Description

This hearty Beef and Vegetable Casserole is a comforting, slow-cooked dish packed with tender beef, rich tomato and wine flavors, and a medley of vegetables. Perfect for cozy weekends, it is cooked to perfection in the oven, resulting in a flavorful and thickened sauce with melt-in-your-mouth meat and vegetables. Served with fresh parsley and crusty bread, this dish is a complete, satisfying meal for eight people.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Meat and Coating

1 kg beef, oyster blade or similar
3 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

Vegetables

2 brown onions, peeled
2 large carrots, peeled
3 stalks celery, ends removed
8 sprigs thyme, stems removed
3 bay leaves
250 g button mushrooms
2 large potatoes, peeled

Liquids and Herbs

4 tbsp olive oil
500 ml red wine
400 g tomato purée
750 ml beef stock

For Garnish and Serving

4 tbsp parsley, roughly chopped
Crusty bread, to serve

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Instructions

Prepare the beef: Roughly dice the beef into 3cm chunks, trimming off any excess fat. Place into a bowl and cover with flour, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and set aside.
Prepare vegetables: Roughly chop the onions into large wedges. Dice the carrots and celery into large chunks of about equal size. Halve or quarter the mushrooms so they are similar in size to the other vegetables. Roughly chop the potatoes into large chunks and set aside in a bowl of cold water.
Brown the beef: Place a large oven-proof pot or casserole on high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the beef until lightly coloured on all sides. If any excess flour sticks to the pot, add a dash of red wine and stir to loosen. Once browned, transfer beef to a bowl and set aside.
Sauté vegetables and aromatics: Reduce heat to medium-high, add remaining olive oil, then add onions, carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaves. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until onions soften. Add tomato purée and mushrooms, cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add liquids and simmer: Pour in the red wine, bring to a simmer, and bubble for 2-3 minutes to cook off the alcohol. Return beef along with juices to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, then add beef stock until the contents are covered by about 3-4cm of liquid. Bring to a boil.
Oven cooking: Cover with a lid and transfer the pot to an oven preheated to 150ºC. Cook for 3 hours, stirring once every hour.
Add potatoes and cook further: Remove from oven, add potatoes, taste and adjust seasoning. Return to oven with lid askew and cook for an additional 60 minutes, until potatoes are tender and sauce thickens. If necessary, cook uncovered for another 30 minutes to reduce sauce further.
Rest and serve: Remove from oven, let stand for 10 minutes. Stir half the parsley into the casserole, then serve in bowls garnished with remaining parsley and crusty bread on the side.

Notes

For extra flavor, marinate the beef overnight with a little red wine and herbs before cooking.
Adjust cooking time for larger or smaller cuts of beef to ensure tenderness.
You can substitute beef stock with vegetable stock for a lighter taste.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, uncover the casserole during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/8 of casserole (approx. 350g)
Calories: 600 kcal
Sugar: 8 g
Sodium: 900 mg
Fat: 28 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 16 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 60 g
Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 40 g
Cholesterol: 120 mg