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Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes

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This classic French beef stew is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. After a few hours in the oven, the meat becomes meltingly tender and enveloped in a rich wine sauce.

Spoon in a bowl of beef stew with carrots and potatoes.

With over 4,000 5-star reviews, this classic French beef stew is the all-time most popular recipe on my website. It is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. Chunks of well-marbled beef are seared in a hot pan, then gently braised with garlic and onions in a rich wine-based broth. After a few hours in the oven, the meat becomes meltingly tender and enveloped in a deeply flavorful sauce. It takes a few hours to make, but the recipe is mostly hands-off. Go ahead and make it a day or two ahead of time; the flavor improves the longer it sits.

This stew is part of my classic French recipe collection, which includes similar slow-cooking comfort food recipes, like coq au vin and braised short ribs, and impressive main courses, like steak au poivre or roast beef tenderloin with red wine sauce.

what you’ll need to make beef stew with carrots & potatoes

Stew ingredients including carrots, tomato paste, and beef broth.

The most important thing is to start with the right cut of meat. You want to buy chuck roast that is well-marbled—that means it should have a good amount of white veins of fat running through it. Stay away from meat generically packaged as “stew meat,” especially if it looks lean (I can guarantee you it will not get tender, no matter how long you cook it).

For the wine, use any dry red (Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.) that is inexpensive but still good enough to drink.

How To Make Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes

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Begin by removing any large chunks of fat that are easy to get to (like the one my knife is pointing to below), but don’t overdo it with the trimming, as the fat helps make the beef tender.

Knife cutting beef on a cutting board.

Next, season the meat generously with salt and pepper.

Seasoned beef on a cutting board.

Heat a bit of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot and brown the meat in batches.

Pieces of beef in a Dutch oven.

This step is a bit time-consuming but browning the meat adds depth and dimension to the stew. (Note: it’s important not to crowd the pan — if you try to brown all the meat at once, it will steam instead of sear and you won’t get all that lovely color and flavor.)

This step is a bit time-consuming  but browning the meat adds depth and dimension to the stew.

Remove the meat and add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar to the pan. The vinegar will loosen all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and add flavor.

Onions cooking in a Dutch oven.

Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.

Tomato paste in a Dutch oven with onions.

Add the beef back into the pan and sprinkle with the flour.

Flour in a Dutch oven with beef.

Stir until the flour is dissolved.

Beef mixture in a Dutch oven.

Add the wine, broth, water, thyme, bay leaves, and sugar.

Broth and seasonings in a Dutch oven.

Bring to a boil, then cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.

Broth boiling in a Dutch oven.

After 2 hours, add the carrots and potatoes.

Carrots and potatoes in a Dutch oven with broth.

Return to the oven and continue cooking for one hour, or until the meat is fork-tender, the broth is thickened, and the carrots and potatoes are tender.

Dutch oven of beef stew.

Feel free to adapt the recipe to your liking. You can leave out the potatoes and serve it over buttered egg noodles, or toss in some frozen peas or sautéed mushrooms at the very end. Either way, it’s soul-satisfying comfort food for a cold night.

Bowls of beef stew.

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Video Tutorial

Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes

This classic French beef stew is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. After a few hours in the oven, the meat becomes meltingly tender and enveloped in a rich wine sauce.

Servings: 6
Total Time: 3 Hours 30 Minutes

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

  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Note: If you don’t have a Dutch oven or covered pot that is appropriate for the oven, the stew can be cooked on the stove. The timing will be the same and it should be cooked over the lowest setting.
  6. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The stew can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the stew in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (6 servings)
  • Calories: 539
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated fat: 6g
  • Carbohydrates: 32g
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 54g
  • Sodium: 1189mg
  • Cholesterol: 143mg

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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Comments

  • There isn’t much more I can say in praise of this recipe. I’ve served this dish to friends and family alike to rave reviews as all others have indicated. Jenn mentioned not to use stew meat, but my butcher had some and guaranteed me it was identical to the roast. Saved me time and came out fantastic.

  • Perfect beef stew. Although not difficult, takes a little time. Plan accordingly as it is well worth it. I have made a few times and it is the one I go to now. Warm up a baguette and enjoy every drop. I did last night. Delicious!

    Thanks Jenn. 🇨🇦

  • This is the only beef stew recipe I use any more and I’ve made a LOT in my 67 years! My husband and I enjoy prepping it together (Jenn’s instructions are always so clear and easy to follow) and then the house smells amazing while it slowly cooks into a delicious medley. Friends and family request it…the same with any OUAC recipe I make!

    • Simply delicious beef stew. The sauce is full of flavor and not
      muddied up with too much overcooked wine taste. The vegetables were perfectly cooked and very tasty. I won’t go back to making a traditional Boeuf Bourguignon after this.

  • Even a vegetarian like myself can make this dish with complete confidence because the instructions and pictures are so easy to follow. I made this as a special “birthday present” for a beef lover, and they said it was the best thing they had ever eaten. EVER! I wasn’t able to “taste as you go” but I knew that Jen’s recipe would not disappoint. I did add sautéed mushrooms near the end, as suggested.

    • — Jacqueline Mensinger
    • Reply
  • This is the BEST for a beefy homemade dinner. I make homemade Biscuits so we can dip it into the the remaining sauce.
    The richness of this dish is amazing!
    Jduncan

  • This is my favorite comfort food recipe. It’s easy to make and the flavors are outstanding! I usually add some frozen peas because my mom added them to her beef stew.
    I highly recommend this recipe.

    • — pamela hartman
    • Reply
  • This stew recipe is THE BEST I’ve ever had. The flavors go so well with each other and I’m so glad to NEVER USE STEW MEAT again and use a Good Chuck roast😋😋😋😋😋😋😋

    • — Michelle Babineaux
    • Reply
  • I have made this twice. Both times it turned out beautifully and the meat was falling apart. So good! I love that Jenn has a classical background so you get all kinds of pro tips. Next time I will add a little more meat because it was so good!

  • This stew is delicious! I added some sweet potatoes and used beef broth instead of wine. Excellent recipe!

    • — Rachel Khattab
    • Reply
  • Delicious! Even better the next day. I would add some baby Bella or white mushrooms next time. Thank you!

  • I’ve tried to make beef stew for a long time, but this recipe takes it to a new level. This is the most flavorful stew I’ve ever had. I was worried about the amount of wine, but it was perfect. The smell is incredible, and it’s even better left over. I’ve tried many of your recipes, and have yet to find one that’s not great! Thank you, Jenn

  • This is the easiest beef stew I ever made and also the most delicious too. My husband absolutely raved about it. Made it the day before serving and was just so full of flavor and beef absolutely tender. Froze the leftover stew and reheated it and it just gets better and better . Thanks Jen for your deliciously easy recipes. You are my favorite chef and have absolute confidence in your recipes.

    • What could the wine be substituted for? More beef broth?

      • Yep that will work.

  • So good! It’s even better reheated on day 2. I’ve cooked it exactly as written in the recipe as well as in my crockpot, and both turned out amazing. As with any beef stew, there is quite a bit of fat. I skim it when it is done cooking if we are eating it right away. If I make it ahead, I just let it cool, refrigerate it, and it’s easy to remove the hardened fat the next day.

  • I love all of the recipes I’ve made from this site, but this one is a fave. My husband and I don’t eat red meat, but we make an exception for this dish! I make it exactly as written and my husband is grateful every time 🙂

  • This was so good! Both my kids really liked it and were surprised I made it since it looked like I bought it take out. I don’t consider myself a cook and often times don’t like cooking. It definitely was even better the next night and didn’t seem like we were eating leftovers. This recipe made it onto my Sunday dinner rotation.

    • — Darla Cornell-Zuscik
    • Reply
  • I made this wonderful French Stew for Christmas dinner. It was
    delicious, simple and elegant. I served the stew with ribbon noodles. My family loved it and I will make this dish again.

    • — Valerie Mahgoul
    • Reply
  • I have made this recipe many times and it’s great! The beef is incredibly tender. I have always made it as written and it comes out great. The other night I made the mistake of trying barley instead of potatoes and I did not compensate for all the liquid that would be absorbed – it came out VERY thick. I probably should have just cooked the barley separately. I ended up adding about 4 cups of broth at the end and that did the trick. Recipe is perfect as written.

  • Decided to take the plunge and devote an evening to this a couple weeks back… it was my first time working with boneless beef chuck and to sear it well, definitely kept the heat cranked on high and didn’t crowd the pot to let it properly sear. The stew didn’t thicken as much as I thought it would as maybe I didn’t cook the flour long enough in that step? Used a bit of cornstarch to thicken it up at the very end. I recommend cutting the potatoes fairly small to soften/cook in time otherwise may need to braise a little longer. I had to do that and it worked out just fine. Enjoyed fishing out each carrot and potato and savoring each bite! Beef was so tender and just melted in your mouth. Rich and flavorful stew, follow the recipe and you’ll be successful 😊

  • A winning recipe. I used a French red wine. It was delicious and my family raved about it.

  • Wonderful dish. I always make it the day before and let it rest overnight in the fridge to allow more time for the flavors to blend. Occasionally I’ll omit the potatoes and make a side of mashed to pour this dish over in more of a boeuf bourguignon style.

  • I made stew and it is delicious. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Not that time consuming and the taste wow

  • One of my families favorite! Not only does it smell great but it tastes divine! The meat is tender and flavorful. I have made this many times and I always wish I doubled the recipe. Thank you Jenn Segal!

  • Thus was a superb recipe. A higher level of ordinary beef stew. Wonderful gravy and the meat results in a melt in your mouth texture. Hands on time us with the result. This stew paid me back a few times as leftovers. The leftovers a few days later were better!

  • Made it, ate it, and immediately wrote “Definitive” on top of the recipe. Quite simply the best! Take the time to brown the meat well and in batches as Jenn suggests; it adds a depth of flavor to the dish that is fantastic. And if you can make it a day before company comes, do it – you’ll have more time to spend with them, and the stew benefits from the time to meld flavors. Delicious!

  • This recipe was absolutely the best beef stew I have ever had. You can do so much with it. I love it with mushrooms and I love putting it over noodles. It makes the house smell so good that I don’t even put on my air purifier for days. I still can’t keep it in the refrigerator overnight because I do not have any control when the aroma wafts through the house!!
    Nancy Meehan

  • This is a delicous stew, perfect for a comforting meal during our long, dark and cold winters in Quebec.

  • I have several Beef Stew recipes but I just had to try this one. I like that you cook it in the oven so you don’t have to keep worry about stirring it. The flavor was outstanding and meat was so tender that it fell apart. We’re having it again tonight and I can’t imagine it could be any better than the first time, but the recipe says it gets better when made a day in advance and reheated. This is now my favorite Beef Stew recipe!

  • I made this for my mother’s birthday. It was worth the extra effort as the meat was so tender and the gravy was delicious. Perfect colder weather meal!

    • — Sarah Bertrand
    • Reply
  • THEE Best Beef Stew you’ll ever eat!! Kiddos and I loved it! Now there is something to be said about slow cooking this for at least 8 hrs. I didnt plan ahead very well and kids were ready to eat after 4 hrs of slow cooking. It was delish but then……… oh wow, 4 hours later, we found ourselves eating again only this time, the Beef Stew was sooo much better than the first time around ! Plan ahead and slow cook it. It also takes some prep work but so worth it !! 🙂

  • This recipe takes a bit of work. I will be making this again with some modifications. Was very rich and delicious but was a little too flavorful for the young. I like the idea of modifying the starch and serving over noodles or along side rice. Well done.

    • Forgot the rating…

  • This is THE greatest beef stew recipe! It always turns out perfect, tender and delicious. Thanks Jenn😊

  • This beef stew is rich and delicious- highly recommend for family or guests!

  • This was a very simple to make but very rich tasting stew recipe using only a few basic ingredients. Since there are only two of us I decided to cut the recipe by 1/3 which was so easy to do and a perfect two person portion but really wish I had made the whole recipe and froze it for future use. I made it a day ahead and put it in the refrigerator and the flavour was amazing.

  • I’ve made this recipe more than once and it’s always amazing. The only difference is that I add mushrooms 30-20 min before serving and I use baby potatoes.
    I have shared this recipe with many friends and all absolutely LOVE it.
    I’ve used white wine when out of red and it hasn’t disappointed.
    And yes, it does get better as it gets “older”. The wonderful flavors get to improve as it “marinates” in the fridge.
    Super great for freezing too!!!

  • I don’t think this recipe can be improved upon. It is just a perfect beef stew.

  • Amazing stew!! My family loves this recipe–it is the best. I use beef chuck roast as called for and followed recipe exactly, except I added some chopped celery and cooked it with the onions, and added some fresh mushrooms at the very end before serving.

  • This stew is a good hearty stew. The broth has amazing flavor and it is perfect for a cold day.
    We served it over egg noodles and it was very good that way!

  • I made this yesterday on a snowy day in Maine. Perfect. Since it is just my husband and me we had dinner last night with separate potatoes and biscuits and it was wonderful. I have always put Worcestershire in my beef stew but the balsamic vinaigrette gave a really good tang to it and I will use it again. I plan to have this tomorrow, this time adding cooked potatoes plus mushrooms in butter. I’m sure it will be wonderful. Thanks!!!

  • Once again Jenn has hit it out of the ballpark! The slow braise is certainly the secret. My husband is the “beef stew King” in our household. He bowed to me with this one. Glad I noted advice not to freeze the potatoes for future reference, something I would not have realized. I love the illustrations and step by step advice. Served on top of egg noodles with crisp salad and good bread makes this a complete meal. As an interesting note, I borrowed from another recipe: combine softened butter, roasted garlic and Kalamata olives in food processor. Add a few tablespoons to finished product. You can roast a bulb of garlic in foil while stew is in the oven. This will deeply enhance the flavor.

    • — Kathleen Kappler
    • Reply
  • Very comforting meal. Despite the length of time making it, it was well worth it given it makes a big batch for my family of four — enough for me to divide in portions and freeze. Great tasting with deep flavor. Love the sweetness from the carrots and the savory taste of the sauce. Because it provided multiple meals, we ate them with egg noodles and another time with cauliflower rice. I made a batch in Oct and ate the last frozen portion just last weekend with cauliflower rice and it was still delicious!

  • One of my family’s favorites. A true comfort and hearty meal.

  • This was delicious! Made as-is with no changes, because why mess with perfection!? The depth of flavor and perfectly cooked meat/veggies were a total home run..Your recipes have quickly earned a place as one of my “go to” resources. Thank you for generously sharing with us!

  • This stew is just perfect. The beef I’d perfectly seasoned and tender. The flavor is spot on and delicious.

    • — Bill mcfarlane
    • Reply
  • Best beef bourguignon I have ever had! Have to have a Dutch oven and cook it low and slow! What a tremendous difference from beef stew in the crockpot. And although Jennifer recommended chuck roast, to save time I did use beef stew meat! Still came out awesome! Loved it with some rolls and a salad! ( and a little red wine too!)

  • This recipe was given to me by my mother law and it was amazing! Packed with layered flavors and textures. A recipe that will make you feel like a professional chef and anyone who eats it thoroughly impressed.

  • I love a comforting bowl of beef stew over noodles! My husband didn’t, until I made this recipe with it’s wonderfully rich beef/wine broth! We loved it so much, I kept stretching the stew by adding more vegetables! After almost 49 years of marriage, Will finally smiles when I tell him I’m making Beef Stew!

    Thank you for a life changing recipe!

  • Jenn can I brown the chuck the day before making your wonderful stew. Can you please let me know. You’ve helped me before again Thank you Carol Ingersoll

    • — Carol Ingersoll
    • Reply
    • Hi Carol, From a food safety point of view, it is not recommended — sorry! To save time browning the beef, you can sear the pieces on one side only. I’ve found that this works just as well.

      • This is THE greatest beef stew recipe! It always turns out perfect, tender and delicious. Thanks Jenn😊

  • Awesome stew and perfectly tender meat! I’ll NEVER use pre-cut stew meat again. It’s a little extra trouble cutting your own chuck roast into pieces, but well worth the time!

  • This makes ample!
    Next time, yes there will be a next time, I will need to simmer out the alcohol a bit more. This recipe was easy to follow and delicious. I served over barley and pasta, both worked well.

  • This stew recipe was absolutely superb – rich, tender, and flavorful! Plan your time ahead-it’s not something you can start and have on the table right away but completely worth your time. It was so delicious that I quickly emailed the recipe to my family members and they are loving it as well. It’s now on the permanent rotation in our house!

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