Classic Beef Stew Recipe
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This classic beef stew recipe combines tender chunks of beef, carrots, and potatoes in a rich, deeply flavorful sauce. It’s the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.
With thousands of 5-star reviews, this beef stew recipe is the most popular dish on my site—and for good reason. Well-marbled beef chuck is seared until deeply browned, then slowly braised with onions and garlic in a rich wine-based sauce. After a few hours in the oven, the beef is meltingly tender, the vegetables are perfectly cooked, and the sauce is rich and deeply savory.
Better still, the recipe is largely hands-off once it goes into the oven, tastes even better a day or two after it’s made, and freezes beautifully. Serve it with crusty bread or popovers to soak up the sauce, or spoon it over egg noodles for an extra-hearty meal.
And don’t just take my word for it. When The Kitchn tested four popular beef stew recipes side by side, they gave this one a 9/10 and named it the “Straightforward Standout.”
“SERIOUSLY EPIC! Hands down, the best beef stew recipe I have ever made.”
What You’ll Need To Make Beef Stew
- Boneless beef chuck: My favorite cut for beef stew because its marbling and connective tissue make it especially well suited to slow braising—the meat becomes juicy and fork-tender as it cooks. Look for a well-marbled chuck roast and cut it into chunks yourself rather than buying packaged “stew meat,” which can contain leaner pieces from different cuts that cook unevenly.
- Yellow onions and garlic: These aromatics build the savory flavor base of the stew.
- Tomato paste and balsamic vinegar: Tomato paste adds richness and body while balsamic vinegar adds depth and acidity.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the cooking liquid into a rich sauce that clings to the beef and vegetables.
- Red Wine, Beef Broth & Water: Form the flavorful braising liquid. For the wine, use an inexpensive dry red such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon—something good enough to drink.
- Bay leaf, thyme, and parsley: Bay leaf and thyme add earthy flavor as the stew braises; fresh parsley adds a bright finish just before serving.
- Carrots and white boiling potatoes (baby Yukons): Add sweetness, texture, and heartiness. Baby Yukons hold their shape well during braising while becoming tender and creamy inside. For extra vegetables and a pop of green, you can add frozen peas toward the end of cooking.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Beef Stew
Step 1: Prep the beef. Trim away any large, hard pieces of fat that are easy to get to, but don’t overdo it. The marbling running through the meat helps keep the beef juicy and tender as it braises. Pat the beef dry, which helps it brown rather than steam, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Step 2: Brown the beef. Heat a bit of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot and sear the beef in batches, leaving enough space between the pieces so they brown rather than steam. Take your time here; you’re looking for a deep brown crust, not just a change in color. The browned bits that collect on the bottom of the pot are important, too, as they’ll form part of the flavor base for the stew.
Step 3: Cook the aromatics. Add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar to the pot. As the vinegar hits the hot pan, it will help loosen the flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom, so scrape them up with a wooden spoon as the onions cook. Once the onions begin to soften, stir in the tomato paste and cook briefly to deepen its flavor.
Step 4: Return the beef and add the flour. Return the beef and any juices on the plate to the pot, then stir in the flour until no dry streaks remain. The flour will thicken the braising liquid as the stew cooks, giving the finished sauce body.
Step 5: Braise the stew. Pour in the wine, broth, and water, then add the bay leaf, thyme, and sugar. Stir well, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 hours, then stir in the carrots and potatoes and continue cooking until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Adding the vegetables later keeps them from becoming too soft or falling apart. Remove the bay leaf and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Pro tip: No Dutch oven? You can also cook the stew on the stovetop. Keep it covered over the lowest heat and stir occasionally to prevent sticking; the cooking time will be about the same.
Step 6: Serve. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle the stew into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread for soaking up the rich sauce. Like most stews, it’s even better the next day, and it freezes beautifully, too.
How to Thicken Beef Stew
Don’t worry if the stew seems thin during cooking; it won’t fully thicken until the very end. If you’d still prefer a thicker sauce once it’s done, mash 2 tablespoons each of softened butter and flour into a smooth paste (this is called a beurre manié). Bring the stew to a simmer on the stovetop, then whisk in the paste a little at a time until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Can I Make Beef Stew in a Slow Cooker?
Yes, but for best results, begin on the stovetop as directed. Brown the beef, then cook the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. Return the beef to the pot, sprinkle with the flour, and stir until incorporated. Transfer everything to the slow cooker, including the carrots and potatoes, and add the remaining ingredients. Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Video Tutorial
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Classic Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, well-marbled, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal
- 1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby yukons), cut in half
- Fresh chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C) and set a rack in the lower middle position.
- Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning with tongs, for about 5 minutes per batch; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To sear the meat properly, do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.) Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.
- Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and place back in oven for about an hour more, or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender. Fish out the bay leaf and discard, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve the stew warm -- or let it come to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve. This stew improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead. Reheat, covered, over medium heat. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- If you don’t have a Dutch oven or covered pot that is appropriate for the oven, the stew can be cooked on the stovetop. The timing will be the same and it should be cooked over the lowest setting.
- Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions: Simply prepare the stew as directed, then cool it to room temperature before refrigerating. It can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot. If you want to freeze the stew, transfer it to an airtight container once it has cooled. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw the stew overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop.
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Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Jenn,
I have had fabulous results in following the stew recipe as written. I want to prepare this recipe for my elderly mother for Mother’s Day, but I would need to make a few adjustments. That would include making it gluten free and making a substitution for white potatoes. Would sweet potatoes work here? Do you have another suggestion? Thanks for your expertise.
So glad you like this! You definitely use gluten-free flour and sweet potatoes successfully. 🙂
I substitute turnips for potatoes because my husband loves this stew over mashed potatoes.
LOVE this beef stew recipe. Only one I’ll make now 😊
Hi Jenn: This recipe is perfect. Really! Yesterday was a rainy day, and luckily I had all the ingredients. Braising in the oven is excellent, so much easier than stove top. My whole home smelled great all afternoon. I cooked it through to adding the vegetables and set aside. Then closer to dinner time, added the veg, popped back in the oven, and it came out so great. Honestly, best stew I have made in many years. Since there are only two of us, I cut the recipe in half, no problem with that. Yum. Thanks, I will be trying your recipes in the future!
Omg! This is the best stew ever! My husband & I enjoyed this so much. I will never make another stew-this is it! Thanks Jenn 😋
I usually make beef stew in a crock pot, but this was easier and delicious! I think the balsamic vinegar really added great flavor. I used less stew beef, so decreased some of the ingredients accordingly. Instead of finishing the stew in the oven, I just covered it, occasionally stirred and simmered it on low until the potatoes and carrots were cooked, about one hour which would depend on how big you slice them. Will definitely make again!
Simply brilliant. my taste buds are dancing. opted for apple cider vinegar as opposed to on balsamic and sweet potatoes. I served the stew on a mashed potato with lentil and butter. Ten out of ten thank you for sharing my family loved it 😇🙏
I love beef stew and this recipe is the absolute best I have ever had. SO SIMPLE to boot. I made 1/2 of a recipe. Reduced all ingredients by half and served it 30 minutes after it was done. It was delicious. I did use beef chunks that had been in my freezer that was not terribly marbled, but I don’t know what the cut was. I followed the recipe without alterations and using good ingredients is important. Don’t skimp on the quality of the balsamic vinegar. It provides wonderful flavor. Thanks for this great recipe.
Hi Jenn,
I made this stew yesterday and we ate it today. My house smelled so good yesterday that my husband wanted to eat dinner early today!!! This recipe is absolutely delicious!!! Due to availability right now we were only able to get 2lbs. “stew meat “ but it cooked beautifully!! My only problem was that I kept to the recipe measurements even though I used less meat. The gravy seemed fine yesterday but was super thick today. I served over egg noodles and taste was fantastic but we had to really mix the meat and noodles to distribute the gravy. Can I add some beef broth to the leftovers I’m freezing? If yes how much do you suggest?Didn’t want to chance ruining the flavor today but would like to see more gray!!
Thanks for your help!!
So glad you enjoyed the stew! Yes, feel free to add another cup or two of broth before you freeze it. And I’d err on the side of adding less rather than more as you can always add more when you’re reheating it. Hope that helps!
I made this last night. I have been making variations of beef stews for 40 years and this was the best! The difference with this one was when to add the flour and the addition of balsamic vinegar. Also longer cooking time. Instead of the potatoes, I added capsicum, green peas and zucchini. And picked the thyme and bay leaves from our garden. It was mouth wateringly wonderful! Great for a cool night in Sydney. Thank You!
Utterly delicious! Made with shin (rendered cut off fat in place of the oil, added streaky bacon snips, black olives & chopped celery and swapped tinned tomatoes for tomato paste and omitted the carrots – didn’t have either, but despite this the meat was beautifully tender and the flavour wonderfully deep and rich – this will now replace Daube de Boef in our menu but I will shop for the full ingredient list next time!
Tastes amazing, however it never thickened, which was a real bummer. I don’t have a Dutch oven maybe that was the issue? Maybe don’t put all the water in at first when adding the liquid? I even uncovered to try and let the moisture out. Either way it still tasted really good. I’ll just tinker with the liquids next time and maybe actually get a Dutch oven.
Hi Scott, Sorry to hear it didn’t thicken as much as you had hoped. Using a large pot instead of a Dutch oven shouldn’t have an impact. Next time you make this, if you’d like it thicker, near the very end of cooking time, you can make a paste with 1 T soft butter and 1 T flour; whisk it in and bring the stew to a simmer and it should thicken up. Hope that helps!
Delicious!! I have made this recipe many times and is now a family favorite! Thank you!