Effortless Beef Giouvetsi Orzo (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Main Ingredients
01 -
200 g orzo pasta (sub gluten-free if needed)
02 -
2 dried bay leaves
03 -
0.25 g ground nutmeg
04 -
0.25 g ground allspice
05 -
0.5 g ground cinnamon (or toss in a stick, just fish it out later)
06 -
410 g canned crushed tomatoes
07 -
720 ml beef broth (chicken or veggie works too)
08 -
60 ml dry red wine (or extra broth)
09 -
45 g tomato paste
10 -
3 cloves garlic, chopped small
11 -
1 medium carrot, shredded (your call)
12 -
1 medium onion, chopped
13 -
Fresh black pepper, to taste
14 -
Salt, as needed
15 -
450 g beef chuck, cut up in cubes
16 -
30 ml olive oil
# Instructions:
01 -
Pluck out the bay leaves. Give it a taste—if it needs more salt or pepper, toss that in. Dish it up warm, sprinkle on some fresh parsley or a little bit of cheese if you want.
02 -
Drop in the orzo and let everything bubble again. Stir here and there so nothing sticks. Simmer for around 10 minutes with the lid off, until the orzo's soft. Or, just stick the covered pot in a hot oven for 10–15 minutes, or toss it in your slow cooker on high for that same amount.
03 -
When it boils, turn the heat down low and cover the pot. Let it simmer for 2–4 hours until that beef falls apart. Or, throw the covered pot into a 140°C oven for a few hours. If you're using a slow cooker, set it to LOW for 8–10 hours, or HIGH for 4–6 hours.
04 -
Slide the browned beef back in. Pour in the broth, add the tomato, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and bay leaves. Mix everything gently together.
05 -
Splash in the red wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits while it sizzles away.
06 -
Mix in the garlic and tomato paste. Keep stirring for about a minute to blend it all well.
07 -
Toss the chopped onion into that same pot and cook for about five minutes 'til it's soft. Add the carrot if you're using it and cook a minute more.
08 -
Pour olive oil into a big oven-proof pan and heat over medium-high. Sprinkle salt and pepper over your beef cubes. Let them get brown, turning so all the sides cook for 2–4 minutes each. Set the beef aside.
# Notes:
01 -
For a bigger punch of flavor, swap some broth for red wine and let that simmer down before adding in everything else.
02 -
Top it off with chopped parsley or some Greek cheese like mizithra, kefalotyri, or feta if you want it to feel classic.
03 -
Keep any leftovers in a jar or sealed container in the fridge.