Veal Stew with Potatoes "Dive Bar Style"

ByAida
18 Comments
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Veal Stew with Potatoes (Dive Bar Style) is inspired by delicious stews one can find in a Balkan kafana (dive bar). You need one hour, some veal, and a bunch of veggies for this perfect weeknight broth. Shall we? 

Two hands holding a bowl of stew.
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What Is It

Veal stew with potatoes is a warm, hearty, flavorful dish. Potatoes, veggies and spices combine with the tenderest veal to create magic.

This recipe is on the menu of pretty much every Balkan kafana, (an old-school Balkan bar). Kafanas are known for whipping up an amazing entre or two, one of them usually being a stew like today's.

As several kafanas refused to reveal their particular recipe, we recreated it.

Well, Aleksandra did most of the work. You can thank her for today's flawless broth because (unless you own a dive bar), this is the closest you'll get to this incredible entre.

Three Reasons to Love Today's Dish

  1. This stew is chockful of veggies and tender veal, so you can be confident in knowing your family will be eating healthy tonight.
  2. This is THE recipe to start experimenting with veal, even if it intimidated you before. (Move over Osso Bucco!)
  3. We know you're strapped on time! With just 1-hour start to finish, you can prepare this dish super fast, even on a weeknight.

Ingredients

Ingredients on a honeycomb background.

Ingredient Notes

  • Veal: If you can't find veal, sub with a younger beef cut.
  • Veggies: cook with tougher, harder veggies that have lower water content. Carrot, onion, bell peppers, and (of course) potatoes work well. For a sweeter taste use sweet potatoes. Avoid: zucchini, squash, and eggplant.
  • Seasonings: these are what really give this stew that special taste, so don't sub them if you can. Our favorites are the paprika (we like the hotter kind, but sweet is ok too), Vegeta or beef stock powder, and (optional) oregano.
  • Flour: sub with cornstarch or blended potatoes. Here's how to thicken your stew without flour or cornstarch.

Lightning-fast Instructions

(Our lightning-fast instructions are here to give you an idea of how to make this dish. For more detailed information look at the recipe card below!)

Four similar photos of a pot filled with ingredients.

1. Heat butter. Add onion and sauté.
2. Add carrots and pepper and continue sautéing.

Four photos of pot with different ingredients.

3. Add meat and keep sautéing. Add spices and flour. Stir.
4. Add potatoes and broth, stir and cook. (Optional) garnish with parsley.

Recipe FAQs

Why is my veal so tough?

One of two reasons. You overcooked it or what was sold to you as veal was actually baby beef or beef.

What kind of meat is veal?

Veal is the meat from young calves.

Is veal a lamb?

No.

Is veal cow?

Yes.

How do you tenderize veal stew meat?

Veal is tender to start with. You don't need to tenderize it for this stew. If you're making veal cutlets you can flatten them, or marinate them.

Can you overcook veal stew?

Any stew that's cooked too long can be overcooked. Just follow today's recipe and you'll be fine.

How long should veal be cooked?

Veal cooking time depends on the dish. Today's veal stew takes one hour start to finish.

Bowl of stew with spoon and a kitchen towel.

More Veal Recipes

Would You Do Me a Favor?

If you make today's Veal Stew With Potatoes and like it, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5-star) rating. This will help others find the recipe more easily!

You can also leave a comment, I read EVERY one! Finally, if IG is more your thing, consider tagging us @balkanlunchbox.  

Prijatno and bon appetit!

Two hands holding a bowl of stew.

Veal Stew with Potatoes "Dive Bar Style"

Aida
The type of comforting, hearty stew you'd find in a local dive bar "kafana." On your table in less than an hour.
5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 388 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon oil (optional)
  • 1 onion large, diced
  • 2 carrots medium, diced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper medium, sliced into short thin strips
  • 16 ounces veal diced small
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon beef stock powder or seasoned salt
  • 1 tablespoon paprika sweet or hot, per preference
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 6 cups beef broth or a bouillon cube dissolved in 5-6 cups of water, divided
  • 2 potatoes large, yukon, white potatoes or similar
  • 1 tablespoon (optional) fresh parsley minced

Instructions
 

  • In a medium size pot heat butter over medium. (Add oil to butter if worried about butter burning.) Add onion and sauté 2 minutes frequently stirring.
  • Add the carrots and continue sautéing for another 2 minutes, frequently stirring. Add pepper and continue sautéing and stirring for an additional 2-3 minutes.
  • Add meat. Stir well and keep sautéing 10 minutes. Add spices, flour and 1 cup of broth. Stir until well integrated.
  • Add potatoes and remaining broth and stir yet again. Cover pot with its lid and cook 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender.
  • (Optional) Garnish with parsley. Serve hot.
  • Due to potatoes, the stew is best served the same day. If you must, keep it in the fridge overnight, but consume within a day. If you plan to freeze it don't add potatoes.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 4Calories: 388kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 30gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 1861mgPotassium: 1216mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 5493IUVitamin C: 82mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

18 Comments

  1. Hi Aida

    I just got back from Bosnia 2 weeks ago and while driving back from the coast we of course drove through Jablanica and stopped to eat (as we do EVERY time)

    I opted for the secret veal and although my family gave me a terrible time for not eating the lamb - it was well worth it.
    Don't get me wrong, ordering lamb by the kilo and having it served on giant platters is wonderful but finding veal in southern California is almost impossible and very often people make you feel criminal for buying it, so I eat as much as I can when I'm there.

    All of your recipes are great and if followed exactly, they are ALWAYS delicious and authentic...can't wait to try this one!

    Thanks!
    Suzanne

    Reply

    1. Suzanne,
      Let us know next time you're in Bosnia! Hope you had a satisfying trip.
      I know what you mean about lamb. I love it, but every so often it's great to try something else. Hopefully the climate of veal acceptance will change even more as the industry improves.
      Glad the recipes are working out, that's the best compliment you can give us.
      Aida

      Reply

  6. 5 stars
    Loved the recipe the 1st time I made it. Making tonight for my visiting son. It's still freezing cold in Philadelphia. Your recipe will be perfect. Thanks!

    Reply

  8. Found some veal at the grocery store and then your recipe! Didn't have potatoes so I used gnocchi. Worked well! Delicious recipe. Have it bookmarked to have again.

    Reply

  9. I am planning to make this, but will not dice the veal or potatoes. In fact, my stew will look like the photo that has chunks of each.

    Reply
5 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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