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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I made this today. Unfortunately, I forgot to coat the meat with the flour mixture (!!) but I will make it again and remember that. I can see how that would really kick it up a notch. The only thing is that I thought the rosemary was a bit strong, so I’ll cut back next time. The red wine is a must. It was a great recipe!!
The recipe says put everything in and cook on low for 1 hour. If you cook potatoes and carrots that long they will be mush.
Hi Joe, I do not find the potatoes and carrots become mush but if you prefer you can add them a little later into the simmering. Enjoy!
This has become my go-to stew recipe. I also seperately make some egg noodles, and when the stew is done I pour it over the noodles. The whole family loves it!
This was good. You do not need 6 cups of stock! Came out way too soupy. Works perfectly with 3.
Wow just wow!! This is an incredible recipe. I used Yukon potatoes and added extra thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary. This is a recipe I’ll use from here on out. Also let it summer for 3.5 hours. Absolutely delish!
Made this for the first time and it was soooo good!!! Easy to make. Very satisfying!
Hi! Is a 4qt Dutch oven too small for this recipe? It’s all I have.
Hi Nicole, I haven’t tried a dutch oven of this size in this recipe so I can’t say for sure. I think it will work but will be quite full. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
I’m making this as we speak with an 8quart. Used a bit more meat, potatoes and beef broth than the recipe called for (but not much) and I’m 2” from the brim of the pot. I suggest you cut every ingredient in half if attempting this with a 4 quart Dutch oven.
So delicious and so easy! No celery so I added a small box of fresh mushrooms that I quartered with the other veggies. Plus 1 bay leaf.
And then I popped in 1/2 cup of barley about 20 minutes later. Stirred a few times to make sure it didn’t stick to the bottom. No need for corn starch as the stew thickened.
Hearty and delicious. My hubby absolutely raved about it. Thanks Holly for a great recipe!
Sooooo good!