Beef Rendang (Authentic Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew) (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Beef Rendang, aka Rendang Sapi,is a delicious and authentic Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew –slow-cookedandbraisedina fragrant blend of coconut milkandrich spice mixture. The result? An incredibly flavorful and tender beef stew, perfectly caramelized and infused with fragrant spices.

RELATED: Get a FREE trial of Amazon Prime to get access to 2-day grocery deliveries!

Recreating Indonesian Classics!

Hey there, welcome! If you’ve read some of my recent posts, you know that I’ve been on a mission to recreate some of my favorite Indonesian dishes and snacks. Why? Quite frankly, ever since I moved to Kansas a year ago, I haven’t been able to buy authentic Indonesian dishes here. So of course, I turned to my kitchen and learned to make my own!

Last month, I shared with you my perfected Balinese Milk Tarts (Pie Susu) recipe – to an outstanding response from you guys! It’s so encouraging to hear that so many of you love pie susu as much as I do! (:

Then I shared my Indonesian Tempeh Rice Bowl recipe. After this post, so many of you have reached out to me for more ethnic recipes. So today, I’ll be showing you how to make an authentic (and highly-requested) Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew, aka Rendang Sapi. And speaking from experience, I can tell you that this dish is so full of flavor, you’ll be sure to impress your dinner guests!

What is Beef Rendang or Rendang Sapi?

Before we start, let me give you a quick context into this rich and flavor-packed dish. Rendangis a classic dish of Southeast Asian cuisine. While there are countless variations to this dish, Rendangis originally an Indonesianspicymeatstew that came from the Minangkabau region inWest Sumatra.

Another interesting point is Rendang can be made with any cuts of meat, or even vegan substitutes! That said, rendang is most commonlymade with beef, slow cookedandbraisedina fragrant blend of coconut milkandrich spice mixture. The result? An incredibly flavorful and tender beef stew, perfectly caramelized and infused with fragrant spices.

Original recipes forrendangcall for the mixture to be simmered for 5-6 hours. While this is still the preferred method of cooking in many Indonesian restaurants, I’ll be showing you a shorter version (1 hour and 40 minutes!) that don’t sacrifice on the rich flavor and tender texture.

A Few Fun Facts About Rendang Sapi (Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)

– CNN International hosted an online poll of 35,000 people to rank their “World’s 50 best foods.” Rendang topped the list at No. 1 of the “readers’ picks”list!

– Originally, rendang sapi was only served for special occasions. Now, however, it is a popular dish that can be found in many Southeast Asian countries, such as Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, and of course, Indonesia.

– Indonesia’s Tourism Minister, Arief Yahya, recognizes rendang as one of Indonesia’s 5 national dishes.The other four dishes include soto (soup), nasi goreng (fried rice), satay (kebabs), and gado-gado (vegetables with peanut sauce).

Ingredients to Make Authentic Rendang Sapi (Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)

• 2lbsboneless beef short ribs
• ¼cup + 1 tbsp oil
• 1stickcinnamon
• ½onion,chopped
• 4shallots,chopped
• 3clovesgarlic, minced
• ¼tspground star anise
• 1tspground cardamom
• 1tspturmeric
• 3tbsplemongrass paste
• 1cupfull-fat coconut milk
• 1cupwater
• 3tsptamarind paste
• 5tbsptoasted coconut flakes
• 1tbsppalm sugar
• 2tspchili paste, adjust as needed
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2tbspginger paste
• 2tbsplime juice, for serving
• 4cupscooked jasmine rice, for serving
• chopped scallions(optional)

How to Make Rendang Sapi (Indonesian Spicy Beef Stew)

1. Heat olive oil oil in a large pot. Add the onions, garlic, shallots, ginger paste, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, turmeric, and cardamom. Stir until fragrant and onions are transluscent.
2. Add in the beef, lemongrass paste, and chili paste. Simmer for 2 minutes. Then add the coconut milk, water, tamarind paste. Stir for 5 minutes. Then add the toasted coconut flakes, salt, pepper, and palm sugar. Give it a good stir, then cover. Simmer on medium heat for 90 minutes, or until meat is very tender and sauce has reduced.
3. Serve with steamed jasmine rice. Garnish with a squirt of lime juice and sprinkle with chopped scallions (optional). ENJOY!

Cuts of Meat and Vegan Substitutions for Rendang

• If slow-cooking the beef for 5-6 hours, use chuck beef. If cooking for a shorter time as in this recipe, use boneless short ribs.
• Beef can also be substituted with chicken, lamb, turkey, buffalo, or duck. Alternatively, you can substitute with jackfruit, tempeh, or other vegan meat substitutes. Keep in mind that cooking time will vary depending on your protein substitution.

Looking for More Easy Asian-Inspired Recipes?

• Chinese Pork Dumplings (With Pictures!)
• Nasi Rawon Recipe (Indonesian Black Beef Soup with Rice)
• Indonesian Tempeh Rice Bowl (GF, DF, V)
• Easy Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice Bowl)
• Nasi Goreng Kampung (Traditional Indonesian Fried Rice)
• Better-Than-Takeout Shrimp Fried Rice (GF, DF)
• Salmon Belly Poke Bowls (GF)
• Easy Korean Egg Bread
• Sambal Aioli (Hot Chili Aioli) Dipping Sauce
• Tahu Goreng Krispi (Indonesian Crispy Fried Tofu)
• Easy Chicken Pad Thai with Crushed Peanuts
• Instant Pot Mongolian Chicken
• Easy Banh Bao Recipe (Vietnamese Steamed Pork Bun)
• Simple Ube Ice Cream (GF, V)
• Balinese Milk Tarts (Pie Susu)

Subscribe to DWELLand get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! In addition, follow along on Pinterest, FacebookandInstagramto get all the latest updates!

If you make this Authentic Indonesian Beef Rendang recipe, please drop a comment below! I’d LOVE to know what you think of Rendang Sapi! Or take a picture and share it on Instagram by tagging@dwellbymichelle!

Copyright © All Rights Reserved. Content is written by Michelle Schmidt of dwellbymichelle.com.

This post may contain affiliate links.Please read mydisclosure policy.