If you are looking for a chestnut recipe, look no further than this kastana stifado, a Greek dish of red wine braised chestnuts with beans and onions. It is a robust and flavorful dish, perfect to serve any vegan guests at a party.
Traveling in Thessaloniki, Greece
I can still remember the sense of freedom when I first embarked on a solo trip, buying a flight ticket to an unknown destination, packing a small bag, and jumping on the plane.
In 2021, between lockdowns, I decided to finally claim my freedom and go on a trip to Thessaloniki, in Northern Greece.
As a history lover and a hiking enthusiast, Thessaloniki seemed to be a promising destination. Plus, the flight was cheap.
Yet, to be honest – from a gastronomical perspective, I didn’t expect much. But that’s just because of my little knowledge of Greek cuisine at the time.
I was proven wrong almost instantly.
The freshness of ingredients and the delicate flavor balance of Greek cuisine was inspiring from the first bite.
I tried all the legendary classics, from stuffed vine leaves to fava, souvlaki, moussaka.
Thessaloniki, first and foremost, is a coastal city. As such it offers the best selection of seafood, cooked in every possible way – fried, grilled, stewed, and on.
Therefore, as I was strolling Kapani market, one of the city’s oldest traditional markets, I decided to have my lunch at a local seafood restaurant nearby and enjoy the sea’s treasures.
An unexpected chestnut recipe – kastana stifado
While the fish was delicious and the squid was perfectly fried, I was surprised when I tried a side dish I ordered – kastana stifado.
It was a vegetarian stew of chestnut, pearl onions, and beans. The comforting flavors of bay leaf and clove graciously interplayed with the meaty texture of the chestnuts. All of this was followed by a sweet, caramelized aftertaste of slowly cooked onions.
The history of this chestnut stew recipe
Stifado is a Greek stew of an unexpected origin.
The dish’s name derives from the Venetian word “stufado” (literally stew or stewed), revealing centuries-old trade connection and cultural interchange between these two Mediterranean cultures.
Stifado is originally a meat dish, traditionally using rabbit as a source of protein (although nowadays you commonly find it made with beef). The meat is slow-cooked with pearl onions, red wine, and spices for hours until all the different flavors and textures meld with one another.
Every year around November, as the winter holidays approach, shiny chestnuts fall from the trees and arrive in droves to the local markets.
Thus, Greeks traditionally make a chestnut (kastana in Greek) version of the dish at this time of the year. The robust nuts maintain the meaty texture of the dish in a wonderful vegetarian rendition.
Beans are also a common addition to this vegan stew, providing a source of protein. (This is how I had it in Thessaloniki.) Giant butter beans (Gigantes in Greek) are the first choice of beans for most locals, as they also provide a soft and meat-like texture to the dish.
Making this vegan chestnut stew
Even if using precooked chestnuts and beans for this recipe, the dish requires patience.
Ingredients such as onion need time in order to caramelize and release their natural sugars. The alcohol in the red wine also turns into sugar as it cooks, adding another dimension of flavor.
You typically find warm spices such as cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and allspice in this dish. However, you can find many regional variations.
Serving a chestnut stifado
Stifado is often paired with orzo (Greek short-cut pasta, shaped like a grain of rice), Greek-style oven potatoes, or simply crusted bread – to dig into this luscious sauce (the latter is definitely my favorite).
Kastana Stifado
Kastana stifado, a vegan Greek recipe of red wine braised chestnuts with beans and onions.
Ingredients
- 12 pearl onions*
- 1/3 cup (78 ml) olive oil
- 14 oz (400 g) chopped tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 3 allspice berries, crushed
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) red wine
- 2 Tbsp honey (optional)**
- 1 lb 5 oz (600 g) runner beans (aka Gigantes or giant butter beans) ***
- 10.5 oz (300 g) roasted and peeled chestnuts
- 3 cups (710 ml) water
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Parsley, to garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Peel the onions and cut off the ends.
- Heat 1/3 a cup of olive oil in a pot. Add the onions and sauté over low heat until they are slightly charred from all sides.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
- Add the wine and honey and bring to a boil.
- Add the runner beans, chestnuts, and 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil again and cover the pot. Cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until a thick gravy is formed.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve alongside bread, orzo, or roasted/mashed potatoes.
Notes
* Pearl onion can be substituted with shallots.
** I find honey (or any sweetener) to enhance the natural sweetness of the chestnuts, onions, and tomatoes. However, you can omit it if you prefer your stifado less sweet.
***Giant butter beans can be substituted with lima beans or any other kind of white beans (soaked and pre-cooked to just tender, if using dried beans).
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1/3 of recipeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 705
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