When the weather turns, Greek kitchens turn to the pot. A Greek stew is rarely complicated: good olive oil, onions, a little wine or tomato, a few warm spices, and time. You get a sauce worth mopping up with bread and a dinner that tastes even better the next day.

When I was growing up, my mom made kokkinisto or stifado and served it over soft, runny mashed potatoes. I ate it slowly, from the edges in toward the center, saving the sauce-soaked middle for last. I always loved the sauce most.

Here are all my Greek stew recipes in one place, grouped by protein so you can find tonight’s dinner fast. If you eat meatless or fast during Lent, jump to the meatless stews at the end.

Greek beef stews

Beef stifado (Greek beef stew in red wine)

The king of Greek stews. Beef braises in the oven with whole pearl onions, red wine, cinnamon, cloves and bay until it falls apart. The dish was originally made with rabbit, and beef is the most common version today. Serve it over mashed potatoes or with fries for dipping.
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Beef stifado with pearl onions in a white Dutch oven with a serving spoon.

Overview

Kokkinisto (Greek braised beef in red sauce)

Kokkinisto means “reddened,” and it’s named for its deep red tomato sauce, warmed with cinnamon, allspice and bay. The beef simmers for hours until it shreds with a fork, and a handful of fresh spearmint goes in at the end. Serve it with fries, rice or orzo.
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Kokkinisto, Greek braised beef in tomato sauce, on a plate with fries.

Old-fashioned beef stew with eggplant

Tender beef and silky eggplant simmered together in tomato sauce. It’s a great way to use the last eggplants of the season.
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A bowl of old-fashioned Greek beef stew with eggplant.

Braised short ribs

This one is my own take. Short ribs are a 21st-century cut in Greece, and we didn’t grow up eating them, but they braise beautifully with Greek flavors. It’s the one I make for guests because it looks impressive and the oven does all the work.
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Braised beef short ribs in red wine sauce with carrots and herbs served with olive oil mashed potatoes

Greek chicken stews

Chicken kapama (Greek spiced chicken in red wine)

Chicken in a red wine and tomato sauce warmed with cinnamon. It’s the spiced, aromatic side of Greek home cooking, and it’s lovely over orzo or thick pasta.
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Chicken kapama in a white skillet on a table with a loaf of bread and a cloth napkin.

Braised Greek chicken in tomato sauce

The chicken version of kokkinisto. It’s ready in under an hour instead of an afternoon, and the tomato sauce is made for crusty bread.
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Greek braised chicken in tomato sauce on a serving platter with herbs.

Lemony Greek chicken stew with beans

Chicken and beans in a bright, lemony broth: filling, budget-friendly, and fresher-tasting than most stews. Leftovers make a great lunch.
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Chicken lemonato (chicken in lemon sauce

Another of my mom’s favorites, and she always served it with pilafi to soak up the lemony sauce. It’s the lighter pick for nights when you want comfort without a heavy red sauce. Get the recipe →

Overhead view of braised chicken thighs and drumsticks in a white Dutch oven with golden lemon herb sauce and fresh thyme sprigs

Greek pork and lamb stews

Pork stew with chickpeas

We ate this in Crete, made by my grandma Chrysoula. Pork and chickpeas simmer together until the sauce turns thick and savory, giving you a whole meal in one pot.
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Greek pork and beans

The Greek take on a cold-weather classic: tender pork and beans made for a big bowl and a hunk of bread.
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A roasted pork and beans and a spoon full of beans.

Braised pork shoulder

I make this one often. Pork shoulder is a forgiving cut that always comes out juicy, and a long, slow braise turns it meltingly tender. Make it on Sunday and eat well all week.
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Greek lamb stew avgolemono

This is my grandma Evgenia’s recipe. Lamb is finished with avgolemono, the silky Greek egg-lemon sauce, so it’s rich and bright at the same time.
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Greek lamb stew with avgolemono sauce on a plate.

Meatless Greek stews

Patates yahni (Greek potato stew)

One of my mom’s favorites. Potatoes simmer in olive oil and tomato until they’re soft and saucy. It’s humble, cheap and deeply comforting, and a Lenten classic.
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Manitaria stifado (mushroom stew)

All the pearl onions and warm spices of a classic stifado, with mushrooms instead of meat. Even meat lovers go back for seconds.
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Manitaria stifado, Greek mushroom stew, in a skillet with a spoon.

Instant Pot butter beans with roasted tomatoes

Big, creamy butter beans in tomato sauce, made in a fraction of the usual time in the Instant Pot.
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Gigantes, Greek butter beans with roasted tomatoes, in a bowl with sage leaves.

Tips for making Greek stews

Brown the meat well. Dry it first and sear it in batches. Crowding the pot steams the meat instead of browning it, and the browning is where the flavor comes from.

Cook off the wine. Let the wine bubble for a few minutes before the lid goes on so the sauce doesn’t taste sharp.

Make it a day ahead. Almost every stew here tastes better the next day. Cool it with the lid off, take out the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves so they don’t turn bitter, and refrigerate it for up to 4 days.

Freeze extra. Most of these freeze well for up to 3 months. Freeze the meat in its sauce, leave a little headroom in the container, and thaw overnight in the fridge.

What to serve with Greek stews

Olive oil mashed potatoes are the creamy base for any red-sauce stew.
Greek country fries are the classic partner for stifado and kokkinisto.
Horiatiko psomi (country bread) is non-negotiable for mopping up.
Maroulosalata, a crisp lettuce salad, keeps the meal bright.
Orzo (kritharaki), pasta or pilafi rice work under the kokkinisto, kapama and chicken stews.

Greek stew recipes FAQ

Stifado is built on whole pearl onions and red wine, spiced with cinnamon, cloves and bay, so it comes out a little sweet and sharp. Kokkinisto uses chopped onion and a rounder, tomato-forward sauce warmed with cinnamon and allspice. More in my stifado post.

Yes. Brown the meat and cook off the wine on the stovetop first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker or pressure cooker. Add delicate ingredients like pearl onions near the end.

Patates yahni, manitaria stifado and gigantes. All three are made with olive oil and are traditional during Lent.