Meat, South and mountains
Provençal beef daube with gnocchi
Provençal beef daube with gnocchi is a slow cooked beef stew with red wine, black olives and orange peel, serving 4 people for about €4.40 per person. It takes 3 hours and 20 minutes total, including 3 hours of gentle simmering, and it's rated easy. Success comes down to low heat and patience, the beef should fall apart with just a spoon.
On weekends, nothing beats a Provençal daube simmering for hours with orange peel and olives, served over gnocchi.
- Total time
- 3 h 20
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €4.40
- Calories per person
- 640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Winter, Fall
Provençal daube stands out for its dark, fragrant sauce, where red wine slowly reduces with orange peel and black olives. The beef chuck, cut into big cubes, turns so tender after three hours of simmering that it shreds on its own. Soft, slightly melty potato gnocchi soak up the sauce and make an easy swap for the usual rice or pasta.
This is the ultimate weekend dish, the kind you start in the late morning for Sunday dinner or prep the day before having friends over. Mon Chou likes bringing this one back on cold days, when the kitchen fills with the smell of thyme and bay leaf while the pot simmers quietly on the stove.
The ingredients
Butcher
- Beef chuck 1 kg
Pantry
- Red wineoften in the pantry 50 cl
- Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 200 g
- Pitted black olivesoften in the pantry 100 g
- Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
- Potato gnocchi 600 g
- Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Fruits and vegetables
- Onions 2
- Carrots 3
- Garlic 4 cloves
- Untreated orange 1
- Thyme 4 sprigs
Allergens Gluten
The step by step recipe
-
Cut the beef into large cubes, thinly slice the onions, slice the carrots into rounds and peel three strips of orange zest.
Cut the cubes about five centimeters, they shrink a lot during cooking.
-
Brown the meat in a Dutch oven with the oil, working in batches, then set it aside. 12 min
Well browned meat gives a deeper sauce, don't crowd the pan.
-
Sauté the onions, carrots and garlic, then add back the meat with the wine, tomatoes, orange zest, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. 8 min
Deglaze with some of the wine to lift the browned bits from the bottom.
-
Cover and let simmer over very low heat, adding the olives during the last half hour. 3 h
Keep the lid tight and the heat barely simmering, the beef should fall apart with a spoon.
-
Cook the gnocchi in boiling salted water until they float, then serve them with the daube. 3 min
Pan fry them for two minutes in butter afterward, they turn golden and soft.
Our tips to get it right
- Pick a red wine you'd actually drink, its quality shows directly in the sauce.
- Take the daube out of the fridge an hour before reheating, it will warm up more evenly.
- Taste the sauce before serving, a long simmer can dilute the salt, adjust the seasoning at that point.
The variations
- Swap the beef chuck for beef cheek, it turns even more tender after a long simmer.
- For a meatless version, use whole white mushrooms and firm potatoes instead of the beef.
- To save time, cut the beef into smaller pieces and simmer for two hours instead, the texture will be slightly less melting.
What to serve it with
- A glass of the same red wine used in the sauce
- A green salad with a sharp vinaigrette
- Country bread for soaking up the sauce
Storage
The daube keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, and it tastes even better reheated the next day. It freezes well for up to 3 months, without the gnocchi, which are best cooked just before serving. Reheat the daube gently in a pot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Questions about this dish
Can you make Provençal beef daube ahead of time?
Yes, it's actually recommended, the daube tastes better made the day before. Resting in the fridge lets the flavors blend and makes it easy to lift off the fat that sets on top.
What red wine works best for a Provençal daube?
A southern red wine, like a côtes du Rhône or a Provence red, suits this dish well. Avoid overly tannic wines, they can turn bitter after a long simmer.
Can gnocchi be swapped for another side?
Yes, steamed potatoes, tagliatelle or polenta all work well here. Gnocchi has the advantage of soaking up the sauce easily thanks to its soft texture.
Why does this daube include orange peel?
Orange peel adds a fresh note that balances the richness of the wine and the beef. It's a classic touch in Provençal cooking, and you can remove it before serving if you prefer.
How long does it take to make a Provençal beef daube with gnocchi?
Count 3 h 20 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a Provençal beef daube with gnocchi?
About 640 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a Provençal beef daube with gnocchi cost?
About €4.40 per serving, or €17.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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