Stifado, the classic Greek red wine beef stew, is comfort food at its best. Tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef is slowly braised with sweet pearl onions, garlic, herbs, and warm spices in a rich red wine and tomato sauce. The result is a deeply flavorful, aromatic dish that’s perfect for cozy Sunday lunches or festive family gatherings. This hearty stew is one of the most beloved dishes in Greece, rustic, soulful, and best enjoyed with a glass of the same red wine that flavors it.
What cooks say:
“I’ve now made this three times, twice for guests, and it’s perfect. Thank you for posting it. The cinnamon and oregano give it great flavor, and then you get the warmth from the chili. I have varied it depending on circumstances – for instance, I threw in some mushrooms this time, after sauteing them first, and often add a bit of chopped, fried bacon too – and I serve it with potatoes (mashed, jacket, loaded, anything!). I love beef stew, but the flavors in this one make it my favorite.”
Robert P.
What is stifado?
Stifado (στιφάδο) is a traditional Greek braise defined not by its meat but by its onions and spices. The name comes from the Venetian stufado — to stew — and entered Greek cooking during the centuries of Venetian rule. What makes a stew a stifado is the generous amount of whole small onions, the red wine and vinegar, and the warm spices: cinnamon, cloves, and bay. Beef is the most common version today, but the dish was originally made with rabbit.
Stifado vs kokkinisto
Both are Greek braises in a red sauce, and they get mixed up constantly — including by Google. Here’s the difference as we make them at home:
- Stifado is built on whole pearl onions, red wine, and vinegar, and it’s perfumed with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and bay. The sauce is deep and slightly sweet-sharp, more wine than tomato.
- Kokkinisto takes its name from kókkinos, red. The onion is chopped, not whole, and the sauce is tomato-forward with far less spice. It’s the everyday Sunday braise, usually served over pasta or rice.
If you’re looking for pearl onions and cinnamon, you want stifado. If you’re after a simple tomato braise for a plate of makaronia, you want our Kokkinisto – Greek Braised Beef in Red Sauce.
Why you will love stifado
If you’re a fan of our delicious Stifado, you’re in for a treat with our Beef Stew With Eggplant, Pork Stew with Chickpeas, and Chicken Kapamas Stew!
Stifado cooking methods
Stovetop stifado
Brown the beef and sauté the aromatics on the stovetop first — don’t skip this, it’s where the flavor lives. Add the wine to the hot pan and let it bubble for 2–3 minutes to cook off the alcohol before everything goes into the slow cooker; wine that hasn’t been reduced will leave the sauce sharp. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4–5 hours, and add the pearl onions in the final hour so they stay whole. If the sauce is thin at the end, pour it into a saucepan and reduce it for 10 minutes.
Slowcooker stifado
Perfect for busy days. Cook on high for 5–6 hours or low for up to 10 hours. Add the pearl onions in the last hour so they stay tender but not mushy.
Instant Pot stifado
Brown the beef on Sauté, build the base in the pot, then deglaze with the wine and let it reduce for 3 minutes. Pressure cook on high for 35 minutes with a 15-minute natural release. Add the pearl onions and simmer on Sauté for 8–10 minutes at the end.
Ingredients
- Beef – Use about 2 pounds (1 kg) of beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes. It’s affordable and becomes wonderfully tender after slow cooking.
- Flour – Lightly coat the beef before searing. It helps create a golden crust and thickens the sauce.
- Carrots, celery, and onion – The classic mirepoix trio forms the flavor base of the stew.
- Garlic – Add generously — it deepens the flavor beautifully.
- Pearl onions – Their gentle sweetness balances the wine’s richness. Use fresh or frozen (thaw before adding).
- Tomato paste – Adds depth and color to the sauce.
- Dry red wine – Choose a wine you’d happily drink — it makes all the difference.
- Stock – Beef or vegetable stock keeps the sauce rich and balanced.
- Spices – Cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves, dried oregano, nutmeg, and chili flakes give Stifado its signature warmth.
- Fresh herbs (Bouquet Garni) – Tie together rosemary, thyme, and sage — they perfume the stew as it cooks.
- Extra virgin olive oil – The foundation of all great Greek cooking.
Step by step
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 170°C / 350°F.
Tie the fresh herbs with cooking twine to make your bouquet garni.
Step 2: Prep the beef.
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Lightly dust with flour to help them brown evenly.
Step 3: Brown the beef.
Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high. Brown the meat in batches, about 1 minute per side. Set aside on a clean plate.
Step 4: Build the flavor base.
Add diced onions to the same pot, season with a pinch of salt, then add garlic. Sauté 1–2 minutes. Add nutmeg, chili flakes, oregano, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.
Step 5: Tomato paste magic.
Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes to deepen its flavor.
Step 6: Combine.
Add the diced carrots, celery and beef pieces and mix gently.
Add wine and simmer.
Pour in the red wine and simmer over high heat for 2–3 minutes to let the alcohol evaporate.
Lower heat to medium. Add the pearl onions and the broth. Add the bouquet garni. Cover the pot and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Rest and serve.
Remove from the oven and let the stew rest for 15 minutes before serving so the sauce thickens naturally.
Pro tips
- Use a cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy casserole dish — it distributes heat evenly for tender results.
- Don’t rush the browning. It’s key for deep, layered flavor.
- If using frozen pearl onions, thaw and pat dry before adding to avoid extra liquid.
- The sauce thickens as it rests; if too thick, loosen it with a splash of wine or stock before serving.
- Like most stews, stifado tastes even better the next day — perfect for meal prep or entertaining.
Stifado variations
The technique is the same for all of these. Only the meat and the cooking time change.
Kouneli stifado (rabbit) — the original, and still what my family makes in the mountains. Rabbit is lean, so it needs a shorter braise, around 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Marinating it in the wine overnight makes a real difference.
Lamb stifado — rich and a little gamey against the sweet onions. Use shoulder, cut into the same 1-inch pieces, and give it the full 1 hour 30 minutes.
Chicken stifado — the weeknight version. Bone-in thighs, 45 to 50 minutes. Add the pearl onions halfway so they don’t collapse.
Chtapodi stifado (octopus) — a favorite for Lent and for tavernas by the sea. Simmer the octopus in its own juices first, then build the stew around it. No stock needed; it releases plenty.
Manitaria stifado (mushroom) — our vegetarian stifado, made with the same onions and warm spices. It’s on the site already.
What to serve with stifado
- Mashed potatoes: The perfect creamy base — try mashed potatoes with olive oil.
- Country-Style Fries: Crisp, golden, and delicious with the rich wine sauce.
- Rustic bread: A must for mopping up every last drop, our country bread or our olive oil bread are ideal.
- Greek Green Salad ( maroulosalata): Bright, crisp lettuce with lemon dressing balances the richness beautifully.
- Orzo (kritharaki): Cook it separately and spoon the stew and its sauce over the top — the sauce clings to orzo better than to anything else.
- Potatoes: Add halved baby potatoes to the pot for the last 40 minutes so they cook in the sauce and turn deep red.
FAQ
Storage and reheating
This hearty red wine beef stew keeps beautifully and tastes even better after a day or two, when the flavors have had a chance to deepen.
- Refrigerate: Store in an airtight glass container for up to 4 days. Let the stew cool completely before refrigerating.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or stock if the sauce has thickened too much.
- Microwave: Reheat individual portions in a covered microwave-safe dish, stirring halfway through for even heating.
- Freeze: Stifado freezes perfectly for up to 3 months.
- Use heavy-duty freezer bags or airtight containers.
- Leave a little headspace for expansion.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Pro tip: Make a double batch and freeze half; future-you will thank you for an effortless Greek comfort meal!
More Greek stews
Cooked it? Rate it!
If you tried this recipe, I’d love to know how you liked it — drop a comment below or tag me on Instagram @thegreekfoodie__.
Stifado-Greek Red Wine Beef Stew
Equipment
- 5 qt Dutch oven or ovenproof pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef chuck, cut in pieces for stew
- 2 tablespoons flour, all purpose
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, extra virgin
- 2 carrots , diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 onion , diced
- 4 garlic cloves, diced
- 8 oz pearl onions
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups red wine
- 1 cup beef broth, or vegetable stock
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dry oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- sea salt
- freshly ground pepper
for the bouquet garni
- 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2-3 sprigs fresh sage
- 1-2 sprigs rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170°C / 350°F.Gather all the fresh herbs and tie them together using some cooking twine to create your bouquet garni.
- Arrange the beef stew pieces on a platter lined with paper towels. Pat all the pieces dry to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle some flour all over the beef pieces.
- Add the olive oil to the pot. Turn the heat to medium-high. Add the beef, 4-5 pieces at a time. Add the beef, 4-5 pieces at a time. Brown them all over for 1 min, then remove, place on a clean plate, and set aside for later.
- Add the diced onions to the pot. Season with a pinch of salt. Add the garlic. Saute for 1-2 minutes. Season with freshly ground pepper, a teaspoon of ground nutmeg, a teaspoon of chili pepper flakes, and a tablespoon of oregano. Add the bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon sticks.
- Add the tomato paste. Stir and sauté in medium heat for 2-3 min to let flavors develop.
- Add the diced carrots, celery and beef pieces and mix gently. Turn the heat to high and add the wine. Simmer in high heat for 2-3 min to let the alcohol evaporate. Lower heat to medium. Add the pearl onions and the broth. Add the bouquet garni. Stir gently and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Cover and place pot in the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 30 min. Remove from oven, remove lid and let it sit for 10 min before serving.Serve with crispy french fries on the side to dip in the sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Storage and reheating
- Red wine stew can be kept in the fridge for 3–4 days. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat or the microwave in a glass container.
- Generally, stews freeze well, so you may want to double the recipe and freeze some later. Store the stew in heavy plastic, airtight containers, leaving some space to allow it to expand in the freezer. Keep it frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
I love wine, Greek food, and stew. I can honestly say this recipe ticks all the boxes. Just what we need in this COLD weather. Comfort food at its finest.
It is a really good stew, perfect for cold days! Hope you will like it. Thank you, Gloria!
My sons are going to visit us this weekend and this Stifado is perfect for lunch! They will love this.
It is a really good stew! Hope you will like it. Thank you, Dennis!
Oh this just sounds like the most perfect comfort food for this time of the year. I love the Greek spin on this and that it uses fun ingredients like cinnamon and nutmeg. Can’t wait to try it!
It is a really good comforting stew, perfect for cold days! Hope you will like it. Thank you, Lauren!
I love all the herbs and spices that you are used here! I agree pearl onions are a great addition to the stew recipes.
It is a really good stew! Hope you will like it. Thank you, Uma!
This sounds like such a great recipe for a cold evening! I bet the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg gives it such an interesting taste.
I love the cinnamon and nutmeg in stews! Hope you will like it. Thank you, Kathryn!
This looks like the perfect hearty & herby winter stew. I bet it would be a great one to batch cook and freeze. Going to make this next weekend, thanks for sharing!
It is a great stew! Hope you will like it. Thank you, Helen!
My favorite type of dish. This to me is total comfort food. I am saving your recipe because I’m going to try it for our family meal this weekend… my whole family loves this type of dish!
It is a really good stew, perfect for cold days! Hope you will like it. Thank you, Melanie!
Delicious! The red wine adds so much flavor to this beef stew! It was just the meal to make for a cold day like today.
It is perfect for cold days! Thank you, Jamie!
I found this recipe at the perfect time, because the polar vortex is rolling through and we need some major comfort food. This recipe certainly fits the bill. I’m loving all these flavours and the addition of red wine. This is going to be perfect to warm us up on these super cold days.
It is a really good stew, perfect for cold days! Hope you will like it. Thank you, Nicole!
Do you add the cloves with the other spices as in the method it doesn’t mention it? Thank you!
Hi Anne!
Oops!
Yes, I do put the cloves in with the other spices, I need to add them to the recipe.
Thanks for letting me know! x Jenny
I made this tonight for the first time and ran into several recipes glitches: the ingredient list calls for 4 cloves but the directions don’t say when to add them; the directions call for adding bay leaves which do not appear in the ingredient list; the ingredient list call for a tablespoon of oregano while directions call for a pinch and the same is true for red pepper flakes (Greek chili recipe in disguise?) I adjusted the daylights out this and am hoping for the best, but I have no idea how it will turn out. I think this needs an edit or corrections.
Hi!
Thank you so much for trying the recipe and also pointing out where we missed out!
I am sure it will turn out delicious.
We updated the images recently but did not update the recipe card correctly. We are very grateful for your comment!
Thanks again,
Please let us know how it came out!
Jenny
hi, can you pls. confirm the qty of chilli pepper flakes to use? I’m trying it with 1 tbsp as listed above, however I feel this is too much to use.
thank you,
giotta
Hi Giotta,
Feel free to reduce the amount. Do just a pinch and try it. You can also omit the flakes altogether if that’s not your thing. It will not affect the overall flavor of the stew. You can always sprinkle just a little bit for serving. I will add this note to the recipe. Thank you so much for trying the stew!
X Jenny
I made this stew last night. I did not have any red wine, so I substituted beef broth with a little bit of balsamic vinegar.
I omitted the cloves and cinnamon, but used the rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves.
I roasted an eggplant and added the very soft flesh to the stew just before it went into the oven. I like to use eggplant puree to thicken soups and sauces. It gives a sweet smoky flavor and improves the texture.
I tested the beef after it had been in the oven about 75 minutes and it was still a little tough. I ended up cooking it closer to 2 hours. Everything was melt in your mouth tender.
This stew was really amazing. Best I’ve ever made. Cubing, flouring/seasoning, and browning the beef made a big difference in the flavor.
Thanks so much, Joy! So glad you liked it. I love all your tips! x Jenny
It’s a great stew but I think tablespoon of nutmeg and chilli flakes is a bit much. Too much nutmeg has the tendency to leave a long lasting flavour. It that the correct measurements Jenny?
Hi Eve,
You are correct, both should be a teaspoon. I will fix it asap.
Thank you so much for checking out the recipe!
x Jenny
Used Shallots (whole peeled) instead of red onions.
That’s a great idea! I will try shallots as well. Thanks so much, Peter!
Thank you! This was a huge hit with my very picky family. I omitted the red pepper flakes, although I bet they would enhance the stew, and subbed a couple of shallots I had on hand for the pearl onions. Suggest serving with orzo.
That is so good to read Carol! Thank you! I love this stew with orzo as well. x Jenny
I’ve now made this three times, twice for guests, and it’s perfect. Thank you for posting it. The cinnamon and oregano give it great flavour, then you get the warmth from the chilli. I have varied it depending on circumstances – for instance I threw in some mushrooms this time, after sauteing them first, and often add a bit of chopped, fried bacon too – and I serve it with potatoes (mashed, jacket, loaded, anything!). I love beef stew, but the flavours in this one make it my favourite.
This was absolutely delicious!! The family loved it, I put some over mashed potatoes and some over orzo cooked in broth.
Thank you so much Mary! You made my day! x Jenny