Spezzatino di Manzo con Piselli (Italian Beef Stew with Peas)
Tender chunks of beef braised slowly in red wine and tomato, with sweet peas stirred in at the end.
Made with Soffritto and Homemade beef stock. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time2 hr 30
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £3.99 a head
- Oven150°C (130°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Pat the beef dry, toss with the cornflour and season well.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large casserole over a high heat. Brown the beef in 3 batches until deep golden on every side, about 4 minutes a batch. Set aside.
12 min - 3
Add your ready made soffritto (see the base recipe) to the pot with the tomato purée and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine, scraping up the sticky bits, and let it bubble for 2 minutes.
4 min - 4
Return the beef with the bay, rosemary and your homemade beef stock (see the base recipe). Bring to a simmer, cover and cook in the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes, until the meat is very tender.
105 min - 5
Stir in the peas and cook on the hob for 5 minutes. Remove the herbs.
5 min - 6
Taste, season and serve with mash, soft polenta or crusty bread.
Tips
- Browning in batches is the secret to a deeply savoury stew. A crowded pot steams the beef instead.
- The stew should barely tremble in the oven. A fierce boil toughens the meat.
- It tastes even better the next day. Cool it quickly and reheat gently.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes. Keeps 3 days in the fridge, or 3 months in the freezer. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the meat and soffritto in a pan, then tip everything except the peas into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours and add the peas for the last 15 minutes.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as long as your stock is gluten free. It is thickened with cornflour, and the soffritto and wine are naturally gluten free. Check the tomato purée label.
More made with soffritto
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.