Nothing compares to the cozy comfort of classic Beef Stew. Tender morsels of beef practically melt in your mouth, and the combination of vegetables and beef infuse the dish with incredible flavor as they simmer together in a rich broth.
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Beef is naturally juicy and adds so much flavor to dishes like our Chili Recipe, and of course Meatloaf. If you let it cook low and slow, it becomes wonderfully tender and so satisfying. All you need with this are soft Dinner Rolls our a slice of Sourdough Bread to soak up the rich beef stew broth and it’s a one-pot meal.
The Best Beef Stew Recipe
When the stew is slow-cooked, the beef becomes meltingly tender and full of flavor. We also love to add mushrooms and bacon which add a rich depth of flavor to make this the best beef stew we’ve ever tried.
Beef stew is a very hearty soup with a blend of beef and humble vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and onion in a richly flavored wine and tomato broth. This hearty beef stew is every bit as good as its cousin, the famous beef bourguignon, and Lamb Stew. We love beef stew so much that we even have a Slow Cooker Beef Stew.
Beef Stew Video
You can do this! Homemade beef stew takes some time to make because it needs to slow roast in the oven but it is simple to prepare. One bite and you’ll realize why this beef stew is one of our most popular recipes.
Ingredients for Beef Stew
These are the ingredients often used in beef stew. They aren’t overly complicated, but the flavors work together so well.
- Beef – you can use beef stew meat or cut up your own beef chuck roast or other well-marbled steaks.
- Bacon – center cut is always my favorite cut of bacon. It adds a wonderful richness and a salty bite to the stew.
- All-purpose flour – used to dredge the beef and to thicken if desired
- Red wine – use a drinkable red wine and avoid anything labeled “cooking wine” (see below for our list of recommended wines for cooking)
- Mushrooms – use brown or white mushrooms, thickly sliced
- Carrots, Onions, and Garlic – the aromatics which release a fragrant aroma and add flavor when cooked. Lately I’ve also been adding celery, which adds a bit of sweetness.
- Tomato Paste – adds acidity to balance the broth
- Beef Broth – you can use beef bone broth, beef stock, or even substitute with chicken stock
- Bay leaves and thyme – these simple seasonings round out the flavors of the soup
- Potatoes – new potatoes or fingerling potatoes make the soup look extra fancy but you can dice up and add waxy potatoes such as yukon gold or red potatoes.
What is Stew Meat?
Beef stew meat is a great choice for your next meal – it’s made up of tender pieces of beef, ranging from filet mignon and prime rib to trimmings from steaks that may have been too large for their packages. I’ve even spotted pieces of filet mignon and prime rib in my packs! Not only is it reasonably priced, but it’s also incredibly versatile.
We love stew meat recipes such as Instant Pot Rice and Beef and Rice Soup. If you aren’t able to find stew meat, another good option is boneless beef chuck which you can buy and cut into bite-size pieces yourself.
The Best Red Wine for Cooking
The wine adds so much flavor to this classic beef stew. For most cooking, dry red wine is best. Avoid anything labeled “cooking wine” since it usually has additives that will affect the flavor of your stew. A good rule of thumb is that you should not cook with it if you can’t drink it. Some good red wine options include:
- Pinot Noir
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Soft Red by Ste Chapelle (our favorite local brand)
How to Make Beef Stew
Here is a quick visual reference of how to make beef stew, but be sure to watch the full video tutorial above, and you’ll see just how easy it is to make Beef Stew.
- Brown the bacon in a large, dutch oven or oven-safe pot, then transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the bacon grease in the pot
- Season beef in a separate bowl with salt and pepper then toss with flour. Sautee beef over medium-high heat in 2 batches, adding more oil as needed. Cook in batches to get a good sear.
- Add red wine and scrape to deglaze the pot. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat 10 minutes.
- Sautee Vegetables – In a large skillet over medium/high heat, add oil, carrots, onions, celery if using, and garlic, then sautee until softened. Stir in tomato paste and transfer the veggies to the pot.
- Combine and bake – Return Beef and bacon to the pot. Add beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and potatoes. Stir to combine and make sure the potatoes are submerged. COVER and bake at 325˚F for 1 hour and 45 min.
Pro Tip:
Make sure to use a tight-fitting lid so you don’t lose too much steam while the pot is in the oven. We love cooking beef stew in a dutch oven since it has an ideal heavy lid.
For a Healthier Stew:
You can tilt the pot after it comes out of the oven to allow the liquid to pool to one side, then skim off and discard any excess fat with a spoon.
How to Thicken Beef Stew?
Tossing the beef in flour and the natural starch from the potatoes will make the sauce slightly thicker than a typical soup base, but it’s also not as thick as gravy.
If you prefer a thicker stew, melt 2 Tbsp butter and stir in 2 Tbsp flour to make a paste. Once the stew is out of the oven, place it on the stove, add the paste a little at a time (to reach desired consistency), bring it back to a boil for a few minutes to thicken and cook the flour.
Can I Cook Beef Stew on the Stovetop?
You can finish your stew on the stovetop instead of the oven. Be sure to use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven and keep it at a low simmer and stir occasionally to make sure you don’t scorch the bottom. It should take about 1 1/2 hours on the stovetop or until your beef reaches the desired tenderness.
Serve Beef Stew with
Since stew is a meal in itself, loaded with beef and vegetables in a rich broth, we love to serve it with simple sides:
- Biscuits – fluffy biscuits are great for soaking up the tasty broth
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes – the stew is almost a light gravy with potatoes.
- White Rice – a tasty neutral base that makes it a filling meal
- Egg Noodles – buttery noodles and especially homemade pasta is delicious with the broth.
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes – so comforting in the cooler months
- Beet Arugula Salad – we love a fresh green salad with stew
- Caesar Salad – with the best homemade dressing
Now go forth and conquer this classic homemade beef stew! There’s nothing quite like curling up with a bowl of steamy, hearty stew in the colder months.
Make-Ahead
Before storing your beef stew, allow it to cool to room temperature.
- To cool your soup quickly: Make an ice water bath in the sink or a larger bowl and set the pot over ice water. Stir occasionally to cool it down even faster.
- Refrigerating: Store in a covered pot or transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days.
- Freezing: Divide the soup into freezer-safe zip-top bags, leaving some room for expansion. Remove any excess air and freeze up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or you can reheat from frozen on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot and 165˚F according to the USDA.
More Beef Recipes for Dinner
Beef is naturally one of the most flavorful meats, and there are so many ways to prepare it, from ground beef perfect for Taco Salad to Beef Tenderloin. You’ll love these easy, family-friendly beef dinner ideas:
- Beef Stroganoff – in mushroom cream sauce
- Lasagna – classic with a beefy sauce
- Baked Ziti – cheesy pasta bake
- Salisbury Steak – with a gravy sauce
- Roast Beef – so tender with the best gravy
- Pot Roast – fall apart tender
- Mississippi Pot Roast – slow cooker favorite
Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 oz bacon, chopped into 1/4" strips
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, to sautee
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, (or beef chuck cut into 1″ pieces)
- 2 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste, divided
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups good dry red wine
- 1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2″ thick pieces
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups low sodium beef broth , or beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 lb small potatoes, new potatoes, or fingerling, halved or quartered
Instructions
- In a large, oven-proof pot, sauté bacon over medium heat until golden brown and fat is released. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a separate bowl.
- While bacon is cooking, place beef in a large mixing bowl and season with 1 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Sprinkle beef with 1/4 cup flour and toss to combine and evenly coat beef. Transfer beef in 2 batches into the hot bacon fat and cook over med/high heat, until beef is browned (3 min per side). Add olive oil if needed. Transfer browned beef to the bowl with bacon.
- Add 2 cups wine to the pot and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom to deglaze the pot. Add sliced mushrooms and simmer over medium heat about 10 min.
- Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet over medium/high heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add sliced carrots, diced onion, and 4 chopped garlic cloves, and saute 4 min. Add 1 Tbsp tomato paste and saute another minute. Transfer veggies to the soup pot.
- Add 4 cups beef broth, 2 bay leaves, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Return beef and bacon to the pot then add potatoes. Stir to combine and make sure potatoes are submerged in liquid. Cover with lid and bake at 325˚F oven for 1 hour and 45 min.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Dang girl. Another winner! I impressed my husband big time with this one. We both loved it.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Becky!
I made this and it was phenomenal!! Made a homemade crusty bread with it and it was the best beef stew I have ever had. My husband couldn’t stop talking about how good it was. Thanks for this great recipe. It’s definitely a keeper.
That’s so awesome Deborah! Sounds like you found a new favorite!
Hello! Could this be an oven problem? I’m cooking this right now and with half an hour left, the meat and potatoes are still very hard. I followed the recipe to the T except thyme as I didn’t have it. I put it in a stainless steel pot because I didn’t have any other deep baking dish. Cooking at 325. Should I increase the temperature next time or just cook longer? Thanks! I just know the taste will be excellent.
Hi Mary, the pot may affect how quickly it bakes, some ovens vary by temp so it may take a little longer. I hope you love it!
Hi Natasha…followed the recipe to a T…and I have beef soup. Any suggestions?!?
Hi Stephanie, this stew is more of a stew soup. We love ours a bit more soup-like so there is more liquid. You can definitely reduce the amount of liquid you use.
Oh hi Natasha,
Me again:)
If I wanted to cut the recipe in half, we could cut everything in half, or maybe just cut the spices and the veggies.
Thanks
I think simply halving the entire recipe would work, but I can’t tell you exactly without testing it as a half portion. Here is what one of our readers mentioned about it: “I made this last night for my fiance and I. I halved the recipe since I didn’t have as much beef and did mine on the stove for an hour and a half instead.”
I wish I could eat this stew every day. The depth of flavour is so phenomenal. I love all the different techniques you use in this recipe to wnhance flavour. So good!!! Tonight is probably my 7th or 8th time making this recipe exactly as you have it written and I can’t give it enough praise! Thank you!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Samantha!
Hi Natasha
What size pot do you use for this recipe?
I have a 3.8Q I think
I was reading reviews and cooking this on the stove top is what you mentioned for us individuals that don’t have a Dutch oven and while this is an option, I think being in the oven would give you that optimal taste.
What size would you recommend?
Do you think the one I have would fit all these ingredients?
Thanks
Making this for Sunday’s Mother’s Day brunch:)
Hi, I use a 5 1/2 quart and it fills it almost 2/3 full. I think at 3.8Qt it might be sputtering out from the top when it bubbles. I do love the slow roasting method in the oven best – it’s very hands off and no risk of scorching the bottom.
Thank you for getting back to me, looks like I will have to invest in a bigger pot…hahaha!
Thank you
Happy Mother’s Day to you!!
I have made this recipe for a few months now (love it so much!) and recently, over the summer, have switched the recipe to work with my instant pot. I do everything on the stovetop as directed in the recipe. When the wine is all done deglazing on the stove top, I add everything (veggies, beef broth, seasonings), to the instant pot (including deglazed wine [I omit the mushrooms as a preference, wine still deglazes perfectly]) – and cook on “stew” button for 35 minutes. I’ve done it this way more than 4-5 times and it works perfectly everytime – for anyone who is an instant pot lover!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I also use a 5-1/2 Q and I can’t imagine using anything smaller. I’ve made this recipe several times by now. It’s really excellent. I would seriously suggest making it on Saturday if you want to serve it on Sunday for Mother’s Day. Enjoy
I’m a beginner to cooking and tried making this, came out all right. I just didn’t know that deglazing adds good flavor. I had to wash the pot due to too much black burnt leftovers. And also I don’t think I simmered long enough because the wine taste was pretty strong at the end. I guess we live and we learn, hope next time it’ll come out better!
Hi Natasha, deglazing really does add great flavor and if the bottom is blackened, that usually means too high of heat so maybe try reducing the heat a little bit next time.
Delicious!! I would say this is a gourmet beef stew.. well worth the extra steps and time. This is not a recipe for an easy crockpot beef stew. This is the kind of beef stew a steakhouse restaurants would charge $20.00 a bowl. You can serve this hearty, favorable stew as the main dish for a dinner party and your guests would definitely know the care you put into it. I followed recipe to the letter and wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you Natasha’s Kitchen for this gem!
Sounds like you found a new favorite, Pamela! Thank you for that awesome review!
Thank you Natasha!!! I made this for my husband’s birthday. I used Alamos Malbec red wine from Walmart and it was $100 worth of flavor for only $10. I made very few changes. 1 lb chuck steak, canned diced potatoes because they freeze so well compared to fresh, a little less salt, and between 2 and 3 cups of broth.
It was the best stew we ever had and he felt the love. Thanks again!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
This looks amazing. I do not own a dutch oven. Could I make this in my slow cooker? Thanks!
Hi Tammie, I have had reports of good results with a crockpot. If I were to test it, I would prepare everything on the stove up to step 6 and then put it into the slow cooker instead of the oven and cook until meat is tender. From a quick search online, I’m seeing folks making beef stew in a slow cooker with the following settings: low heat for 7-8 hrs or on high heat for 3-4 hrs. Hopefully that is helpful to you! 🙂
Love it !!!
I always add green beans to mine and it is even better.
Thank You for another amazing dinner idea.
You’re so welcome Aneta!
My husband RAVED and in fact, as I review, another pot is in the oven. I did, the first time around, add cornstarch to thicken and a touch of ketchup to kill the salt (I mistakenly did not use low sodium broth). HE LOVED IT. I did pre-boil the potatoes as suggested by a reviewer,and in this next batch, I increased the amount of tomato paste. This is a FABULOUS recipe, and I am a critical cook! Thanks for it!
You’re welcome, Sally! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!!
Hi Natasha, I have made this twice. The first time was over the top wonderful! Tonight, while the taste was fabulous, the beef was very tough. Was it my choice of stew beef?
Hi Janet, did you make any changes or use another meat? If you used a more lean meat it will be more tough so it would be a good idea to cook it longer.
Any subtition of wine???
Hi Niez, You can omit it altogether, probably the best thing to substitute with would be more beef broth. The flavor wouldn’t be quite the same, but it still would taste great. You will probably need to adjust the seasoning to taste since the wine does add quite a bit of flavor. I hope this helps.
I don’t have alcohol in my house — I usually think of “changing” rather than “substituting” – I might change a cup of red wine to a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and broth — or a might change a cup of white wine to a quarter cup of white grape juice and broth
Hi Dave, You can omit it altogether, probably the best thing to substitute(change) with would be more beef broth. The flavor wouldn’t be quite the same, but it still would taste great. You will probably need to adjust the seasoning to taste since the wine does add quite a bit of flavor. I hope this helps.
Hi, can i ass celery and fresh thyme instead of dried thyme?
Hi Rachel! That should work, here is what one of our readers wrote ” I used both fresh bay leaves and thyme. It was delicious! Thank you for sharing!!” I hope that helps!
I think it came out very good but it was more of a veggie soup then a stew. I am going to have to thicken it up . To me, stew should be on the thick side, yours looks thick but on the end it came out like soup.
Hi Jo Ann, this stew is more of a stew soup. We love ours a bit more soup-like so there is more liquid. You can definitely reduce the amount of liquid you use.
Great recipe to use as a base. I made a few modifications. Instead of beef I used left over lamb from a leg of lamb I roasted the night before. I also omitted mushrooms. Lastly, I thickened the stew with 3tbsp cornstarch + 3tbsp water. I sautéed the meat and the veggies in bacon fat. I also pre roasted the potatoes before adding them to the stew so they’d hold their shape and have more flavor. My fiancée said it was the best stew he’s ever eaten. It was really good!!
I’m so happy you both enjoyed that, Ashlee! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Can this dish be cooked on the stove. As I am renting, until I find a new home, I don’t want to use the oven. Thankyou so very much.
Hi Kerin, yes it can! You can continue to cook it on the stove top, just keep it at a low simmer so you don’t scorch the bottom. It should take about 1 1/2 hours on the stovetop. Enjoy!
Making this yet again and again ..hubby got beef broth with wine… Your opinion? Not sure good idea for your perfect recipe and just stick to Better Than Boullion. Thanks in advance!💚 Can’t wait for the house to smell so good with this in oven!
Hi Helyn! I have not tested that but I think that could work! Thank you for sharing your awesome review with me!
This was delicious! Thank you, Natasha!
You’re so welcome! Thank you for your great review, Inna!
Hello Natasha! This stew looks delicious and I can wait to try it! Approximately how many slices of bacon are in 6 oz?
Thank you
Hi Gena, I wish I had counted that now. That depends on the thickness of the bacon. How many ounces is the package you have? If your package is 12 or 18 ounces, divide by 2 or 3 to get 6 ounces in weight.
Delicious!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Cris!