Easy Beef Stew Recipe
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This Beef Stew Recipe in a Dutch oven is one of the easiest, most delicious cold-weather dinners! Tender beef is simmered in a fragrant beef broth with potatoes, onions, celery, carrots, peas, and herbs until fall-apart tender—and incredibly delicious!
A meltingly tender beef stew, fragrant with fresh herbs, is the ultimate comfort food. I love to serve it with homemade dinner rolls or simple Drop Biscuits to soak up the gravy in the bottom of the bowl.
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Beef stew is a classic dinner staple around the world. While there are soup and stew adaptations, like Hungarian Goulash, or prep adaptations, like Slow Cooker Beef Stew, this classic recipe in a Dutch oven is always my go-to!
How To Make This Beef Stew Recipe
This dinner recipe is so incredibly simple; I can’t wait for you to try it! Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Brown the beef
Combine flour, salt, and pepper, and toss beef cubes in the flour mixture. Then, heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef to the pot and brown it. Try not to crowd the beef, and brown it in batches for the best sear.
Note on onions: I’m using frozen pearl onions here (because they needed to be used), but when I chop an onion, I will add it to the beef in this step for an extra layer of caramelized flavor.
Step 2: Deglaze the pan
Add a splash of beef broth to the pot and scrape up any brown bits.
Step 3: Add the vegetables and cook the stew
Stir in the carrots, celery, potatoes, rosemary (and any other vegetables you are using). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour (or up to 90 minutes) until beef is tender.
Create the slurry by whisking the cornstarch and water together. Slowly add to the boiling stew and stir to reach the desired consistency. Stir in the peas and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Beef Stew Tips
This stew recipe is incredibly simple and easy to make. Here are a few tips for a cozy, delicious stew every time.
- Searing the beef: While it adds another step to this easy recipe, browning the beef stew meat before adding the stock makes a world of difference in its flavor. Don’t skip this delicious caramelization process!
- Give it time: As the vegetables and meat simmer in a fragrant broth, the flavors have a chance to intensify, and the beef becomes fall-apart tender. Give the stew enough time to become tender. The peas cook quickly and are added in the last few minutes before serving!
- Vegetable adaptations: I’ve written this stew recipe with the vegetables I typically use every time. But if you have vegetables in your bin that need using (as I did with a package of frozen pearl onions), this is the perfect dish to use them! Whether they be sweet potatoes, mushrooms, pearl onions, or other root vegetables like turnips or rutabagas, just chop and add them in!
Choosing the Right Beef Stew Meat
When choosing beef stew meat, it’s important to begin with the right cut of beef. Look for a chuck roast that’s well-marbled with plenty of white veins of fat running through the roast. Pre-packaged “stew meat,” especially cuts that look lean without marbling, will not result in a fall-apart tender stew, even with a long cooking time!
How To Thicken Beef Stew
Beef stew thickens naturally with the starches in potatoes and the flour-dredged beef. But if you love a thick stew (my hand is raised here), it’s easy to thicken it more. Here are two ways to thicken beef stew:
- Mashing the vegetables: By giving some of the vegetables a quick mash with a potato masher, the stew will thicken slightly.
- Cornstarch slurry: An easy to make thickening sauce added during the last few minutes of cooking. This is my preferred method.
How to Make a Cornstarch Slurry
This is one of the easiest ways to thicken stews and soup. Simply combine equal parts cornstarch and water, shake or whisk until it’s completely mixed, and then pour it into a bubbling soup or stew.
A slurry works best when added a bit at a time into a boiling soup or stew until you reach your desired thickness. Then, let it boil for at least 1-2 minutes to ensure any starch flavor is cooked through.
Can You Freeze Beef Stew?
Yes, you can absolutely freeze beef stew! I love to freeze individual portions in airtight freezer containers for quick lunches or dinners. To reheat, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and gently microwave or reheat in a saucepan, stirring occasionally as it rewarms.
More Warming Soups and Stew Recipes
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Easy Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds beef stew meat cubed
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 onion chopped in 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 3 large carrots peeled and cut in 1-inch pieces on the diagonal
- 2 stalks celery cut in 1-inch pieces on he diagonal
- 2 large russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
- 2 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
- parsley for serving
Instructions
- Combine flour, salt and pepper and toss beef cubes in the flour mixture.
- Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onions to the pot and brown. Try not to crowd the beef and brown in batches for the best sear.
- Add beef broth and water to the pot while scraping up any brown bits.
- Stir in the carrots, celery, potatoes, and rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour or until beef is tender, up to 90 minutes.
- Create the slurry by whisking the cornstarch and water together. Slowly add to the boiling stew and stir to reach the desired consistency. Stir in the peas and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Choosing the Right Beef Stew Meat: When choosing beef stew meat, it’s important to begin with the right cut of beef. Look for a chuck roast that’s well-marbled with plenty of white veins of fat running through the roast. Pre-packaged “stew meat,” especially cuts that look lean without marbling, will not result in a fall-apart tender stew, even with a long cooking time!
- Variations: I’ve written this stew recipe with the vegetables I typically use every time. But if you have vegetables in your bin that need using (as I did with a package of frozen pearl onions), this is the perfect dish to use them! Whether they be sweet potatoes, mushrooms, pearl onions, or other root vegetables like turnips or rutabagas, chop and add them in!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Can you make this stew in a slow cooker?
Hi Joann— yes, it’s great in a slow cooker. Eliminate the water and cook on Low for 8 to 12 hours, or on High for 4 to 6 hours.
Thank you for this recipe! We now have a new favorite stew!