🥩 Limba cu Masline is a traditional Romanian dish featuring tender beef tongue simmered in a rich tomato-olive sauce. This hearty and flavorful dish pairs beautifully with mashed potatoes, rice, or crusty bread. If cooked properly, beef tongue becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender—making this dish a must-try!
Ingredients
Cooking the Beef Tongue & Stock:
- 2 lbs beef tongue
- 1 onion
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 1-2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt (or to taste)
- 8-12 cups water
Cooking Tongue in Sauce:
- 1 + ½ lbs cooked beef tongue, sliced
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 3-4 tbsp tomato paste (I used 4)
- 2 tbsp flour (or GF thickener)
- 3 cups beef tongue stock (can substitute some with wine)
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 2 tsp fresh thyme (cimbru, optional)
- 1 cup olives (pitted Kalamata preferred)
Instructions
Cook the Beef Tongue
- Wash the beef tongue thoroughly.
- Place in a pressure cooker or regular pot along with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, and water to cover.
- Pressure Cooker: Cook on high until pressure is reached, then lower heat and cook for 30-40 minutes.
- Regular Pot: Simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, or until the skin easily peels off.
- Peel the tongue while warm (use a knife if needed).
- Strain the stock and slice the tongue into pieces.
Prepare the Sauce
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion and sauté until soft (about 15 minutes).
- In a cup, mix tomato paste, flour, and 1 cup of stock. Stir well.
- Remove skillet from heat and stir in the tomato paste mixture.
- Gradually add the remaining 2 cups of stock (replace some with wine if desired).
- Add sliced beef tongue, olives, sliced garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
- Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Final Touches & Serving
- Season with salt & pepper as needed.
- If needed, thicken sauce using a flour/water slurry.
- Just before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with fresh parsley or chives.
Notes
⭐ Why You Should Try This Dish
- Tender & Flavorful – Slow cooking makes beef tongue melt-in-your-mouth soft while keeping its rich beefy taste.
- Budget-Friendly – Often more affordable than other cuts of beef.
- Cultural Tradition – A dish enjoyed in Romania for generations, with parallels in other cuisines worldwide.
- Versatile Serving Options – Works beautifully with mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, polenta, or crusty bread.
🍴 Serving Suggestions
- Serve hot over mashed potatoes for a classic pairing.
- Try with pasta, rice, or polenta for a different variation.
- Add crusty bread to soak up the rich tomato and olive sauce.
Wow, this looks amazing! I’ve never cooked beef tongue before, it sounds so interesting. Do you think I could substitute the tomato paste with something else, maybe diced tomatoes? I’m a bit nervous about the paste overpowering the other flavors. Can’t wait to try it!