Beef Stew is the ultimate comforting soup recipe. Between the mouth-watering beef and the tender, perfect vegetables you will fall in love.
There aren’t very many things I love more than soup. In fact, I literally have had to stop myself in winter from only posting soup recipes because I know not everyone has quite the love for it I do.
But let me just step onto my soap box for one second and tell you why it’s so amazing: Soup almost always contains everything you need for a healthy dinner – a protein, some vegetables, and a carbohydrate. One-pot meals for the win!
This beef stew is no exception. It is full of everything you need for a great dinner, plus it’s like your grandma is rubbing your back and telling you how awesome you are while you are eating it – pure comfort.
The Most Flavorful Beef Stew
There are a few keys to make this such a flavorful beef stew. The first is searing the beef. Second, we use wine to deglaze the pan. Third, we use fresh veggies and the perfect dried seasonings. Finally, is the process of cooking we use, nice and slow over low heat, which allows all of those flavors to really develop.
Beef Stew Ingredients
Well Marbled Stew Meat: We are starting with marbled beef. You want to look for chuck roast. The fact that it is marbled is absolutely key to this recipe. Read more on this below.
Seasonings: There is nothing bland about this delicious soup. There are so many ingredients that add flavor to this soup, but in addition to that we are using great beef stew seasoning in the form of thyme, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
Flour: Many beef stew recipes call for lightly flouring the beef before searing it. In this recipe, we are searing the beef and then adding flour to the stew. The flour helps to thicken the stew like in the original method, while skipping the step of flouring the beef which I find a little tedious.
Vegetables: Like any good traditional vegetable beef stew, mine has onion, carrots, potatoes, and peas. We throw in the peas at the very end, frozen, so they don’t overcook.
The Liquid: For this recipe, we are going to use a combination of red wine and beef stock. The red wine really deepens the flavors and is great for deglazing the pan and picking up all the brown bits after cooking the meat.
Tomato Paste: A little tomato paste thrown in after the wine helps give another layer of flavor to the stew.
How to Make Beef Stew
Homemade beef stew is one of those recipes that makes your whole house smell wonderful as you make it. A steam-up-the-windows, make-the-house-filled-with-love kind of recipe.
This is an overview of how to make this delicious recipe. For the full recipe with all of the measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Sear the Meat
In a heavy-bottomed large dutch oven with a little oil, sear the beef. Searing the meat caramelizes it and adds a deep rich flavor to the stew. This step is worth the extra time it adds to the recipe. Then remove the meat from the pot.
Sauté the Onions
Remove the meat from the pot. and then add in onion and garlic, sautéing them until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add Flour and Deglaze the Pan
Whisk in the flour, then use red wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape up all the browned bits from sautéing the vegetables; they add so much flavor to the stew.
Stir in Beef Broth and Seasonings
Return the beef to the pot. Pour in the beef broth. To that we will add the tomato paste, seasonings, carrots, and potatoes.
Let the Beef Stew Simmer
Bring the whole stew to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer and let it simmer for an hour and forty-five minutes. Simmering for a long time is key to making sure the beef is perfectly tender.
Finish off the Stew
Finally, taste it and add more salt and pepper to taste. Then stir in your frozen peas.
Tips and Tricks
- Buy the right cut of meat. The meat for this recipe can be labeled a few different ways, sometimes just labeled “beef stew meat.” You want chuck roast that is well marbled.
- Cook with wine you love. No need to break the bank, but since the flavor will enhance as it simmers, you should pick a wine that you love and avoid cooking wine.
- Replace the wine with beef broth. The alcohol will not fully cook off during the simmering time. If you are cooking for someone sober, replace the wine with beef broth and a splash of lemon juice, about 1/2 a teaspoon.
- Cook this low and slow. Low and slow is the secret to the most tender stew. It’s really not a recipe that you can rush.
Storing Leftovers
The leftovers of this recipe are almost better than the soup fresh off the stove. This is perfect to bring with you to work the next day.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days. As with all leftovers, only pull out and reheat what you are planning to eat at that moment. Don’t reheat more than once.
Freezing Beef Stew
This is a great soup to freeze. Freeze in individual containers, being sure to leave room in the container (about an inch) for the soup to expand as it freezes. I like freezing in individual portions because that way you are only thawing the soup you plan on eating. Beef stew can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
When you are ready to eat your frozen leftovers, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or heat over low heat stirring often.
What to Serve with Beef Stew
As I mentioned earlier, this really is a whole meal on its own. That said, if you would like to stretch this meal out, here are a few side dishes that would complement this very well.
If you make this easy beef stew or any of my other recipes please leave me a comment letting me know what you think!
Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 pounds chuck roast well marbled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 medium carrots peeled and cut into one inch pieces
- 1 pound russet potatoes unpeeled and cut into one inch chunks
- 1 cup frozen peas keep in freezer until just before stirring in
Instructions
- Season the beef with salt and pepper.1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 3 pounds chuck roast
- Heat oil in the base of a large dutch oven until it is smoking. Brown the meat in batches, cooking for a few minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon, remove the meat and set aside.2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add in the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.1 yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Whisk in the flour. Then slowly whisk in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits.1/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 cup red wine
- Whisk in the tomato paste. Return the beef to the dutch oven with any drippings. Then add in the beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, carrots, and potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 1 hour and 45 minutes, you should see occasional small bubbles.4 cups beef broth, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 4 medium carrots, 1 pound russet potatoes, 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- When the beef is tender, taste the stew and add more salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the frozen peas and allow them to cook through, about 1 minute.1 cup frozen peas
- Garnish with fresh parsley, serve with crusty bread, and enjoy.
Recipe Video
Sorry Bev! It is added to the recipe card now. You need 2 tablespoons.
Joanne Sonnenberg says
This stew has a rich flavor and I didn’t use the wine only more broth. Not having your notes handy when making the stew, I used the whole can of paste. That may have added to the flavor of my stew. Will make again.
Joy M says
Your recipe is similar to how I’ve made stew for most of my adult life only I use kitchen bouquet instead of tomato paste, seasoning salt and top off with Bisquick dumplings…my 😍 comfort food! Joy M
Marilyn Petitto says
I cannot wait to make your Beef Stew, my husband will love it. Thank you for all of your great recipes.
Marilyn Petitto
You are so welcome, Marilyn!
Clarice says
Won’t adding the potatoes and cooking them as directed turn them into mush?
Hi Clarice! I got your email, but I will respond here as well so others can see. The heat is so low on this that the veggies hold up really well. The potatoes and carrots are soft for sure, but they definitely aren’t mush. You can see in the first photo how well they hold up to me messing with them to get them in the perfect spot for the picture, haha!
Sandra says
Made this stew tonight. It is very good!
I’m so happy to hear you enjoy it!