Dinner · 90 min · greek

Youvetsi (Beef and Orzo Bake)

This is the kind of Greek dinner you’ll make on repeat — beef chuck and orzo, 90 minutes, big payoff. At 640 calories and 40g protein per serving, it fits easily into a high-protein day. Simple enough for a Tuesday, good enough to serve to guests — that is the whole idea.

✓ USDA-verified nutrition data

Ingredients

• 2 lb Beef chuck
• 1 lb Orzo
• 28 oz Canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 3/4 cup Dry red wine
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp Allspice
• 1 cup Grated kefalotyri
• 1/3 cup Olive oil
• 2 tsp Salt

Steps

1. Sear the beef in batches until deeply browned — this is a braise, and the crust is the flavor. Add the onion and garlic, then the wine, scraping up the fond.
2. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, allspice, and water to cover; braise covered at a low simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes until the beef yields to a fork.
3. Stir in the orzo and enough hot water to keep everything loose — the orzo drinks liquid fast and will seize into paste if the pot runs dry. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring often.
4. Transfer to a baking dish, shower with the cheese, and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes until the top is golden and the orzo at the edges crisps slightly. Rest 10 minutes. The crispy edge bits are fought over; make enough for everyone to get some.
5. If the orzo looks dry going into the oven, stir in a cup of hot water first — it should enter the oven loose and soupy, not tight.

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