Youvetsi is a Greek Beef Stew with Orzo, cooked slowly in a tomato sauce with cinnamon and bay. The orzo cooks in the same sauce, so everything happens in one pot. The beef takes about two hours to turn soft, but you are only at the stove for a small part of that.
I make this whenever I have guests coming, because it looks after itself while I get everything else ready. In Greece it comes to the table with grated cheese on top, and I never skip it.
Jump to:
What is Youvetsi?
Youvetsi, is also knonw as Giouvetsi and Gouvetsi, are the same dish, just different English spellings of the Greek name. The name comes from the clay pot the dish was traditionally baked in, the same word as the Turkish güveç, which I use for my Kuzu Güveç.
At home, any oven-safe dish with a lid works just as well.
Years ago many Greek homes had no oven, so families carried the pot to the village bakery and collected it cooked. The dish is still a Sunday favorite.
The orzo cooks in the sauce and turns soft and creamy, while the meat gets tender enough to fall apart with a fork.
Why This Recipe Works
- Everything cooks in one pot, so there is only one dish to wash at the end.
- Most of the time is oven time. You sear the beef, and the rest is mostly waiting.
- It is a real crowd feeder. One pot serves the whole family, with bread and a salad on the side.
- You can braise the beef a day ahead and add the orzo just before serving, so it suits guests.
- I think it is the easiest Greek stew to get right. If the orzo looks too wet, a short rest fixes it.
- The same recipe works with lamb, and the spices stay exactly the same.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Beef - I use stewing beef with lots of connective tissue and some fat, like brisket, chuck, or shin for the best results. Lamb also works and gives a slightly different flavor.
- Onions- They add savory flavor to the stew. I use brown or white onions but shallots would work great too.
- Orzo pasta - This small, rice-shaped pasta is essential for the dish’s texture. If you’re curious about other ways to use orzo, take a look at my Orzo Pasta Salad and Turkish Rice Pilaf (Sehriyeli Pilav) recipes for more ideas!
- Spices - A touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika, and bay leaves bring warmth and a bit of earthiness.
- Tomatoes - Both fresh and tinned tomatoes work great with this stew. Adding a teaspoon of sugar balances the acidity.
How to Make Youvetsi?
The method breaks down into a few easy steps, with photos for each one:
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef pieces and brown them on all sides to lock in the flavor.
Once the meat is browned, add diced onion and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté until the onion turns translucent and the garlic becomes fragrant.
Add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, sugar, black pepper, paprika, nutmeg, and salt.
Pour in 500 ml - 2 cups of water and stir to combine. Preheat your oven to 180° C - 356° F.
Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Transfer the pot to the oven and cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to pull apart with a fork. Cooking time may vary depending on the cut and size of the beef.
When the beef is tender, remove the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Add the uncooked orzo to the pot and stir to combine.
Add 500 ml - 2 cups of water or beef broth to cover the orzo by about an inch - 2.5 cm.
Place the pot, covered, in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the orzo is softened, and has absorbed most of the liquid.
If the orzo absorbs the liquid too quickly, add a little more water or broth as needed. Stir once or twice during baking to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom.
Recipe Tips From the Chef
- Use stewing beef such as brisket, chuck, or shin, or lamb shank. These cuts turn very tender when cooked slowly.
- Cooking time changes with the cut and the size of the pieces, so test the beef with a fork rather than trusting the clock.
- Use fresh bay leaves and whole cinnamon sticks if you can. They give the sauce a better aroma than ground spices.
- Orzo absorbs a lot of liquid, so check the dish while it bakes and add hot broth or water if it looks dry.
- Pat the beef dry and sear it in batches over a high heat. Crowding the pan makes the meat steam instead of brown.
- Use about 3 cups of liquid for every cup of orzo. That ratio keeps the grains separate instead of gluey.
- Take the dish out of the oven while it still looks a little too wet, then rest it for 10 to 15 minutes. The orzo absorbs the extra sauce as it sits.
- Grated kefalotyri is the classic cheese for serving. Graviera, kasseri, or parmesan all work too.
- Toast the orzo in a splash of olive oil until golden before it goes into the pot. This keeps the grains separate instead of turning soft.
- Use boiling water or hot broth when you add the liquid for the orzo, so the cooking starts straight away and the timing stays accurate.
Youvetsi Variations
- For lamb youvetsi, use boneless lamb shoulder instead of beef. The cooking time stays about the same.
- Chicken thighs also work and need about 30 minutes of simmering instead of 2 hours, so that is the quickest version.
- You can brown small meatballs instead of stewing beef and cook the orzo in the same sauce. In Greece this version is called giouvetsi me keftedes.
- Some Greek recipes include red wine. Pour 150 ml - ⅔ cup of dry red wine over the seared beef and let it cook off before you add the tomatoes.
Serving Suggestions
Youvetsi comes to the table straight from the pot, family style. Grated kefalotyri is the classic topping, and graviera, kasseri, or parmesan work well too.
Sprinkle it over each serving, or let everyone add their own.
Serve some crusty bread on the side. My Sourdough Bread, Greek Bread - Horiatiko Psomi, or Barbari Bread - Persian Flatbread all work well.
A fresh Greek Cucumber Salad or Feta Cheese Watermelon Salad on the side balances the rich sauce.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
You can get ahead by braising the beef in its sauce a day before, then keeping it in the fridge and cooking the orzo in it just before serving.
Leftovers keep well too, and the flavors improve over time. Let the Youvetsi cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Youvetsi also freezes well. Place in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
To reheat, place Youvetsi in a pot on the stovetop, adding a bit of water or broth to prevent sticking. Heat over low until warmed through.
Alternatively, reheat in the microwave in short bursts, stirring occasionally.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Sauté the meat and aromatics first, then transfer everything to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, adding the orzo during the last 30 minutes.
Orzo is traditional, but you can use other small pasta shapes like ditalini or vermicelli. Just keep in mind that cooking times may vary.
It is meant to look that way when it comes out of the oven. Rest the dish for 10 to 15 minutes and the orzo will absorb the extra sauce. If it is still loose after resting, it needed a few more minutes in the oven.
The usual causes are too much liquid and too long in the oven. Stick to about 3 cups of liquid per cup of orzo, and take the dish out while it still looks slightly wet. The orzo keeps cooking as it rests.
Kokkinisto is Greek meat braised slowly in tomato sauce. Youvetsi is the same braise finished with orzo, traditionally in the oven, so the pasta cooks in the sauce and soaks it up.
Related Recipes
For more hearty stew recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this comforting casserole dish Youvetsi - Greek Beef and Orzo Stew as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Cooking Gorgeous
Youvetsi
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs diced stewing beef (700 g - 24 ½ oz)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml - ½ fl oz)
- 2 large onions (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes (400 g)
- 2 cups water (for cooking the beef, 500 ml - 17 fl oz)
- 1 ½ cups orzo pasta (250 g - 9 oz)
- 2 cups water (for cooking orzo, 500 ml - 17 fl oz)
- 1 oz freshly grated parmesan cheese (30 g - 1 oz)
Instructions
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef pieces and brown them on all sides to lock in the flavor. This step is important for building a rich, flavorful base.
- Once the meat is browned, add diced onion and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté until the onion turns translucent and the garlic becomes fragrant.
- Add the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, sugar, black pepper, paprika, nutmeg, and salt.
- Pour in 500 ml - 2 cups of water and stir to combine.
- Preheat your oven to 180° C - 356° F.
- Cover the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Transfer the pot to the oven and cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is tender enough to pull apart with a fork. Cooking time may vary depending on the cut and size of the beef.
- When the beef is tender, add the uncooked orzo to the pot and stir to combine.
- Add 500 ml - 2 cups of water or beef broth to cover the orzo by about an inch - 2.5 cm.
- Place the pot, covered, in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the orzo is softened, and has absorbed most of the liquid.
- If the orzo absorbs the liquid too quickly, add a little more water or broth as needed. Stir once or twice during baking to prevent the orzo from sticking to the bottom.
Notes
- Use stewing beef such as brisket, chuck, or shin. Lamb shank also works. These cuts turn tender when cooked slowly.
- Cooking time can change depending on the cut and the size of the beef pieces.
- Fresh bay leaves and cinnamon sticks give more flavor than old ones.
- Check the pot while the orzo cooks. Orzo absorbs a lot of liquid, so add more hot water or broth if it looks dry.
- Take the pot off the heat while the stew still looks a little wet, then let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
- Toast the orzo in a splash of olive oil until golden before it goes into the pot. This keeps the grains separate instead of turning soft.
- Use boiling water or hot broth when you add the liquid for the orzo, so the cooking starts straight away and the timing stays accurate.
Elizabeth says
First time making this and it’s definitely a keeper!!
Ayla Clulee says
I am so happy to hear that, Elizabeth!
Kimberly says
Delicious! I added carrots and red potatoes, oregano and extra garlic, and cooked it in an instapot. Made the orzo separately. We loved the warm flavor from the cinnamon. This recipe is a keeper!
Ayla Clulee says
That sounds great, Kimberley! The carrots, red potatoes, and extra garlic must’ve added so much flavor. Love that you made it in the Instapot and did the orzo on the side. Thanks for sharing!
Lauren says
First time trying this and the whole family loved it! A definite keeper !