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Pearl Onion & Beef Stew Recipe - Etli Soğan Yahnisi

This Turkish pearl onion and beef stew - etli soğan yahnisi - is a real winter warmer of a stew that makes great use of seasonal pearl onion (arpacık soğan). We love to serve it as a main meal with fresh crusty bread and roasted potato wedges. If you have leftovers, it also tastes great the following day.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
3 hrs
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 391 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Turkish

Ingredients

  • 500 grams stew beef (braising steak or chuck steak)
  • 300 grams pearl onions  (or shallots, peeled & left whole)
  • 1 large tomato (roughly chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (peeled & roughly chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano (or thyme)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 20 grams butter (approximately)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • salt (to season)
  • 400 millilitres hot water (or beef stock)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. First of all, place your pearl onions into a bowl of water to start to soften the skins.
  2. Meanwhile, take your chuck steak or other stew beef and trim off and discard the excess fat before cutting into roughly 1 inch cubes.
  3. Now begin to preheat your oven to 180 °C.
  4. Add the butter to your pan and place it over a medium high heat on the hob, placing your beef inside the pan as the butter starts to melt.
  5. Sear your beef for a few minutes, stirring it with a wooden spoon until it begins to release its juices.
  6. Increase the heat a little and now add your vinegar to the pan.
  7. Stir around for a couple of minutes before adding your garlic, spices and salt and pepper.
  8. Stir those in well and now add your chopped tomato, tomato paste, bay leaf and stock (or hot water).
  9. Stir and cover before placing into your preheated oven for 1 hour.
  10. Meanwhile, you can peel your pearl onions. Cut the tops with sharp knife and peel the skin away, leaving them whole.
  11. Add your olive oil to a frying pan and saute your onions over a high heat for a few minutes until they are taking on colour.
  12. After 1 hour, remove your stew from the oven and give it a stir. Add more liquid if necessary along with your pearl onions.
  13. Cover and place in the oven for a further 60 minutes, reducing the temperature to 160 °C.
  14. After one hour, remove your stew from the oven and test the beef to check it is tender.
  15. If it is tender, leave your stew to rest for 30 minutes or so with the lid on before serving.
  16. Serve your soğan yahnisi with crusty bread and / or mashed potato or potato wedges.

Notes

  • Nutritional information for the stew is meant as a guide only. Values will differ depending on the produce used.
  • Please do your own due diligence if you have any special dietary requirements. 
  • Alcohol isn't often used in Turkish cooking but if you want to add some red wine to your soğan yahnisi, we sometimes pour in around 150 millilitres at the same time as we add the vinegar. 
  • The type of vinegar you add is up to you. We use standard Turkish grape vinegar (üzüm sirkesi).
  • Depending on the type of stew beef you use, cooking times for your soğan yahnisi might differ.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 391kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 12g (4%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 28g (43%) Saturated Fat 11g (55%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 13g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 96mg (32%) Sodium 162mg (7%) Potassium 727mg (21%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 605IU (12%) Vitamin C 14mg (16%) Calcium 71mg (7%) Iron 4mg (22%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 391

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 391kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Protein 25g 50%
Fat 28g 43%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 13g 65%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 96mg 32%
Sodium 162mg 7%
Potassium 727mg 15%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 605IU 12%
Vitamin C 14mg 16%
Calcium 71mg 7%
Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.