Easy Greek Giouvetsi Pasta Bake

Here is a traditional giouvetsi recipe! This is a classic Greek oven baked pasta stew that can contain delicious ingredients such as diced lamb, beef or pork. And that lush meat is cooked with Greek orzo pasta in a rich tomato sauce from scratch!

Have you heard of giouvetsi before?

Greek Classic

If you ever went to visit Greece, then I am sure that you must have seen this oven bake at least once. The Greek love their giouvetsi. And they are absolutely right!

But what is it exactly?

Well, Greek γιουβετσι (it is also spelled youvetsi or yiouvetsi) is a delicious classic Greek dish. It is a meat and pasta bake that can contain a variety of different meats. Giouvetsi chicken, γιουβετσι κοτοπουλο in Greek. And with pork, γιουβετσι με χοιρινο or beef, γιουβετσι μοσχαρι in Greek.

Meatballs

There is also a version of this classic that contains meatballs, κεφτεδακια γιουβετσι.

And that sounds absolutely delicious!

However most commonly lamb is used, γιουβετσι με αρνι.

It takes quite a fair amount of time to braise and simmer because the meat and pasta have to be super smooth and tender in the end.

Braised Lamb (Arni Youvetsi Recipe)

But that is exactly what makes this giouvetsi so scrumptious!

If you ever walked into a Greek restaurant before for lunch or dinner, then you also might have had the chance to step into the kitchen. You can look into pans with simmering stews on the stove and salivate over pasta dishes in the ovens until you have found the meal that you want to eat.

Because that is how it goes in authentic Greek restaurants.

Love it.

Easy Greek Arni Giouvetsi Pasta Bake

Are you also crazy about Greek food?

Well then, here is your turn to make a big fat Greek food party at home! For the record: the cinnamon in this giouvetsi is crucial. Don’t forget it because cinnamon really makes or breaks this dish, believe me.

I found the inspiration for this giouvetsi lamb recipe from my Greek foodie friends Mirella and Panos over at Little Cooking Tips!

Little Cooking Tips

Do you love Greek food?

Then you should also check out another traditional Greek oven dish because I am sure you will definitely know this one: my moussaka! Fried potatoes and eggplants with ground meat covered with a thick layer of bechamel sauce.

Delish.

Or maybe you are more into my chicken souvlaki skewers with tzatziki dipping sauce!

Orzo Pasta

I love a good pasta bake!

How about you?

But hold your horses, you can’t use just any type of pasta in this classic recipe for giouvetsi lamb stew. Traditionally orzo is added to the meat stew. Orzo is small in the shape of a large grain of rice.

It is called kritharaki in Greek and you an also find it under the name of risoni.

Can’t you find orzo pasta where you live?

Alternatives

Then you can use a wider type of pasta like tagliatelle and break it into small bits. I was lucky to find orzo here in Spain. Had I not then I would have used the Spanish fideua that is also used in paella.

I also love the recipe for giouvetsi Akis Petretzikis, a Greek chef, makes!

Are you looking for the KitchenAid Cook Processor recipe for this giouvetsi lamb?

Then just scroll down to the second recipe on this page!

Enjoy!

Easy Oven Baked Greek Giouvetsi Recipe (Giouvetsi Sto Fourno)

5 from 1 vote

Print

Greek Giouvetsi

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

2 hrs

 

Greek giouvetsi, an oven baked pasta lamb stew with orzo pasta!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: 4 people

Calories per serving: 748 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb lamb, pork or beef (450 g), diced
• 3 large garlic cloves chopped
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock (240 ml), warm
• ½ bottle red wine (375 ml)
• 1 ½ lbs canned chopped tomatoes (675 g)
• 12,5 oz Greek pasta (orzo) (350 g)
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 clove
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• pepper
• salt

Instructions

1. Pour the olive oil in a non-stick pan and place it over medium heat until hot. Then add the chopped onion and garlic.
   

2. Stir for 4 minutes. Then add the diced meat. Season with pepper and salt.

   

3. Stir and turn the heat up. Sear the meat on all sides until browned. Add bay leaves, clove and half of the wine.

   

4. Cook for 1 minute. Then also add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste.

   
5. Stir well. Bring the tomato sauce to a boil and then turn the heat low. Simmer the tomato meat sauce for 1 hour until soft. Stir regularly. Gradually add the remaining red wine.
   
6. Check the seasoning of the meat stew because you might want to add pepper or salt. Then also add the Greek orzo pasta and cinnamon.
   

7. Stir well. Stir in the chicken stock and transfer it all to a large baking dish. Cover with tinfoil. Then bake the giouvetsi in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes. The pasta will gradually absorb the liquid tomato sauce until it is tender. You should end up with a solid but moist tomato sauce. Remove the dish from the hot oven. Then transfer the pasta, tomato and meat stew onto plates. Serve hot.

   

Easy Greek Giouvetsi Recipe (Giouvetsi Sto Fourno)

Traditional yiouvetsi, a classic Greek oven baked pasta stew with lamb, beef or pork with Greek orzo pasta in a rich tomato sauce!

Giouvetsi (also spelled youvetsi) is a delicious classic Greek meat and pasta bake made with chicken, pork or beef but most commonly lamb.

It takes quite a fair amount of time to braise and simmer because the meat and pasta have to be super smooth and tender.

KitchenAid Cook Processor

But that is exactly what makes it so scrumptious!

I made this Greek pasta and meat stew on my stove before once. And the second time around I thought that I should also give this lush Greek recipe a try in my KitchenAid Cook Processor.

Hey, you can also make it in a crockpot, instant pot pressure cooker!

Enjoy this classic!

Easy Greek Giouvetsi Recipe (Yiouvetsi Sto Fourno)

5 from 1 vote

Print

Giouvetsi

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

2 hrs

 

Greek giouvetsi, an oven baked pasta lamb stew with orzo pasta!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Greek

Servings: 4 people

Calories per serving: 748 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 lb lamb, pork or beef (450 g), diced
• 3 large garlic cloves chopped
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock 240 ml, warm
• ½ bottle red wine 375 ml
• 1 ½ oz canned chopped tomatoes 675 g
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 12,5 oz Greek pasta (orzo) (350 g)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 clove
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• pepper
• salt

Instructions

1. 1) Add the onion and garlic to the bowl of the Cook Processor fitted with the MultiBlade.

2. 2) Close the bowl and press Pulse for 5 seconds. Then remove the MultiBlade and add the StirAssist to the bowl. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then add the diced meat. Season with some pepper and salt.

3. 3) Close the lid and select STEW P5. Press Start to activate Step 1. After that add the red wine, the bay leaves, cinnamon, clove and chopped tomatoes.

4. 4) Close the bowl again. Adjust the cooking time to 1 hour (instead of 25 minutes). Then press Start to activate Step 2. Let the giouvetsi stew. Once the program is done, press cancel to exit the keep warm mode. Then check the seasoning of the meat stew because you might want to add pepper or salt. Pour in the orzo pasta. Now you can do 2 things: or give the stew a good stir and pour it all in a large baking dish.

5. 5) Cover with tinfoil. Then bake the giouvetsi in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 45 to 60 minutes (this is the traditional way of cooking a giouvetsi). Or you can finish cooking the giouvetsi in your Cook Processor. Therefore select STEW P2 and press start.

6. 6) The pasta will gradually absorb the liquid tomato sauce until it is tender. You should end up with a solid but moist tomato meat stew. Once the program is finished, press cancel to exit the keep warm mode. Then transfer the giouvetsi meat stew onto plates. Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve hot.