Italian Veal Stew (Spezzatino)

An overhead image of spezzatino di manzo - Italian beef stew in a pot

3.80 from 54 votes

Italian Veal Stew (Spezzatino)

Chunks of tender veal gets slow simmered with vegetables in a stew that gets reduced into a luxuriously thick gravy. The perfect cold weather meal, spezzatino is an Italian classic.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 45

Total Time2

Course: Dinner, Entree, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Calories: 411kcal

Author: Kitrusy

Ingredients

1½ lbs veal boneless and cut into 1" cubes
½ tsp Himalayan salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil divided
½ medium onion yellow or white, diced
2 medium carrots cut into rounds
1 stalk celery diced
3 cloves garlic minced or sliced
½ tsp Dried Oregano
2 tbsp Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour or whole wheat pastry flour
5-6 mushrooms button or baby bella, whole, optional
1½ cups chicken bone broth or stock
8 oz crushed tomatoes
2 whole bay leaves (and other herbs such as a sprig of ½rosemary, thyme or sage if you like them)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F.
Pat the veal dry using paper towels and season on all sides with salt and pepper. If preferred you can use a meat mallet to tenderize each piece before seasoning.
Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to an oven proof pot with a lid (such as a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot) and set on medium-high heat. Add the veal to the pot in a single layer and allow it to brown on all sides.
Once browned, remove from the pot and set aside. Add in remaining 2 tbsp oil along with onions, carrots, celery, and sauté until fragrant. Add in the sliced garlic along with the oregano and let cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add the veal back to the pot and sprinkle the flour over it. Mix the flour into the meat and veggies and allow it to cook for one minute.
Add 1/4 cup stock to deglaze the pot. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom. Add the mushrooms if using, and top with remaining chicken broth. Pour in enough so that the veal is barely covered.
Add the bay leaves along with any other herbs you like (such as thyme, rosemary, or sage), and crushed tomatoes. Mix to combine all ingredients and then cover the pot and place it into the preheated oven for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the sauce is thickened and the meat is fall apart tender.
Remove the pot from the oven and stir your stew. Ensure you remove the bay leaves and any other spices that aren't edible (such as thyme sticks). Your sauce should be thick like a gravy. If not, you can add 1-2 tsp of potato starch into the pot and stir to thicken your sauce.
Taste your stew and adjust salt and pepper seasoning to suit your personal taste or finish with additional flavor boosts (see notes).
Serve your stew by itself or with some crusty bread, polenta, couscous or mashed potatoes. Bring any leftovers to room temp before storing in the fridge for up to 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Notes

To add extra flavor to your stew you can add in the following to finish:
- a pat of butter,
- 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce,
- 1-2 tsp soy sauce,
- 1-2 tsp cocoa powder or a piece of dark chocolate,
- 1-2 tsp fresh herbs or even a gremolata (combination of garlic, parsley and lemon zest)
Additionally you can use 2 oz of bacon bits or pancetta as a first step. Render your bacon/pancetta until browned, remove the bits from the pot and set aside and use the rendered fat in the pot to sear your veal pieces. Once your stew comes out the oven and is cooked, add the bacon/pancetta bits back into it.

Nutrition