Easy Beef Stew
This easy beef stew recipe is the ultimate comfort food. We love it served with mashed potatoes or crusty bread for mopping up all that rich, delicious sauce.
Ingredients Needed
- Beef. I used chuck steak (a chuck roast can also be used, simply cut it into chunks) but any stewing beef or your choice will work. Beef shin, oxtail, short ribs, etc. can all be used with this recipe.
- Onion. I used baby onions and kept them whole but they can easily be substituted with shallots or chopped onion.
- Carrots.
- Celery.
- Fresh garlic cloves.
- Herbs: I used bay leaves and fresh thyme but rosemary, parsley, oregano and sage are all delicious in beef stew.
- Red wine. I used Cabernet Sauvignon. If you’d prefer to keep this recipe alcohol-free, substitute with more beef stock and two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
- Beef stock/beef broth.
- Tomato paste.
- Salt and black pepper.
- Optional: Veggies like potatoes, peas and green beans can all be added to the stew. Potatoes will need approximately 30 minutes to cook while peas and green beans only need 10 minutes.
How to make beef stew
Pat the beef dry with paper towels then season generously with salt and black pepper. Heat a few tablespoons of oil (olive oil/canola oil/sunflower oil) in a large Dutch oven, deep braiser or casserole pot set over medium-high heat then add the beef and allow to brown, in batches, to prevent overcrowding the pan. Remove and set aside.
Sauté the onions, carrots and celery in the same pot until they start to turn golden brown then add the garlic and herbs and cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste and stir into the vegetables then pour in the wine and stock. Bring to a simmer then add the beef back to the pot. Cover with a lid then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 2-3 hours or until the beef is pull-apart tender. I always have an extra cup or two of beef broth at hand to add to the stew if it reduces too much and gets too thick. Once the beef is cooked, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary then serve.
What to serve with beef stew
I love serving beef stew with starches like creamy mashed potatoes, garlic butter rice or a crusty loaf of bread with stew to soak up all that rich, delicious sauce. If you want to add vegetable side dishes, I love sautéed broccolini, green beans or brussels sprouts with beef stew.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, this beef stew recipe is a fantastic dish to prepare ahead as the flavors get better the longer it sits. You can cook the stew fully the day before serving then allow to cool and keep covered in the fridge overnight. Any leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months – allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before re-heating in the microwave or on the stove top and serving.
FAQ
Adding aromatics like onions, garlic and herbs and spices will add plenty of flavor to your beef stew. Wine and beef broth also adds lots of depth and complexity. And don’t forget to season your stew generously with salt and pepper.
Long, slow cooking is the best way to get really tender beef for stew. Simmering the beef at a low temperature will allow the connective tissue to break down, resulting in an unctuous stew with fork-tender meat.
If you want to speed up the process, a pressure cooker (like the Instant Pot) is a great way to get tender beef, fast. Cook the stew at high pressure for 30-40 minutes until tender.
By allowing the stew to simmer gently, the liquid should reduce and thicken naturally but if you want a thicker consistency, adding a few teaspoons of cornstarch slurry or flour mixed with water to the stew and allowing to boil until thickened will work well.
Easy slow-cooked beef recipes
Ingredients
- 750 g (1½lb) stewing beef cut into chunks
- 10 baby onions peeled (alternatively use one onion, finely chopped)
- 2 large carrots peeled and sliced into thick coins
- 2 stalks celery finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 5 cups beef broth / beef stock
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels then season generously with salt and black pepper.
- Heat a few tablespoons of oil (olive oil/canola oil/sunflower oil) in a large Dutch oven, deep braiser or casserole pot set over medium-high heat then add the beef and allow to brown, in batches, to prevent overcrowding the pan.
- Remove and set aside.
- Sauté the onions, carrots and celery in the same pot until they start to turn golden brown then add the garlic and herbs and cook for another minute.
- Add the tomato paste and stir into the vegetables then pour in the wine and stock.
- Bring to a simmer then add the beef back to the pot.
- Cover with a lid then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 2-3 hours or until the beef is pull-apart tender.
- I always have an extra cup or two of beef broth at hand to add to the stew if it reduces too much and gets too thick.
- Once the beef is cooked, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary then serve.