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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Hi! If I’m using 4lbs of meat should I increase the liquid?
Yes, I’d increase everything by 1/4. Hope you enjoy!
Oh my goodness! This is THE best tasting beef stew I’ve ever had. I followed the recipe EXACTLY. I even bought a 5qt Dutch oven and it was plenty of room for all the ingredients. It smelled heavenly while cooking. It was still a little soupy after 3hrs but I just added the flour/butter paste (I ended up using 2 Tbsp each for desired thickness) and it thickened right up and no lumps! I used an $18 bottle of merlot and beef stock and the flavor was SO rich and delicious. The meat was tender, melt in your mouth goodness and veggies perfectly done. Will definitely be making this again! Thank you for a fabulous recipe!
Please advise on what to use if we want this to be gluten free? I read through some of the reviews and the use of almond flour but do you suppose I can use corn starch? Or arrow root starch? If so, what would be the appropriate measurements? I have heard that one can also use dried mushroom powder – for paleo purposes (although we are not paleo restricted). I don’t know much about mushroom powders but I can imagine it is pretty flavorful Thx Jenn … your recipes never disappoint and I am sure this is divine! Can’t wait to try 🙂
Hi Faye, I’m not familiar with mushroom powder so I can’t weigh in on that but any number of gluten-free options will work here. You can use gluten-free flour or arrowroot starch as you mentioned. If you want to use cornstarch, you’ll want to wait until the very end and then make a “slurry” by combining a 1/4 cup cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water; mix until completely smooth. Whisk half of the slurry into the stew and bring to a gentle boil on the stovetop and simmer until the broth is thickened and any starchy taste has been cooked away. If you want the broth thicker, add the remaining slurry and repeat. Enjoy!
Thank you for the best beef stew recipe I have found. I may have to double the recipe in the future so there are leftovers. Very rich and flavorful!! Thick cut italian bread on the side. Plates looked like they didn’t need washed after everyone was done.
Just made this today and it came out wonderfully. I tasted a couple spoonfuls. The flavors and the thickness of the sauce were perfect. I’m letting it sit for a few hours while my french bread dough is rising. Thanks for the recipe.
I used round roast instead of chuck, but besides that followed it exactly and it was Delicious! Leftovers didn’t last long either, can’t wait to make it again!
I want to make this to bring over to someone’s house for dinner but they have a gluten allergy. Any suggestions on how to make this gluten free but still have a thick sauce?
Hi Chad, you can definitely use gluten-free here. Hope you enjoy!
Hi! I’ve made this recipe twice and my family really loves it. Can i just stew the beef without browning it on the stove?
Hi R, I really recommend browning the beef — it adds a ton of flavor (and the brown bits that form on the bottom of the pan add a lot to the depth of flavor as well).
Just made a slightly modified version of this and it was outrageous. Such a good base to build off of. Very easy to work with and I feel like I could have made a lot of missteps and it still would have come out very well. Great recipe and excellent instructions.
I had a few pounds of leftover grilled tri-tip that came out super tender, as well as some grilled shiitake mushrooms (would probably skip these next time, they actually didn’t soften up very well). For herbs I used lots of rosemary, thyme and some sage.
At the two hour mark it was slightly sweet (could have been the mushrooms and cab sauv) so I added a little extra salt and quickly seared the potatoes/carrots in some additional rosemary/butter. Balanced out very nicely at the end.
Will definitely be making this again and enjoying it through the rainy months. Thanks for the recipe.
I’ve made this several times and it’s excellent – though as always much depends on the quality of the stock. (For me that makes this dish a 3-day affair of roasting bones, simmering stock, and then following your excellent recipe.)
I wanted to ask what your main reason for using balsamic vinegar is? I mean is it a chemical matter of deglazing the pan or for taste – or both?
Many thanks for this and many other of your recipes (esp the green lentil stew) – and tx in advance, too, if ever this answer should get an answer.
Best
Matt
Glad you like it, Matt! the balsamic vinegar adds a subtle sweetness and another layer of flavor to the stew.
Thanks so much for replying. Such a thoughtfully and well curated website – I hope it is worth your while.
Best
Hello all you cook enthusiasts! I made this yesterday for the Hawks game, however, I used my stovetop method.
It was a complete knockout! Everyone had seconds, please give it a try it is delicious!
Thank you for sharing your lovely recipe.
Sincerely,
Javier
That’s how I am making it now…should I continue with the two hours, then add carrots and potatoes, or should it be cooked longer than two hours before adding veggies.
Hi Jude, the timing will remain the same on the stove. Just stir it periodically so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Enjoy!
Hi there,
I accidentally bought sliced meat instead of cubed, it’s quite thin (Korean style).
Wondering if there is a way to modify the recipe to incorporate this?
Thanks,
Phil
Hi Phillippe, I think it should work, but probably won’t take as long to cook. I’d add the potatoes and carrots about 30 minutes earlier to ensure they cook through. Hope you enjoy!
Can I make this in my slow cooker once I do thé sautéing instead of putting in an oven.?
Yes – hope you enjoy!