Name: Chashushuli
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h 20 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Georgian
Ingredients: 900 g boneless beef chuck, hard exterior fat trimmed, cut into 3 cm cubes; 8 g fine salt, divided; 20 mL neutral sunflower oil; 250 g yellow onion, finely chopped; 150 g red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1 cm pieces; 16 g garlic, finely chopped, about 4 medium cloves; 30 g tomato paste; 600 g ripe tomatoes, coarsely grated; discard the skins; 150 mL boiling water, plus up to 60 mL more only if needed; 4 g ground coriander seed, about 2 teaspoons; 2 g ground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), about 1 teaspoon; 2 g sweet paprika, about 1 teaspoon; 1 g red chilli flakes, about ½ teaspoon; 20 g fresh coriander leaves (cilantro), roughly chopped; 15 g flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Wide view of Chashushuli on a rustic table, with the serving setting visible around it.

Yield6 servings

Serving basisone-sixth of the finished stew, about 330 g depending on reduction

DifficultyIntermediate

Dietary classificationGluten-free and dairy-free when ingredients are uncontaminated; contains beef

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The dish

About Chashushuli

Beef chuck simmers until tender in a rich tomato sauce with onion, red pepper, coriander and blue fenugreek. This six-serving home version finishes with fresh herbs and is served hot with bread.

Chashushuli (ჩაშუშული) is a Georgian beef-and-tomato stew. Georgia Travel describes it as a hearty dish seasoned with spices. The exact formula changes between cooks: recipes may use beef or veal, sweet pepper, different herbs and spice mixtures, wine, or more or less added liquid. This version keeps the defining beef, tomato and spice character and makes one practical stovetop recipe; it does not claim to be the only Georgian preparation or assign the dish to one region.

Beef chuck suits a long, gentle braise. Cut it into even 3 cm cubes, pat them dry and brown in two batches so the pot stays hot. Crowding traps steam and prevents a good crust. Once the browned bits have formed, onion and red bell pepper soften in the same pot. Garlic and tomato paste are cooked briefly to mellow the raw edge before grated ripe tomatoes and spices join them.

Ground coriander gives the sauce a warm citrus note, while blue fenugreek (utskho suneli) contributes a distinctive Georgian aroma. Sweet paprika rounds out the tomato base; a small amount of chilli adds adjustable warmth. Blue fenugreek can be hard to find outside Georgian or specialist shops. If it is unavailable, leave it out rather than replacing it with curry powder or an equal quantity of ordinary fenugreek; those substitutions change the stew's profile.

Keep the pot at a quiet simmer under its lid. The tomatoes, onion and pepper release moisture as the beef cooks, while the measured boiling water helps maintain a braise in a domestic pot. Check the bottom and stir every 25–30 minutes. The beef is ready when a fork enters the largest cube easily. A long cook softens the connective tissue; if the cubes still feel firm, give them more time instead of raising the heat.

Fresh coriander leaves and parsley go in at the end so they stay vivid. Rest the covered stew off the heat for 10 minutes before serving. The finished sauce should cling to the meat rather than run like soup. Serve it with Georgian bread and a crisp salad if desired; neither accompaniment is counted in the recipe yield or nutrition.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Chashushuli: Georgian Beef and Tomato Stew

Stew

900 gboneless beef chuck, hard exterior fat trimmed, cut into 3 cm cubes
8 gfine salt, divided
20 mLneutral sunflower oil
250 gyellow onion, finely chopped
150 gred bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1 cm pieces
16 ggarlic, finely chopped, about 4 medium cloves
30 gtomato paste
600 gripe tomatoes, coarsely grated; discard the skins
150 mLboiling water, plus up to 60 mL more only if needed
4 gground coriander seed, about 2 teaspoons
2 gground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), about 1 teaspoon
2 gsweet paprika, about 1 teaspoon
1 gred chilli flakes, about ½ teaspoon
20 gfresh coriander leaves (cilantro), roughly chopped
15 gflat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

Prepare and season the beef. Pat the beef very dry with paper towels and toss it with 6 g of the salt. Keep the remaining 2 g for the tomato base. Dry surfaces brown more readily and leave less liquid in the pot.
Brown in two batches. Set a 5 L heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add half the sunflower oil. When it shimmers, spread half the beef in one uncrowded layer and brown it for 4–5 minutes, turning so several sides develop a deep crust. Transfer it to a plate, add the remaining oil, and brown the rest. The cubes do not need to cook through yet.
Soften the vegetables. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion and red pepper to the same pot, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Cook for about 7 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent and the pepper begins to soften without taking on much colour.
Cook the garlic and paste. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 90 seconds, stirring, until it darkens slightly and coats the vegetables.
Make the tomato-spice base. Add the grated tomatoes with their juice, ground coriander, blue fenugreek, paprika, chilli flakes and remaining 2 g salt. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes start to collapse and the spices smell fragrant.
Braise until tender. Return the beef and any plate juices to the pot. Pour in 150 mL boiling water and stir. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to the lowest setting that maintains gentle bubbles. Cook for 100–110 minutes, stirring every 25–30 minutes. The sauce should bubble lazily, not boil hard. If it becomes dry before the beef is tender, add the reserved extra boiling water in 15 mL splashes, up to 60 mL. The largest cube should yield easily to a fork; verify with a clean thermometer that its centre reaches at least 63 °C / 145 °F and holds there for 3 minutes.
Thicken and add herbs. If the beef is tender but the sauce is loose, uncover the pot and simmer gently for about 5 minutes, stirring with care so the cubes keep their shape. The sauce should cling to the meat. Stir in the coriander leaves and parsley, then turn off the heat.
Rest and serve. Cover the pot and rest the stew for 10 minutes. Divide it among six shallow bowls and serve hot.

Serving, storage, and substitutions

Serve Chashushuli hot with Georgian bread for the tomato sauce and a crisp salad for contrast. These are optional accompaniments and are not included in the serving count or nutrition estimate.

Cool leftovers promptly in shallow covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep them at 4 °C or below and use within 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a covered saucepan, stirring often and adding a small splash of water if the sauce has tightened. Heat throughout to 74 °C / 165 °F; do not reheat stew in a slow cooker.

The stew can be cooked a day ahead. Refrigerate it after prompt cooling, then reheat slowly; add fresh herbs during the final cooking minutes if you want their aroma to be brighter. Freeze cooled portions in airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw in the refrigerator or reheat from frozen in a covered saucepan, stirring often until the centre reaches 74 °C / 165 °F.

Salt-free canned chopped tomatoes can replace the same weight of ripe tomatoes; drain them only if they are unusually watery. If blue fenugreek is unavailable, omit it rather than using curry powder or ordinary fenugreek in the same quantity. The stew will be less aromatic but remains balanced. Keep chilli within the listed 1 g and use the smaller amount for a milder result.

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

If the beef is still firm after the stated braising time, keep the pot covered at a gentle simmer and check every 15 minutes. Chuck varies in thickness and connective tissue. Add a small splash of boiling water only if the bottom is nearly dry. If the sauce is thin once the beef is tender, uncover the pot and reduce it gently for a few minutes; a hard boil can break the beef into dry shreds.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: one-sixth of the finished stew, including beef, vegetables and sauce
Calories: 420 kcal
Carbohydrate: 12 g
Protein: 30 g
Fat: 30 g
Fibre: 3 g
Sodium: 610 mg

Allergens and food safety

The listed ingredients contain no major US-labelled allergen. Check packaged tomato paste and spices for cross-contact statements if serving someone with a specific allergy. Keep raw beef and its juices away from ready-to-eat food; wash hands and clean knives, boards and surfaces after handling it.

Cook the beef until tender and verify at least 63 °C / 145 °F at the centre of a cube with a clean food thermometer, holding that temperature for 3 minutes. This long braise normally brings it well above the minimum. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, hold them at 4 °C or below for 3–4 days, and reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F.

Closing

Beef, tomatoes, sweet pepper and Georgian spices make a thick, gently braised Chashushuli for six.
Brown the beef without crowding, then keep the covered pot at a quiet simmer until the largest cube is fork-tender.

About Chashushuli

Ingredients

Stew

Method

Serving, storage, and substitutions

Troubleshooting

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

Closing

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