This Beef Stew Recipe is perfect for the colder weather! Tender beef is simmered in beef broth with potatoes, onions, celery, peas, and carrots until melt in your mouth tender. It’s comfort food heaven!
I serve beef stew with 30 minute dinner rolls or Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits to sop up any gravy in the bottom of the bowl!
Beef stew is a classic dinner staple in so many households around the world. There are soup and stew adaptations of beef stew like my favorite Easy Hamburger Soup and cultural variations like Hungarian Goulash, but this classic beef stew recipe is a favorite for me!
How To Make Beef Stew
Searing the beef pieces before you add the stock makes such a difference in the flavor you get from the soup. It’s really the only chance you have to get that delicious caramelization on the meat!
As the veggies and broth simmer, you will really start to notice the flavors in the stew intensify. Peas cook quickly so I add them in the last few minutes!
This stew recipe is also the perfect way to use up any vegetables you might need to use up. If you’ve got leftover roasted potatoes, glazed carrots or fried mushrooms, just chop ‘em up up and throw them in!
How To Thicken Beef Stew
Beef stew will thicken a bit naturally thanks to the starches in the potatoes and the dredging of the beef, but I always like to thicken it a little bit more.
Stew can be thickened by giving the vegetables a quick mash or you can use either flour or cornstarch. My preferred method for thickening beef stew (and the method used in this beef stew recipe) is to use a cornstarch slurry.
How to Make a Slurry
A slurry is super easy to make! Combine equal parts cornstarch and water and stir. I told you it was easy!!
Pour this mixture a little bit at a time into bubbling soup or stew to thicken until you reach desired consistency. Once your stew is thickened, allow it to boil at least 1-2 minutes to ensure you cook out any starchy flavor.
If left to sit before adding to the soup or stew, a slurry will settle within a couple of minutes so be sure to give it a stir before adding it. I sometimes mix the cornstarch with low sodium (or no sodium) broth instead of water.
Can You Freeze Beef Stew?
Yes, you can absolutely freeze beef stew! I like to freeze it in freezer bags in single servings portions so I can take one portion out for lunches (or four out for dinner)! Defrost overnight in the refrigerator or you can defrost in the microwave (time will vary based on portion size) stirring occasionally.
What To Serve With Beef Stew
Beef stew is super perfect on it’s own; it is a complete meal!
We usually serve it with a bread, biscuit or even Garlic Crescent Rolls to sop up any broth! I also love serving it with mashed potatoes in the bottom of the bowl! Even just some crushed crackers or saltines are all you really need.
More Belly Warming Soups You’ll Love
- Easy Hamburger Soup– Reader favorite!
- Beef Barley Soup
- Hungarian Goulash
- Minestrone Soup – Classic Italian!
- Pasta Fagioli Soup Recipe
- Stuffed Pepper Soup – Easy and delicious!
- Beef Bourguignon Recipe
Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stewing beef trimmed and cubed
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 6 cups beef broth
- ½ cup red wine optional
- 1 pound potatoes peeled and cubed
- 4 carrots cut into 1 inch pieces
- 4 stalks celery cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 sprig fresh
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¾ cup peas
Instructions
- Combine flour, garlic powder and salt & pepper. Toss beef in flour mixture.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot. Cook the beef and onions until browned.
- Add beef broth and red wine while scraping up any brown bits in the pan.
- Stir in all remaining ingredients except for peas, cornstarch and water. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer 1 hour or until beef is tender (up to 90 minutes).
- Mix equal parts cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Slowly add the slurry to the boiling stew to reach desired consistency (you may not need all of the slurry).
- Stir in peas and simmer 5-10 minutes before serving . Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Soup
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Hello Holly
I’ve just made your beef stew recipe and it was scrumptious.
I put in white wine instead of red. I didn’t have any celery sticks so I left them out.
But I do agree that it needs a little more salt and maybe a bay leaf or two.
But I love your recipes extremely simple to make.
Hi Holly, how are you doing? I had a kg super Blade in the deep freeze and decide to make your beef stew tonight. I didn’t have red wine so added half a cup of white wine semi-dry I also didn’t have the celery sticks so left them out. It is still simmering on the stove.
I love your recipe so easy to make.
Hilary Cole
Harare
Zimbabwe
I love beef stew and have made everything from Martha Stewart’s to The Pioneer Woman’s beef stew and I have to admit, this version is really, really, good. I don’t think there is too much tomato paste or bland like some of the other reviewers mentioned. I’ve made this stew with and without tomato paste and honestly there is a richness that is missing without the tomato paste. Bland? I don’t get that but you may want to add more salt or beef bouillon if you are feeling it needs more salt but I didn’t feel that way at all. What is so great about this recipe is that not only is it delicious but it’s simple and can be made with kitchen staples. Many recipes require you to sear the meat, take it out of the pan, cook the veggies, then deglaze. This recipe doesn’t over complicate things. Cook the meat and then throw everything in and you’re done. It does taste best at 90 minutes but it’s so worth it!
Can this be made in a crockpot? If so, how long?
We use this Crock Pot Beef Stew recipe. Enjoy!
I made it tonight, it was delicious
Added Worcestershire sauce and some steakhouse seasoning and that made it pop. Before that it was extremely bland.
it was just ok. It seemed to lack depth of flavor and needed a little oomph. maybe I should’ve added bay leaf and more garlic? I’m still not sure what was missing exactly but it tasted a bit plain to me. still, it’s a good basic stew recipe and probably great for picky eaters/kids who might not like more complexity.
My mom and I have made Beef Stew once and we’re making it again tonight with your recipe.
Thank you very much.
Quite bland, it was missing something. If you want an ultra basic beef stew, this one is fine.
I’m planning on making this stew… and will make sure to increase the amount of salt and pepper. I might add some smoked paprika or some other seasoning.
That was delicious! I appreciated finding a great recipe that is done on the stove. My go to recipe is a crock pot one. I was also happy that I had all of the ingredients on hand. I’m looking forward to having second tomorrow and fully expect the flavours to be even better!!
Easy peasy! I did add a couple bay leaves for more flavor.
Excellent stew! Very easy to make and a new family favourite.
Absolutely amazing stew. I made it for me and my neighbors. Im just starting to branch out my cooking knowledge and this was so simple!
I made this for the family last night and everyone LOVED it. The red wine was a wonderful addition for taste. I used sirloin steak (2) as the beef source, Fantastic!
My husband HATES peas so I want to use green beans instead. Would you recommend fresh or frozen? And when would I add either one?
They can be added in place of the peas, they’ll need about 7-10 minutes.
Easy to make and extremely good hearty food.
I was really excited about this recipe but the tomato paste ruined it for me WAY too much for my personal preference. Otherwise I love the ease of this recipe!
Made it and loved it even without the tomato paste because I forgot it! Also added green beans, corn and some rutabaga.
The recipe looks really good. I’m going to make this for a client tomorrow using sirloin steak or ribeye for the beef. I always find stew meat unpleasant. I’ll add lots of wild mushrooms to up the umami. Will def sear that steak to get a nice thick crust. Thanks for the guide.
Made this for the first time and my husband loved it! The only thing I changed was putting the potatoes in the last 30mins. They may have been fine to put in with the rest of the veggies, but I didn’t want to take a chance.