Svíčková na Smetaně with Bread Dumplings

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-11 · Updated 2026-10-11

Classic Czech beef sirloin braised over root vegetables, then simmered into a velvety sour cream sauce. Served with sliced bread dumplings, cranberry compote and a swirl of whipped cream. This Czech-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 165 minutes, pairs carrots, diced, parsley root, diced, celeriac, diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 720 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef sirloin (svíčková) or top round, trimmed
• 80 g smoked bacon, cut into thin strips for larding
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 large parsley root, diced
• 150 g celeriac, diced
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 allspice berries
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• 60 g butter
• 750 ml beef stock
• 250 ml sour cream (or heavy cream)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sugar
• to taste salt
• 1 loaf (about 600 g) bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky), sliced
• 120 g cranberry sauce

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Make small cuts along the beef and insert bacon strips to lard the meat. Season all over with salt and pepper.
2. Step 2: Heat oven to 170°C (340°F). In a Dutch oven, melt the butter and sear the beef on all sides until browned, about 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Step 3: Add carrot, parsley root, celeriac and onion to the pot; cook 10 minutes until lightly caramelized. Add bay leaves, allspice, peppercorns and thyme.
4. Step 4: Return the beef to the pot, pour in the stock, cover and braise in the oven for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, turning once, until tender.
5. Step 5: Remove the beef and rest it under foil. Discard bay leaves. Blend the vegetables and cooking liquid until completely smooth, then strain back into the pot.
6. Step 6: Whisk the flour into the sour cream, then whisk into the sauce over low heat. Simmer gently 5 minutes without boiling hard. Season with mustard, lemon juice, sugar and salt — the sauce should be balanced between sweet and tangy.
7. Step 7: Steam the sliced dumplings for 5 minutes to warm. Slice the beef across the grain.
8. Step 8: Plate beef slices with dumplings, ladle sauce generously over both, and top with a lemon slice, a spoonful of whipped cream and cranberry sauce.