Classic Beef Stew is a one-pot, comforting, and hearty meal with beef, vegetables, tomato paste, and seasoning, Perfect for cold winter days!
A hearty Stew is the perfect dish to warm up in the Winter! This recipe is the classic beef version we all know and love but be sure to check out my Philly Cheesesteak and Vegetable Beef versions too!
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Sabrina’s Classic Beef Stew Recipe
My Slow Cooker Beef Stew has always been one of the most popular recipes on this site, but I also wanted to share my oven version in case you don’t have a crockpot. It starts by browning the beef and caramelizing the onions on the stovetop for maximum beefy flavor, then finishes in the oven for the most tender, savory, comforting stew.
This classic recipe combines beef, potatoes, and carrots with a flavorful tomato paste and beef broth base to create a hearty, crowd-pleasing meal. It’s perfect for a gameday, weeknight dinner, lazy Sunday, or meal prepping lunches for the week. It’s great to make a large batch and save serving-sizes to heat up later. In fact, the flavors taste even richer the following day!
How to Make
Time needed: 3 hours and 20 minutes.
- Prep time:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and season the beef with salt and pepper. Then, dredge the beef chunks in flour to coat.
- Brown beef:
Heat butter and canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the beef pieces in batches and brown on all sides for 3-4 minutes.
- Prepare vegetables:
Move the beef chunks from the Dutch oven and add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the pot. Cook the vegetables for 2-3 minutes to lightly caramelize the onion mixture.
- Combine stew mixture:
Add the potatoes, broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir the ingredients together.
- Cooking time:
Add the beef pieces back into the pot. Cover the Dutch oven and cook for 3 hours in the preheated oven.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chuck roast , cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1/2 yellow onion , chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 carrots , cut into 2 inch chunks
- 2 Yukon potatoes , chopped
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and season the beef chunks with salt and pepper before dredging in flour.
- Add the butter and canola oil to a large dutch oven on medium heat and brown the beef on all sides in batches (3-4 minutes per batch).
- Remove the last batch of the beef and add in the onions, garlic and carrots and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly caramelized before adding the potatoes in along with the broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme and Worcestershire sauce and stirring to combine.
- Add the beef back into the pot, cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours, removing the bay leaf before serving.
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Nutrition
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Chef’s Tips for Soups & Stews
- Brown meat: Always brown your meat before adding it to the soup or stew.Browning intensifies the flavors and creates a more appetizing, deep brown color than stewing meat will.
- Broth: Always add broth or stock instead of water. Water does nothing for building flavors.
- Garnish options: If you want to add a bit of richness to your beef stew finish it with a bit of garlic butter and minced parsley spooned over your serving. One small spoonful goes a long way.
What to Pair with Stew
Psst, serve this stew with these delicious homemade rolls or honey cornbread and I promise you’ll crave this meal every time the temperature dips. Brush those rolls with a bit of melted garlic butter to make them irresistible!
Instant Pot Instructions
- Add oil to your pressure cooker, and put the cooker on the saute setting. Add the beef and brown on all sides.
- Add all the other stew ingredients to the pot.
- Seal the Instant Pot and set to cook at high pressure for 35 minutes.
- Then, do a natural pressure release before carefully opening the pot.
More Vegetable Options
- Celery: Celery is commonly used as a base vegetable, helping to create a flavorful foundation when browned with onions, carrots, and butter.
- Sweet Potatoes: Swap the regular potatoes for sweet potatoes to add more earthy sweetness to the stew. You could also use butternut squash or pumpkin for the potatoes.
- Parsnips: One of the best vegetables for braised dishes because of its hearty texture, make sure you pick the largest parsnips you can find. The thicker they are the better for this long braising time.
- Pearl Onions: Make sure you take some time to cook these in some butter before adding them to the beef stew or they can become slightly leathery. Cook in butter on medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, before adding to the stew.
Frequently Asked Questions
The great thing about stew meat is that you don’t have to worry about getting an expensive cut of beef. Because the meat is cooked at a low simmer even tougher cuts become deliciously tender. Chuck roast is the most old-fashioned and popular option for pot roasts and stews because it’s well-marbled and has a rich beefy flavor. Bottom round roast, oxtail, or bone-in short rib are good alternatives.
This recipe doesn’t call for any wine. However, many stew and pot roast recipes include red wine as a flavor enhancer. You can certainly include red wine in this recipe by swapping 1 cup of the beef stock for 1 cup of red wine. Reduce the amount of broth based on how much wine you add to keep the stew from becoming thin. You could also use balsamic vinegar for similar acidity and flavor without the wine, I suggest just 1-2 tablespoons.
Related Recipes
More Delicious Beef Stews
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