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
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stewing beef trimmed and cubed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil more as needed
- 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 ribs celery cut into 1 inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 sprig fresh
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or as needed
- 2 tablespoons water or as needed
- ¾ cup peas
Instructions
- Combine flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss beef in flour mixture.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess flour from the beef and brown in small batches. Remove and set aside in a bowl.
- Add the onions to the pot, adding more oil as needed, and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
- Add beef broth and red wine while scraping up any brown bits in the pan.
- Stir in browned beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, and rosemary. 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, if you'd like a thicker stew, you can add extra).
- 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
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Was looking to make beef stew for the first time and found your recipe…followed exactly…best and easiest beef stew ever. Thank you
So happy to hear that Emily. Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Used a couple tablespoons of Worcester sauce instead of wine, corn instead of peas, and it was so yummy! I wish I would’ve used a little less rosemary than the recipe called for, but I won’t knock off stars for that because I’m just not a rosemary person. Soooo good!!
Those sounds like tasty substitutions Desma! Thanks for sharing.
Absolutely delicious! Excellent recipe. Best beef stew I ever served my family. I will be subscribing. I am excited to try more of your recipes!
So happy you enjoyed this recipe Teresa! Happy to have you!
I absolutely Love most of the recipes I see
Thank you Maria! We appreciate hearing that.
Gag, this stew recipe is pedantic an
Sorry to hear that Johnny. We have made this recipe with great success!
The recipe is mouth watering
I totally agree with you Clarence! Especially when the colder weather hits.
I love your recipe
Many thanks!
I love your recipes very easy and economical, suits me and my Whanau.
Thanks Sandy! So glad you enjoyed the recipes!
This is on my list for sept
I hope you enjoy it Sonja!
Great
So happy you think so Marlene!
Looks delicious
Thank you Lydia, enjoy!
This is a delicious recipe. Thank you for all the helps you provided, it really made the stew so much better. Thank you so much!
You’re so welcome Karen! Glad you love the stew!
Would like daily emails
Thank you for visiting Terry! To receive our newsletters, you can sign up here or scroll down to the bottom of the post and you will see a green signup box.
Looks good and nice can be frozen.
So glad you think so Virginia! Enjoy
Please let me join
Thank you for visiting Delilah! To receive our newsletters, you can sign up here or scroll down to the bottom of the post and you will see a green signup box.
Looks so good
Thanks Rhoda!
Making it right now and it has turned out so well! little piece advice: make sure you really watch out for how much tomato paste you put. But I will definitely be making this again :)
Thanks for the tip Shania! Glad you enjoyed it :)
looking forward to trying some recipes
We look forward to hearing what you think of them Leilani! Enjoy!
I just have to try this beef stew recipe
I hope you love it Teresa!
I’m interested in receipts for my ninja foodi.
Hi MaryAnne, we don’t have recipe specifically for the Ninja Foodi but we have a section of pressure cooker recipes that may work for you.