Go Back

Spezzatino Italian Beef Stew

Spezzatino Italian beef stew with rosemary and red wine develops tender, fork-melting chuck cubes in a thick tomato sauce. Simmered in stages with potatoes until soft, then finished with peas for a bright bite.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef chuck
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Seasoning and flour
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Oil and aromatics
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 each carrot, finely diced
  • 1 each celery stalk, finely diced
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
Sauce base
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 cup beef broth
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 bay leaves
Potatoes and finish
  • 1.5 lb potatoes, cubed
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season beef with salt and black pepper, then dust with all-purpose flour. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high and brown beef in batches until deeply browned on the outside, transferring to a plate between batches.
  2. Keep the browned bits in the pot for flavor while you finish the remaining batches. Return all beef to the pot once browned.
Build the sauce
  1. Add onion, carrot, and celery to the pot and cook for 8 minutes until soft. Stir in garlic for 1 minute to soften and become fragrant.
  2. Pour in dry red wine and simmer until reduced by half, scraping the bottom to loosen browned fond. The mixture should look slightly thickened and darker.
Simmer into a stew
  1. Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth, rosemary, bay leaves, and the browned beef. Cover and simmer at 190°F to 200°F (gentle simmer) for 1 1/2 hours, stirring once or twice so nothing sticks.
Cook potatoes and peas
  1. Add cubed potatoes and simmer uncovered at 190°F to 200°F for 40 minutes until tender. Stir to keep the stew evenly cooked.
  2. Stir in frozen peas and simmer for the last 5 minutes until bright green and heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove rosemary and bay leaves and discard. Serve the spezzatino hot with crusty bread.

Notes

For maximum tenderness, keep the stew at a gentle simmer (not a hard boil) during the 1 1/2-hour braise so the chuck stays soft instead of tough. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat gently until steaming. Freezing is yes—freeze portions without the peas if possible, then add peas during reheating for best texture. For a lighter version, use low-sodium beef broth and reduce added salt to taste.