Red Wine Beef Casserole with Creamy Polenta

A slow-cooked beef casserole in red wine, rich with depth and warmth, served over soft, creamy polenta. This is comfort food at its most nourishing — a meal that brings everyone back to the table.

This is one of those meals that lives quietly in the heart of our home. It begins on the stovetop and finishes slowly in the oven, filling the house with warmth and promise. My children always come back for this — it is comforting, deeply nourishing, and familiar. Served over soft polenta, it feels gentle and grounding, like something made with care and intention.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 180 min · Serves: 6 · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Casserole

• 1kg beef chuck or blade, cut into large pieces
• Olive oil
• 1 brown onion, diced
• Garlic cloves, crushed, as many as your heart desires.
• 4 carrots, sliced
• 4 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup of good red wine.
• 2 cups of beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• Fresh Thyme
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Creamy Polenta

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups of water
• 1.5 cups of polenta, medium ground.
• Salt, to taste

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until deeply coloured. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pot, add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened.
4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly to deepen its flavour.
5. Return the beef to the pot. Pour in the red wine and allow it to simmer gently.
6. Add the beef stock, bay leaves, and fresh thyme. Season with salt and black pepper.
7. Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook slowly for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef is tender and the sauce is rich.
8. Bring stock and water to a gentle boil.
9. Slowly whisk in polenta.
10. Reduce heat and cook gently, stirring often, until soft and creamy.
11. Season with salt if needed.

Serving Suggestion

Spoon the polenta into warm bowls and gently ladle the casserole over the top.

The sauce will settle into the polenta, creating something deeply comforting and rich. A drizzle of olive oil and a few thyme leaves bring everything together beautifully.

For another rustic beef recipe to keep on hand, try my Slow Pulled Beef with Sweet Paprika and Garlic.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months.