sear the Beef:
- Heat a large flameproof baking dish with olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef chunks for approximately 8 minutes on each side until browned. If a flameproof dish is unavailable, use a frying pan and transfer the beef to a baking dish later. Remove the beef and set aside.
Prepare the Base:
- In the same dish, sauté the onions in the rendered fat until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Incorporate the carrot, celery, tomato paste, bay leaves, cinnamon, beef stock cube, red wine, diced tomatoes, and hot water. Stir well to combine. Return the beef to the dish.
Slow-Cook the Beef:
- Cover the dish with foil and place it in the oven. Cook for approximately 2 ½ hours, allowing the beef to become tender and flavorful.
Incorporate the Orzo:
- After 2 ½ hours, remove the dish from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 190°C (fan forced). Stir in the orzo pasta and parsley. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes until the orzo is tender and has absorbed the sauce.
Rest and Serve:
- Remove from the oven and cover. Allow the dish to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with crumbled feta, grated mizithra, or halloumi as preferred.
Notes
To prepare this dish gluten-free, substitute the orzo pasta with a certified gluten-free orzo alternative, or use short-grain rice as a replacement. Ensure the beef stock cube is also gluten-free.