Mississippi Beef Stew with White Cheddar Orzo

Mississippi beef with orzo on a plate with a fork.

5 from 1 vote

Mississippi Beef Stew with White Cheddar Orzo

This is what comfort food dreams are made of. The stew comes together with just five ingredients and the oven does the rest. Pair with cheesy orzo for a hearty meal the whole family is sure to love.This

Prep Time5

Cook Time1 25

Total Time1 30

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 1041kcal

Author: Abbey McDermott

Equipment

dutch oven

Ingredients

Beef

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds beef stewing meat or chuck roast, cut into 1-inch pieces
black pepper for seasoning
1 packet onion soup mix see notes
1 packet ranch dressing mix see notes
½ cup sliced pepperoncini peppers or 5-6 whole pepperoncini
¼ cup pepperoncini pepper juice
1 cup low-sodium beef broth

Orzo

2 teaspoons olive oil
16 ounces orzo uncooked
32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
4 ounces white cheddar cheese shredded
¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Beef

Preheat the oven to 325℉.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add half of the beef in an even layer. Season with black pepper. Cook until brown on both sides, about 4-5 minutes.
Transfer the beef to a plate and add another tablespoon of olive oil. Add the remaining beef and season with black pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes until brown.
Add the first batch of beef back to the pan. Add the onion soup mix, ranch dressing mix, pepperoncini peppers and juice, and beef broth. Stir and cover. Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour.
After one hour, the beef should be fall-apart tender. If it isn't, cook in 15-minute intervals until the meat shreds easily with a fork. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, uncovered, to reduce the cooking liquid slightly.
Serve with orzo.

White cheddar orzo

About 20-25 minutes before the beef is finished, prepare the orzo.
Add 2 teaspoons of oil to a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the orzo and cook for 1-2 minutes to toast the orzo.
Add the chicken broth, stir, and cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the orzo is tender and the broth is mostly absorbed.
Turn the heat off and stir in the shredded cheese. Add the heavy cream, starting with 2 tablespoons, and stir to create a creamy consistency. Add more cream as necessary to reach the desired creaminess. Serve.
Store leftover beef and orzo separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Notes

To control the amount of sodium in the dish, use homemade onion soup mix and homemade ranch dressing mix. See notes in the post above.
Cut the beef into uniform pieces to ensure even cooking.

Nutrition