Discover the Secret to Irresistibly Healthy and Delicious Beef Stew Today!

As the weather turns colder, there’s nothing more comforting than a homemade stew cooking on the stove. This classic beef stew is the ultimate hearty and satisfying meal! It’s a cold-weather, one-pot wonder with chunks of beef chuck roast that are seared until golden, then simmered with vegetables and herbs in a rich and savory broth that’s complex in flavor but really simple to make. The whole family will love it! Stews are good for the soul - and this traditional beef stew recipe from my childhood is no exception. It’s like another version of my Dad’s favorite Irish lamb stew, but with delicious elements of pot roast. Think melt-in-your-mouth beef chunks, tender root vegetables, and a red wine, tomato-y broth that continues to build flavor as it simmers. It’s a meal I always requested when I was younger, and to this day, it delights me every time I make it in my kitchen. Plus, my house gets filled with a savory aroma that comforts me as I eat it by the spoonfuls! This beef stew is really everything you want in a fall and winter stew recipe and it’s one you can prep on a Sunday to enjoy throughout the week. You can even freeze a batch or two to last you all winter long!

If you’re craving a soul-warming, belly-filling meal, you’re going to love this easy-peasy beef stew! This beef stew combines beef with a list of other ingredients like potatoes, broth, vegetables, herbs, and spices for a dish that is savory and rich in flavor. Plus, it’s packed with nutrients! If you’re on the fence about making a beef stew, I encourage you to give this one a try. I know you’ll be pleasantly surprised. This stew is essentially a thicker soup with more solid ingredients-meaning more to love!

Ingredients for a Flavorful Beef Stew

Here’s what you’ll need to create a rich and satisfying beef stew:

Beef: Stew meat is typically beef chuck roast, which is a tender, marbled portion of the upper shoulder and lower neck. This means you’ll have a good amount of fat to keep the beef chunks juicy and tender as they cooks in the pot. You’ve got two options here. One, you can buy packaged beef stew meat that’s already been diced into cubes or head to the butcher section to get fresh-cut pieces (which is what I typically like to do!). Second, you can buy a slab of chuck roast and slice it into cubes yourself. You can also use a variety of roasts like bottom round, round tip, top round, and pot roast. Some others to consider would be oxtail, bohemian, and cross-cut shank. You could use grass fed meat to up the health quotient and use other cuts of beef like chuck roast, round steak, etc.
Flour: A little bit of flour is added to thicken the broth. Arrowroot powder can be used, but you could use cornstarch or another flour of your choice.
Dry Red Wine: To give this stew a bold and rustic flavor, grab a bottle of cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir.
Beef Broth: Use any low-sodium beef broth brand that you like. While beef broth will give this stew the beefiest flavor, you can also use low-sodium chicken or veggie broth instead.
Red Wine Vinegar and Tomato Paste: Essential ingredients to give the broth depth of flavor. Plus, the tomato paste helps to thicken the sauce a smidge. This ingredient acts to both thicken the broth and add a burst of umami sweetness to the gravy.
Aromatics: Fresh garlic, dried thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper are all you need! In a pinch you could use garlic powder, but I do prefer fresh garlic in this recipe.
Vegetables: Potatoes, carrots, and celery are classic choices.

Step-by-Step Instructions for a Perfect Beef Stew

This simple and healthy beef stew recipe can easily be made in an instant pot, slow cooker, in the oven, or on a stovetop. Here's how to make a classic beef stew:

Season the beef: Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Season the 2 pounds Beef Chuck Roast (cut into chunks) on all sides with 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt and ½ teaspoon Coarsely Ground Black Pepper. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons Gluten-free All-Purpose Flour over and toss the seasoned beef to coat it on all sides.
Sear the beef: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place the beef in the pot and sear on all sides until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then remove to a plate. Browning the meat in the dutch oven before baking in the oven helps to seal in the moisture and flavor of the beef. Although it’s not necessary, it does help the meat become tender and more flavorful while it cooks. Don’t crowd the pot when searing the meat. You want it turn get a really good golden crust before flipping.
Sauté the aromatics: Add the onion and garlic to the pot and pour in the vinegar (which will help to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the pot) and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add the ½ Yellow Onion (chopped), 4 Garlic Cloves (minced), and 1 Large Carrot (chopped) to the Dutch oven, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.
Return the beef: Add the seared beef back to the pot and sprinkle the flour on top. Stir everything together, until the flour is fully dissolved.
Add liquids and aromatics: Add the wine, broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Use a large spoon or spatula to stir everything together. Add the 2 Yukon Gold Potatoes (chopped), 2 Cups Beef Broth, ¼ Cup Tomato Paste, 1 Bay Leaves, 2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Simmer: Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered for 1 hour. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring, and return the beef to the pot.
Add the veggies: Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery.
Cook until tender: Cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender. Cover the Dutch oven, and transfer to the preheated oven Cook the stew for 2-2.5 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Note: To finish cooking this beef stew on the stovetop, cover the pot and let it simmer for 60-90 using medium to low heat.
Serve: Remove the bay leaves, and if you'd like, garnish with fresh thyme before serving. Taste the stew and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.

Alternative Cooking Methods

Instant Pot Instructions:

Prep Beef: Season the beef chunks on all sides with salt and pepper.
Brown the beef: Turn on the instant pot, and put it on the saute mode. Add the oil and then add the beef. Brown the beef for 3-4 minutes.
Cook onion: After you remove the beef, add onions and garlic.
Deglaze: Pour the broth over the onions. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot.
Season: Next, add the tomato paste, seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce.
Add beef and veggies: Then, add the beef in, top with the potatoes and carrots.
Close IP and cook: Close the lid of the instant pot, turn the steam release valve to seal. Press manual, and cook at high for 35 minutes, then allow the pot to naturally release for 10 minutes before opening the lid.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Sear the meat in a skillet.
Add the cooked meat and vegetables into the slow cooker.
Pour all the broth and aromatic ingredients on top (minus the flour).
Cook on low for about 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
Mix the flour with some water and mix it into the slow cooker until the sauce thickens up a bit.

Tips for the Best Beef Stew

Browning the meat is key. Getting a good, golden sear on the meat give it lots of flavor that will seep into the broth as it cooks. It also creates “fond” on the bottom of the pan, which infuses even more flavor into the broth.
Choose the right cut of beef. Choosing a chuck roast with a good amount of marbling will naturally give the meat a tender texture. But make sure to slice across the grain if you’re not buying pre-sliced chunks.
Simmer for a long time. If you simmer the stew meat for an hour and a half or so, it should naturally become fall-apart tender.
Don't skip the red wine. Most of the alcohol burns off, but the depth of flavor remains.
Adjust the vegetables to your liking. If you want to switch things up, you can swap the potatoes with turnips or parsnips (they’re a bit lower carb). Many root vegetables work in this recipe, so have fun with it. Just remember to swap any vegetables with a similar hearty texture so they don’t get overly mushy in the stew. Acorn Squash Butternut Squash Cauliflower Celeriac Collard Greens Corn Mushrooms Parsnips Sweet Potatoes Swiss Chard Turnips

How to Thicken Beef Stew

Cornstarch Slurry: The easiest way to thicken beef stew would be to mix about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with some water, add it to the stew, stir and cook for a few more minutes until it thickens up.
Flour: Not too keen on using corn starch? You may use some whole wheat flour instead.
Pureed Vegetables: You could always remove some of the carrots and potatoes and blend them with a bit of water before returning it back to the stew to thicken it up.
Potato Flakes: Alternatively, you’re welcome to add plain instant potato flakes to the broth to help thicken it to your liking.

Serving Suggestions

You can eat a comforting bowl of this delicious beef stew as is like a hearty soup with a piece of crusty bread. Or you can eat it over rice or even with egg noodles to make it a more complete meal. Keeping with the healthy options in mind you can opt for brown rice or even cauliflower rice for a low carb option.

Here are a few creative serving suggestions:

Bread Bowls: Hollow out individual crusty bread rolls and ladle in that piping hot stew.
Mashed Potato Bed: Lay down a fluffy bed of creamy mashed potatoes (or mashed cauliflower for a low-carb twist) on a plate and make a little well in the center. Pour your stew into this well, letting the juices mix with the mash.
Stew-Stuffed Bell Peppers: Hollow out some bell peppers, roast them slightly, and then fill them up with your beef stew. Pop them back in the oven just long enough to meld the flavors.
Stew Topped Baked Potatoes: Slice open a baked potato, fluff up its insides, and ladle your stew right on top.

Freezing and Storing Beef Stew

To store for the week: Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Keep in mind it might thicken up as it sits in your fridge.
Freeze for later: It feels like such a treat finding containers of this in my freezer -especially on a chilly day! You can store leftovers of this recipe in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 3 months. One of my favorite things to do when I’m making beef stew is doubling the recipe to freeze half of it for some point in the future when I'm low on energy and the will to cook. Stew is incredibly easy to freeze and easy to heat. To freeze beef stew, first cool it to room temperature, then put it in a freezer safe container and pop it in the freezer. Remember, only fill the container part of the way because the fluid in the stew will expand when it freezes! My favorite is putting it in a Ziploc bag so the stew can freeze in a single sheet and it’s easy to stack. However, as a caution, if I’m going to do this then I will absolutely double up the Ziploc bags, just in case the inner one bursts.

Nutritional Benefits

Every spoonful of this stew brims with nourishment. With a rainbow of veggies like carrots, bell peppers, and potatoes, it’s a hearty, balanced meal in itself. The lean protein from the beef, coupled with the wealth of nutrients from the vegetables, creates a yummy blend that promises to keep your body happy and energized.

A Brief History of Beef Stew

The origins of Beef Stew are a little bit hard to pin down, partly due to its culturally ubiquitous nature. The oldest evidence of stew hails from 16,000 years ago, from the Jōmon period in Japan. However, for the origins of our beef stew, we most likely need to turn our gaze towards Ireland and their Irish Stew. Irish stew shares a composition base with beef stew, using lamb or mutton in place of beef. Knowing that, it makes it quite likely that just similar to corned beef and cabbage, beef stew evolved in the United States in the Irish immigrant population. French influence can be felt in the dish, thanks to the use of wine, and the presence of Mirepoix, a flavor base consisting of onions, carrots, and celery. With this little lesson in traditional tracing, you can see it’s difficult to draw a straight line to any one country. In my opinion, it could be argued that due to its French and Irish heritage, it is a uniquely American dish!

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