Braised Beef with Whole Onions
Tender meat in an aromatic sauce - simple, like all genius things! Braised beef with onions turns out very fragrant and amazingly tasty. Whole onions and garlic cloves give their sweetish juices to the sauce while keeping their shape. Curry, sweet paprika, and hot chili create a complex, warming bouquet.
Updated : 02 March, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
800 grams
Beef
400 grams
Onion
250 milliliters
Water
50 grams
Tomato paste
6
Garlic
3 tablespoon
Olive oil
1 teaspoon
Curry
1 teaspoon
Red pepper, ground
1 grams
Hot pepper, ground
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Salt
Decorating
0.25
Chili pepper
to taste
Parsley
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the necessary ingredients. It’s best to use boneless beef - only the meat. Choose small onions - the smaller, the better. Shallots or pearl onions are ideal, but regular small onions will also work.
Step 2
Rinse the beef and pat it dry with paper towels; otherwise excess moisture won’t let it sear and it will steam instead. Cut into large or medium pieces.
Step 3
Peel the onions and leave them whole.
Step 4
Peel the garlic and also leave the cloves whole. If you prefer, you can finely chop the garlic with a knife.
Step 5
Heat olive oil in a deep, thick-bottomed skillet. Lay the beef in a single layer. Sear over high heat to lock in the juices. Brown the beef on all sides until golden.
Step 6
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the whole onions and garlic cloves. Add paprika, curry, chili pepper, ground black pepper, and salt. Stir and fry everything together for 1 minute. Add tomato paste, stir, and simmer over low heat for 1-2 minutes.
Step 7
Pour in hot water and stir until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil. At the very end, I added dried paprika flakes for extra flavor and aroma. If you have them, add them - it will be even tastier.
Step 8
Braise everything over low heat at a gentle simmer, covered, for about 40 minutes until done, adding hot water if needed. The onions should become tender but not fall apart - stay whole. Plate the meat, sprinkle with chopped parsley and sliced chili rings, and serve. Enjoy!
Step 9
Enjoy your meal!
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