Recipe for Beef Stifado in Slow Cooker

Beef Stifado is packed with intense flavour and cooked low and slow until the meat is melt in the mouth tender. This Greek beef stew is the perfect comfort food to serve on cold winter days and it is slimming friendly too!

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Beef Sifado served with mashed potatoes in a rustic bowl

Published December 2015, Updated January 2020

Take a look at my recipe video and step by step tutorial and make traditional Stifado (or Stifatho) on the hob/ oven, slow cooker or the Instant Pot.

What is Stifado?

Stifatho (στιφάδο) or stifado is a traditional Greek stew. Beef Stifado is probably most well known outside of Greece, but you can also make this stew with pork, lamb, seafood or rabbit.

The other main ingredients in stifado is an abundance shallots or small pearl onions – these lend a wonderful sweetness to the rich sauce which has a truly mouthwatering aroma from the cloves, cinnamon and allspice.

Close up on a pot of Greek Stifado garnished with fresh parsley

Here's what you will need

I have simplified my Stifado recipe to make it a little easier on the home cook – the depth of flavour is the same so why not save some prep time?

If you are not hugely fond of the pearl onions you can use chopped shallots instead. This stew is suitable for popular weight loss diets like Weight Watchers and Slimming World with minor modifications, noted in italics

Olive oil or a low calorie cooking spray such as Fry Light for a slimming version
Beef – choose a cut suitable for long cooking like braising steak and trim any visible bits of fat
Pearl onions or small shallots – these can be a bit fiddly to peel, feel free to use frozen pearl onions for ease. Larger shallots (banana shallots) will melt more into the sauce and I actually prefer them
Cinnamon stick, orange peel, allspice berries, whole cloves and bay leaves – these aromatics should not be skipped! You can replace the whole cloves and allspice with ground in a pinch
Brown sugar or Sukrin Gold for a slimming version
Garlic, celery, carrots
Tomato purée (or paste) and chopped tomatoes from a tin
Red wine vinegar – adds a lovely touch of acidity
Red wine and beef stock – for a slimming version you can use an Oxo red wine stock cube instead
Fresh parsley to garnish

Serving of beef stifado with mashed potatoes

Peeling pearl onions

If you are using whole pearl onions or small shallots the place in a bowl, unpeeled, and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for five minutes then drain. Cut the root end off and peel the skins off – the water will soften them and make it much easier to peel.

Marinating the beef

If you have the time to prep ahead you can marinate the beef with the wine, vinegar, garlic, clove, allspice, bay leaves and orange peel. Place everything in a bowl, mix well, cover and place in the fridge overnight.

Add the beef and its marinade in the stew once the vegetables have softened, together with the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes and cook until tender.

How to make Stifado

Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!

The stew is partially cooked on the hob in a large lidded pot (I swear by my Greenpan used in the video and photos) then finished in the oven where it cooks low and slow until the beef is meltingly tender and the sauce has thickened. See below for instant pot and slow cooker variations.

Sear the beef over high heat, in batches, until nicely coloured then set aside. If you are using cooking pray you might need to mist a few times.

Deglaze the pan with a splash or red wine or beef stock, scraping any browned bits that have stuck to the pot.

Add the vegetables: chopped shallots, celery, carrots, garlic, salt, spices, sugar (or sweetener), and cook over low heat for 10 minutes until softened. If the pan gets too dry you can add a splash of stock.

Add the beef back into the pot. Stir tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, red wine vinegar, stock/wine and bring to a rolling simmer.

Cover and cook in a preheated oven for 2 ½ hours until the sauce has thickened and meat is tender.

Discard the bay leaves, orange peel and cinnamon stick. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

pot of greek beef stew garnished with parsley

Serving suggestions

Serve with mash or roast potatoes with some crusty bread to mop up the delicious sauce.

In Greece, beef stifatho is sometimes served with rice, orzo or other types of pasta but I think the potatoes are a better match.

Make sure to add some green vegetables on the side such as green beans or steamed broccoli, especially if you are following Slimming World or Weight Watchers.

Greek stifado served with mashed potatoes and green beans

Lucy's Tips and FAQs

CAN I MAKE STIFADO IN MY INSTANT POT? Yes you can – detailed instructions are in the recipe card. Please note you will need to adjust the amount of liquid if making in a pressure cooker.

SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS You can cook this beef stew in a crockpot after doing some initial prep on the stove. Some slow cookers have a searing function or allow for the inner pot to be used on the hob in which case you can make the entire recipe in your cooker.

WHAT ABOUT LEFTOVERS? This stew keeps well in the fridge for up to three days. You might need to add a bit of water when reheating.

FREEZING INSTRUCTIONS Allow the stew to cool down, remove the cinnamon, orange peel and bay leaves, then divide into suitable containers. Use within three months, defrosting overnight in the fridge before reheating.

WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD OF BEEF? You can replace the beef with pork or lamb (suitable for stews) or with rabbit.

HAVE YOU MADE MY STIFADO RECIPE?Post a photo on myFacebook page, share it onInstagram, or save it toPinterestwith the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day!

▢ 2 tbsp olive oil or low calorie cooking spray
▢ 900 g | 2 pounds braising steak cubed
▢ 15 small shallots, whole or 4 large shallots roughly chopped
▢ 3 carrots peeled and chopped
▢ 2 celery sticks finely chopped
▢ 4 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
▢ 1 tbsp brown sugar or Sukrin Gold for slimming version
▢ 2 bay leaves
▢ 1 cinnamon stick broken in two
▢ ¼ tsp ground allspice or 5 whole allspice berries
▢ ¼ tsp ground black pepper
▢ ⅛ tsp ground cloves or 5 whole cloves
▢ 1 strip orange peel optional
▢ 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
▢ 400 g (14oz) tinned chopped tomatoes
▢ 2 tbsp tomato paste
▢ 250 ml (1 cup) rich beef stock
▢ 120 ml (½ cup) red wine replace with red wine stock cube for slimming version
▢ salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
▢ 2 tbsp fresh parsley finely chopped, to serve

Hob Method

Preheat the oven to 160C (325F).
Heat the oil in a large lidded pot (Dutch Oven) or mist with cooking spray. Brown the beef over high heat, in batches, until nicely coloured then set aside.
Deglaze the pan with a splash or red wine or beef stock, scraping any browned bits that have stuck to the pot.
Add the chopped shallots, celery, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, spices, bay leaves, orange peel, cinnamon stick sugar (or sweetener). Cook over low heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. If the pot gets too dry you can add a splash of stock.
Stir in the beef, tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, red wine vinegar, stock/wine and bring to a rolling simmer.
Cover and cook in a preheated oven for 2 ½ hours until the sauce has thickened and meat is tender.
Discard the cinnamon stick, orange peel and bay leaves. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with the chopped parsley and serve with roast potatoes or mash and some crusty bread.

Instant Pot Method

Note you will need use less liquid if using a pressure cooker.

Heat the oil in your Instant Pot using Saute/High. Brown the beef over high heat, in batches, until nicely coloured then set aside.
Add the chopped shallots, celery, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, spices, bay leaves, orange peel, cinnamon stick sugar (or sweetener).
Stir in the beef, red wine vinegar and a total of 1/2 cup (120ml) liquid either beef stock or half stock half red wine.
Add the chopped tomatoes and puree but do not stir. Seal the pot and cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 35 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally.
If the stew requires further thickening, consider adding 1 tbsp cornflour diluted in equal amount of cold water and heating through.
Discard the cinnamon stick, orange peel and bay leaves. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Slow Cooker Method

Note you will need use less liquid if using a slow cooker. If your cooker allows for searing then follow the steps using the inner pot, otherwise use a pot then transfer to cooker.

Heat the oil in a large lidded pot (Dutch Oven) or mist with cooking spray. Brown the beef over high heat, in batches, until nicely coloured then set aside.
Deglaze the pan with a splash or red wine or beef stock, scraping any browned bits that have stuck to the pot.
Add the chopped shallots, celery, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, spices, bay leaves, orange peel, cinnamon stick sugar (or sweetener). Cook over low heat for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. If the pot gets too dry you can add a splash of stock.
Stir in the beef, tomato purée, chopped tomatoes, red wine vinegar and and a total of 1/2 cup (120ml) liquid either beef stock or half stock half red wine. Bring to a simmer.
Transfer to slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 6. If the liquid needs to be reduced further, continue to cook on HIGH uncovered for a further 30 minutes.

Peeling pearl onionsIf you are using whole pearl onions or small shallots the place in a bowl, unpeeled, and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for five minutes then drain. Cut the root end off and peel the skins off – the water will soften them and make it much easier to peel.

Marinating the beefIf you have the time to prep ahead you can marinate the beef with the wine, vinegar, garlic, clove, allspice, bay leaves and orange peel. Place everything in a bowl, mix well, cover and place in the fridge overnight.

Add the beef and its marinade in the stew once the vegetables have softened, together with the tomato purée and chopped tomatoes and cook until tender.

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Please note I am not affiliated in any way with Slimming World or Weight Watchers. These weight loss plans are often updated in line with latest nutritional guidance and may change so for accurate information it is best to join as a member.

Nutritional information is always approximate and will depend on ingredients and serving sizes.

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Source: https://www.supergoldenbakes.com/one-pot-beef-stifado-stew/