This Greek Orzo & Lamb Casserole (Giouvetsi) is the ultimate Greek comfort food – tender meat and orzo cooked in a rich tomato sauce. Easy to make in your Instant Pot or stovetop. This lamb recipe is Syn Free provided you use lean lamb leg steaks.
You will also love my Slimming World Tuna Pasta Bake
Some recipes evoke so many memories… Giouvetsi was one of my favourite dishes growing up in Greece, a delicious one-pot meal that my mum would make on the weekends.
This simple casserole would definitely be in my top five ‘ultimate comfort foods’ list. Though it has few ingredients it is incredibly nourishing and – surprisingly – perfect for Slimming World.
I now make this recipe at least once a week in my Instant Pot because the whole family, including my picky children, LOVES it. Once you try it I think you will be hooked too.
What does ‘giouvetsi’ mean?
Giouvetsi or Youvetsi (Γιουβέτσι pronounced as ‘you-vet-si’) takes its name from the lidded clay pot it is cooked in.
It can be made with lamb, beef or chicken and orzo (κριθαράκι) or hilopites (small, flat, square pasta) all cooked together in a rich aromatic tomato sauce.
Traditionally, giouvetsi is cooked on the stove and then the oven – or just in the oven – and can take several hours.
The meat, vegetables and tomato sauce are cooked first then the orzo is added with additional water or stock and cooked until tender.
Giouvetsi ingredients
You only need a handful of ingredients to make giouvetsi, a lot of them pantry staples.
• beef, lamb or chicken: I prefer to use beef or lamb in this recipe but chicken thighs can also be used
• onions, garlic, carrots, celery
• tinned chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. I only had tinned plum tomatoes so I liquidised them before using.
• cinnamon stick, bay leaves, dried thyme
• vegetable stock or red wine – or a combination of both – I prefer using stock in this recipe
• Orzo pasta
• feta or grated kefalotyri cheese (optional)
• olive oil or cooking spray such as Fry Light for a Slimming World version
How to make giouvetsi in the Instant Pot
I always prefer to brown any meat before making Instant Pot stews. It adds a little extra work – and extra flavour – but if you are in a hurry you can skip this and start the recipe from step 3 onwards.
Step 1. Heat a little olive oil in a large casserole dish or directly in your Instant Pot using the ‘sauté function. Use cooking spray such as Fry Light for SW version.
Step 2. Brown the meat, in batches, until nicely coloured on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Step 3. Add a little more oil in the Instant Pot (or use cooking spray) and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery for 5 minutes. Season with the salt, garlic granules and thyme.
Step 4. Add the browned meat into the Instant Pot together with stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, bay leaves. If you are worried about getting a ‘Burn’ notice, don’t stir the tomatoes and paste in at this stage.
Step 5. Set vent to sealing and cook for 17 minutes on high pressure. Release the steam manually.
Step 6. Stir in the orzo and additional stock and cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Release the steam manually.
Step 7. Give the stew a good stir – it will probably still have quite a lot of liquid. Turn the Instant Pot off, loosely cover with the lid (without sealing just resting it on top) and leave for 10-15 minutes.
Step 8. Check again – the stew should have thickened as the orzo will have absorbed more of the liquid and be ready to serve. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 9. Transfer to a platter, season with pepper and sprinkle with feta cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Stove/oven method
Step 4. Add a little more oil (or use cooking spray) and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery for 5 minutes. Season with the salt, garlic granules and thyme.
Step 5. Now add the browned meat together with all the stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cover.
Step 9. Transfer to a platter, season with pepper and sprinkle with feta cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately!
Is Lamb Casserole suitable for freezing?
You can freeze this recipe before you add the orzo – generally pasta doesn’t freeze particularly well. Follow steps 1-5 then cool down completely. Put in freezer bags – in portions if necessary.
Defrost overnight in the fridge and stir in cooked orzo or proceed from step 6 onwards to cook the orzo in the Instant Pot.
Vegetarian Giouvetsi
It is easy to make a vegetarian (or vegan without the cheese) version of Giouvetsi. Simple leave out the meat and increase the vegetables in the stew. Butternut squash, parsnips, peppers etc would all be great additions. If you are using peppers add them in with the orzo so that they don’t completely turn into mush!
Slimming World Lamb Casserole
This recipe is ideal for Slimming World as it contains free foods if you omit the olive oil. You must also make sure to use lean meat with all visible fat removed. Lamb leg steaks are perfect as they are very lean.
Greek cooks use A LOT of olive oil in this recipe (hi mum!) but you can replace it with cooking spray or use a little olive oil if you don’t mind a few syns.
I think a little feta cheese adds a nice salty edge, this can be a healthy extra. If you don’t want to add feta you could substitute with fat-free Polish curd cheese (twaróg) which has a similar texture – but, alas, not the same taste!
Have you made my Giouvetsi?
Post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes. I can’t wait to see your take on it!
MORE GREEK RECIPES TO TRY
- Slow cooker Greek lamb kleftiko with potatoes
- Kokinisto – Greek Beef stew in tomato sauce
- Greek orzo pasta salad with tomatoes and feta
- Sheet pan Greek bifteki with potatoes
Giouvetsi - Greek Lamb Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil or cooking spray , more as needed
- 900 g | 2 lbs lamb steaks, fat removed , cubed (or use beef, chicken thighs)
- 1 large onion or 6 shallots , roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves , sliced
- 3 carrots , peeled and cut into chunky cubes
- 3 celery sticks , diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 400 g | 14oz tin of chopped tomatoes or pureed plum tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 1 tsp dried thyme or mixed Italian herbs
- 250 g | 1 1/3 cups orzo
- 750 ml | 3 cups vegetable stock
- Handful parsley leaves , roughly chopped to garnish
- 100 g | 3 1/2 oz feta cheese , crumbled to serve (Healthy Extra)
- Ground pepper , to taste
Instructions
Instant Pot method
- Heat at the olive oil in a large casserole dish or directly in your Instant Pot using the 'sauté function. Use cooking spray such as Fry Light for SW version.
- Brown the meat, in batches, until nicely coloured on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add a little more oil in the Instant Pot (or use cooking spray) and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery for 5 minutes. Season with the salt, garlic granules and thyme.
- Return the browned meat into the Instant Pot together with 250ml (1 cup) of stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, bay leaves.
- Set vent to sealing and cook for 17 minutes on high pressure. Release the steam manually.
- Add the orzo and remaining stock and cook for 3 minutes on high pressure. Release the steam manually.
- Give the stew a good stir – it will probably still have quite a lot of liquid. Turn the Instant Pot off, loosely cover with the lid (without sealing just resting it on top) and leave for 10-15 minutes.
- Check again – the stew should have thickened as the orzo will have absorbed more of the liquid and be ready to serve. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Transfer to a platter, season with pepper and sprinkle with feta cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately!
Stove/oven method
- Please note you will need 1litre (4 cups) stock for this version. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Heat the olive oil in a large lidded casserole dish (Dutch oven). Use cooking spray such as Fry Light for SW version.
- Brown the meat, in batches, for 5 minutes, until nicely coloured on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Add a little more oil (or use cooking spray) and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery for 5 minutes. Season with the salt, garlic granules and thyme.
- Now add the browned meat together with all the stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon, bay leaves. Bring to a simmer and cover.
- Cover the casserole and transfer to the oven and cook for 1 1/2 hours until the meat is very tender.
- Add the orzo and cook for a further 30 minutes or until the orzo is cooked through.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Transfer to a platter, season with pepper and sprinkle with feta cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately!
F sethman says
I just made this delicious meal. I just started the Mediterranean diet; focusing on lower sodium. Is there anything that can reduce the amount of sodium? I’m attempting to be compliant majority of the week.
Lucy Parissi says
Hi! I would say avoid adding salt to the food until it is cooked then taste and season. But I would say reduce salt (seasoning) in your food gradually. Avoid high salt cheeses (like halloumi) and try to compensate for the flavour by adding lots of fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil etc.