Beef Fricassée with Avgolemono – A Greek Classic, Comfort in Every Spoonful
There’s something deeply comforting about a dish that’s been passed down through generations — and even more comforting when you can make it your own. While Fricassée is traditionally made in Greek homes with pork, over the years, we've fallen in love with preparing it with tender beef or even chicken. No matter the meat, the result is always satisfying, comforting, and rich with that signature Greek avgolemono (egg-lemon) flavour.
This is one of those dishes that brings people to the table. It’s hearty but fresh, rustic but refined, and packed with nourishing greens like endive, lettuce, celery, and dill. In this version, I’ve also added zucchini, simply because I had them on hand — and they worked beautifully.
What is Fricassée, Greek-Style?
Greek-style Fricassée is not your typical creamy French stew. Instead, it’s a braised meat and greens dish, traditionally simmered with lots of olive oil, herbs, and finished with avgolemono — a bright, silky sauce made from lemon juice and egg.
It’s an old-world favourite, especially popular during colder months or after religious fasts, when households return to heartier cooking. The combination of tender meat, soft greens, and that citrusy sauce makes this dish so comforting — and unmistakably Greek.
Comfort Food, Greek Style
This dish is a beautiful marriage of tender meat, gentle greens, and the citrusy lift of avgolemono. It’s hearty enough for winter and bright enough for spring — one of those timeless dishes that works any time of year. The aroma alone will remind you of Sunday lunch at Yiayia’s, and the flavour? Pure Greek comfort.
Whether you use beef, pork, lamb, or chicken, this is the kind of meal that brings everyone together — and keeps them coming back for more.
Kali orexi! 🍋🥬🇬🇷
FRICASSEE AVGOLEMONO
Mary PolitisIngredients
- 1 kg pork neck or leg you can even try beef chuck steaks or chicken!
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 8 celery stalks cut into large chunks
- 500 g endive coarsely chopped
- 500 g romaine or cos lettuce coarsely chopped
- 4 zucchinis cut into large chunks (optional)
- 1/2 bunch fresh dill chopped
- Water
- 1 stock cube optional
- 1 egg
- Juice of 3 lemons
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Brown the beef:
- Cut meat into chunks. Salt, then heat olive oil in a large, heavy-based pot. Brown the meat on both sides and set aside.
Sauté the aromatics:
- In the same pot, sauté the chopped onion for about 2 minutes. Add a splash of water to deglaze the pot and lift any bits of flavour from the bottom.
Cook the beef:
- Return the meat to the pot and add enough water to just cover the meat. Cover with a lid and simmer over the stove for 1.5 hours or until the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender. If the water reduces too much before the meat is ready, add more as needed.
Add the greens:
- Once the meat is tender, add the endive, lettuce, dill, and 2 more cups of water. Cover again and simmer until the greens are completely wilted. If using, you can add a stock cube at this stage for extra depth of flavour. Season with salt and pepper.
Add zucchini:
- Stir in the zucchini chunks and continue cooking uncovered for another 15 minutes or until they’re soft but still hold their shape.
Prepare avgolemono:
- In a bowl, whisk the egg and lemon juice together until smooth and slightly frothy. Temper the mixture by slowly streaming in hot broth from the pot while whisking constantly (about 5 ladles' worth).
Finish the dish:
- Pour the tempered avgolemono back into the pot, stirring gently to distribute it evenly. Do not boil after this point, as the sauce may split. Let it sit for a few minutes with the lid on to allow the flavours to settle.
Garnish & serve:
- Top with fresh dill and serve warm with crusty bread or alongside rice.