Kokkinisto - Beef Stew in Tomato Sauce (2024)

Kokkinisto is a deliciously simple Greek Stew made with beef, tomatoes and red wine slow cooked until meltingly tender. Easy to make in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or stove and the perfect comfort food for chilly winter nights.

Try also myChunky Beef Casserole

Published November 2013, updated November 2018

I first posted this recipe five years ago and the time has come to give it a little spruce!

Kokkinisto means ‘made red’ – literally beef stew with tomatoes and red wine. It is a classic Greek recipe and a childhood favourite.

The slow cooking tenderises the meat until it is meltingly soft and the rich sauce is fragrant with cinnamon and cloves.

This beef stew is very simple and doesn’t include lots of extra vegetables. Or any vegetables apart from the tomatoes and onions! This is how my mother used to make it and who am I to argue? Feel free to add carrots and maybe some butternut squash to bulk this up.

As with most stews this tastes even better the day after it’s made so do yourselves a favour and make extra!

This stew is so easy to make in your pressure cooker, crockpot or stovetop. These days I always choose the Instant Pot as it is the quickest and most convenient option. Take a look at the video to see how its done!

Ingredients in Greek beef stew

• Cubed beef: you can use any cheap cut of stew meat here, such as casserole or braising steak, but don’t go for anything too lean.
• Red wine: don’t bother using expensive red wine unless you have some leftover. Cheap medium-dry wine will do the job just as well.
• Beef broth (stock) – I use Knorr stockpots but a stock cube is fine too
• Shallots or onion
• Garlic
• Chopped (tinned) tomatoes and tomato purée or paste. Fresh tomatoes can also be used if you prefer.
• Bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cloves bring on the distinctive aroma that will make your house smell amazing!
• A little sugar to cut the acidity – you can also use sweetener of your choice or leave this out.
• If you wanted to add some extra veggies, chuck in some diced carrots and celery.

Serving Suggestions

In Greece this rich stew is served over pasta – usually orzo or penne. But it can also be served with rice, mashed potatoes or even fries. I think fries – patates tiganites – was definitely my favourite side when I was a child!

These days I usually serve with mashed potatoes and some type of greens such as wilted spinach, green beans or broccoli.

This recipe is Syn-free on Slimming World with some very minor tweaks noted in the recipe card.

Kokkinisto in the Instant Pot

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

Step 1. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil (or use cooking spray) in a large cast iron casserole or skillet and brown the beef, in batches, until nicely coloured on all sides. You can also brown the beef directly in your pressure cooker but don’t crowd the meat as it will stew rather than brown.

Step 2. Heat the olive oil in your Instant Pot using the Sauté function. Add the shallots or onion and sugar and cook over medium heat for about five minutes, until softened.

Step 3. Add the garlic, bay leaf, cloves, salt, pepper and cinnamon stick and stir for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Step 4. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth and wine. Add the beef, stir together and cover.

Step 5. Set vent to sealing and cook for 45 minutes at high pressure. Leave for 10 minutes natural release and then manually release the rest of the steam.

Step 6.Taste and season if necessary. Stir in some chopped parsley and serve with mashed potatoes, rice or orzo pasta.

Stovetop Instructions

Step 1. Heat the olive oil (or use cooking spray) in a Dutch oven and cook the meat, in batches, so it browns evenly. Take the beef out and deglaze the pan with a splash of the wine.

Step 2. Lower the heat, and add the chopped onion and sugar (or sweetener for a SW version). Cook for about five minutes, stirring, until softened.

Step 4. Add the garlic, bay leaf, cloves, salt, pepper and cinnamon stick and stir for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

Step 3. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth and wine. Add the beef, stir together and bring to the boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 1 1/2- 2 hours until the beef is tender. Give the occasional stir and add more hot water if the pan gets a bit dry.

Slow Cooker Instructions

Brown the meat and sauté the onion and garlic then add all the ingredients to the slow cooker pot and cook for 5 hours on high or up to 7-8 hours on low.

Have you made my Kokinisto recipe? Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterestwith the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!

MORE COMFORTING STEWS

• Pressure cooker Guinness beef stew
• One-pot Spanish chicken, chorizo and lentil stew
• Slow cooker Brazilian feijoada stew
• One-Pot Greek Beef Stifado Stew
• Chicken, chorizo, olive and chickpea stew