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.
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
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
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.
Next, season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a bit of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot and brown the meat in batches.
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.)
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.
Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.
Add the beef back into the pan and sprinkle with the flour.
Stir until the flour is dissolved.
Add the wine, broth, water, thyme, bay leaves, and sugar.
Bring to a boil, then cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, add the carrots and potatoes.
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.
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.
You may also like
- Slow-Baked BBQ Short Ribs
- Onion-Braised Beef Brisket
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Guinness Lamb Stew with Vegetables
- Texas-Style Chili Con Carne
- Coq Au Vin
- Meatloaf
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.
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 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.
- 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.
- 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
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- 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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Absolutely delicious!! I added mushrooms to the recipe and substituted beef broth with chicken broth because that’s what I had on hand. Thank you!!
can I use something other than red wine in this recipe?
Thanks,
Kathy
Sure, you can replace the red wine with more beef broth. Hope you enjoy!
Not sure if I did something wrong but I found it way too watery..
I had the same issue. made this tonight with no plans to actually eat it though. cooling it, refrigerating, and will see what it looks like tomorrow. Might try to thicken it with a roux or something
Wonderful, warming stew for a snowy Vermont evening. Love, love, love that the oven does most of the work so I can fit in an hour+ of skiing and return to a delicious dinner. Thanks Jenn for another delicious, totally manageable recipe!
This is a fabulous recipe. I’ve cooked a lot of beef stew and it’s now my go-to. I cooked down 16 oz of mushrooms during the onion step; I also added a little Dijon mustard. So, so good.
I made this stew following the recipe exactly (a rarity for me) it’s AMAZING!
It does take quite a while to cook so start early in the day, I did not but the next day flavor is even better! My husband sent many ❤️ Emojis and 2 👍🏻👍🏻 I know it’s good because he never does this!! Normally I don’t like stew either but this one will definitely be going into the weekend dinner rotation! Recipe very easy to follow and really nothing I would change or add, it’s perfect! Thx Jenn! We’ve enjoyed the recipes we’ve tried so far and have plans for many more❣️
I’ve been making your recipes for some time now. I really like that we can get all the ingredients easily. Having all ingredients all together & ready makes it possible to breeze right through with your excellent directions. I don’t have to order anything or go to specialty stores. This stew was so delicious. My family loved it. I’ll add more reviews for the many recipes we’ve enjoyed.
This is the best stew recipe period. It brings back my childhood memory when I taste it. This stew warms your body and warm your soul! I used pre-cut frozen carrots and potatoes, skipped bay leaves because I couldn’t find it still tasted wonderful. I will stick with this recipe from now on.
This recipe was delicious! I definitely would recommend fingerling potatoes or chopping up your potatoes and carrots into smaller pieces to make eating easier. We used Yukon potatoes and they took forever to cook. I also might suggest a bit more broth.
This stew is the best!!! My husband and I devoured it. So easy to make. It takes a little time but so worth the wait. I’m so thankful for the instruction regarding the cut of meat to use. Made the depth of flavor rich and satisfying. The most time consuming part was cutting up the meat. But, I was blessed to receive a new knife for Christmas; so, not a big deal. This is a full meal and company worthy!
Thanks for a wonderful recipe. Can’t wait to try the lamb stew-had some in Ireland and can’t wait to see how it compares.,
I made this tonight for dinner and it was absolutely delicious! This is definitely going in my recipe book!!!
Comfort food at its best! I’ve made this recipe numerous times and love it each time. Occasionally I’ve used cut up boneless short ribs in place of the chuck roast and have also added peas near the end. I’ve made many beef stews over the years and some have been very good but none have won me over like this one. That touch of balsamic takes it over the top
As always absolutely delicious. Followed recipe with the exception of adding 2 Tablespoons of
Worcestershire sauce. Served with toasted Baguette slices with blue cheese.
Delicious !! Browned the meat and did everything on the stove top then put it in the slower cooker and was very tasty. As always a very good recipe for stew. Add whatever vegetables you like. Also , boiling baby potatoes and carrots , then sautéing them in a bit of butter, then throw them into the stew when it is finished to cover them with the wonderful gravy helps keep the potatoes and carrots from getting soft from slow cooking in a slow cooker and holds their flavor really nice.
How long did you cook in the slow cooker?
I’ve made this a half dozen times, exactly as written, and it’s awesome! Everyone in my home loves it. Try to make it a day ahead of time, the flavors get better and better as it sits. Thanks for another great recipe Jenn!
Perfect for Sunday dinner. The smells alone are cozy and comforting.
I have made many, many stews and this one always comes out on top. Balsamic vinegar might be the ingredient that keeps it there. Please do take the time to brown your beef in batches, they really won’t sear if they are touching each other. It makes a difference.
For a twist on this recipe, I will sometimes omit the potatoes and serve the stew over egg noodles, like Stroganoff. Starch replacement I guess, it works well!
Amazing! I was very hesitant to make stew with wine (I’ve tried it before and it was terrible) but this was absolutely delicious. We didn’t have a dutch oven big enough (I was cooking d’or 10 so had to double it) so we moved it to the slow cooker after the initial 2 hours in the oven. And we added parsnips. So incredible. This will definitely be on repeat!
I followed each step the first time I made this beef stew. Now, it is my go-to recipe for serving dinner guests. This beef stew is EXCELLENT; it is thick enough to be stew and sooooo flavorful with the red wine. Awesome job, Jenn!!! Thanks!
Hi Jenn,
I made this tonight and it was wonderful! Perfectfor this beautiful Noreaster snowy night in NJ!
If power’s not out tomorrow I’ll be making your Chili Mac!
Insanely good! The balsamic distinguishes it from other stews!
This was really good, but the sauce was a little sweeter than I expected. I think I was expecting a red wine sauce similar to the one for the beef tenderloin recipe. Regardless, we still managed to sop up every bit with a yummy baguette!
I think I’ve just climbed out of my cooking rut! I had a taste as this dish as it came out of the oven and it is just what I was hoping for. It’s rich, hearty and full of flavor. I am inspired to give some other recipes a try, and I love that you’ve included photos of the dishes in process, and the ingredients photo too. Thank you!
Jenn:
for lack of a more sophisticated response: “OMG” this is absolutely wonderful!!!! So good, so easy to make! I think the key is to have all ingredients ready to go .
This “Beef Bourgnion took me back to a village in N France during my hitch hiking excursion through Europe 25 yes ago- “Thank you” for the trip down memory lane.
I made the recipe exact. I served it the following evening- waiting until the following day so the flavors had more time to grow rich and “do their thing.” Reheating was simple, and all ingredients tasted great! We shared it w/ friends the next evening along w/ a baguette & a Syrah. Yum!!!
This is an exceptional recipe as is everyone we have tried to date. No tweaks necessary as it is perfect just the way it is! So flavourful and delicious. We have served this to company more than once and are always asked for the recipe! Thank you for sharing your delicious creations! Five stars plus many more!!
I have made a beef casserole for many years but I tried this recipe and have to admit it was the best I have ever made, ever! As my husband doesn’t like cooked carrots, I substituted mushrooms. Eaten with fresh cholla bread – perfect. Thank you
Jenn…
for lack of a more sophisticated response “OMG”. This took me back to the small village of Leroy, France ( south of Rouen & N of Paris). Just outstanding, and so simple. I think the key is to have all ingredients prepped & ready to go. It was fun to make, and so satisfying in our cold January.
I followed the steps exactly. But, I held off serving the day I made it, and we enjoyed it the following evening w/ friends & a great bottle of Syrah, and a baguette.
Thank you for another opportunity creating great memories for my family & me-💝.
This is my go to beef stew recipe it is beyond satisfying and turns out great every time!!
Made the recipe as well. I missed adding the 2 cups of water by accident, after 2 hrs I tried the recipe but was worried it would be bland so I added 2 hearty squirts of ketchup, 2 plum tomatoes, fresh rosemary, topped up the beef stock with an extra cup, dash of chili flakes and 2 teaspoons of flour . Potatoes weren’t cooked after alloted time so I brought it to stove top and kept a steady boil for an extra 25. After all this , the dish came out exquisite. To be fair my meat cut was not as fatty as requested so perhaps that lacked flavor component. I will definitely use this as a base for future recipes thank you.
If you follow recipe exactly you will never deviate from it. It is wonderfully delicious!
Yum, I made this for lunch. It was hearty, filling, and I would 100% make it again. Especially great during a cold winter to warm you up inside.
I don’t often use the word “perfect” about a recipe online, but this one deserves it. I made this a few weeks ago following the recipe as is. This is by far the best stew I’ve ever made. Full of wonderful, rich flavor. The meat was melt in your mouth tender and the veggies were crisp/tender. And the broth, well, let’s just say it was so good I wanted to just drink it. Absolutely amazing. This is my new go-to respite when I want a rich, smooth, flavorful soup. I honestly don’t see how adjusting anything can improve on it. Thank you so much for sharing it.
This is fantastic!! I’ve made it more times than I can count and except for occasionally adding in some mushrooms, I follow the recipe exactly. It is really is rich and yummy! I have made so many different Beef Bourguignon recipes over the years. My husband always complained they were too winey. He loves this one. It’s the perfect combination of wine and broth and that Balsamic Vinegar gives it just the right extra special touch. I simmer it on the stove top in my big Staub pot. It makes the whole house smell amazing. The other idea I like, which I have noticed in other Jenn recipes, is sprinkling the flour on the meat in the pot, rather than that tedious and messy method of putting it in the flour before you sear it. Love this stew!! Make it you will love it too!!
This is the absolute best Beef Stew recipe I have used, EVER! Despite having to braise for 3 hours in the oven, it was worth it. It created that depth of flavors which an Instant Pot or stove top method is unable to. The balsamic gave it that extra sweetness and with using a good quality Cabernet Sauvignon along with beef stock it all blended so well together. The aroma in my kitchen told me that this was going to be good. I love veggies so I added in some corn, peas and mushrooms for the final 15 minutes. I sautéed the mushrooms with a little garlic and balsamic and finished it with a splash of the Cabernet. Wonderful dish!
This recipe is so good, my wife asked me to make it again about a month after I made it the first time, delicious from the first bite to the last!
I made this beef stew for the first time last week. Super easy and very flavorful. I swapped out the water for more beef broth, but other than that… no changes. Will definitely make again.
This is the absolute best beef stew! The beef is so tender and flavorful. While it is not a quick to make meal, the effort and time are so well worth it. There are only the 2 of us, empty nesters, and retired. But when I make this amazing recipe, I usually double the recipe, as I have a very large Dutch oven. I don’t add the potatoes, because I portion out enough for a dinner for us, then freeze. My husband actually prefers not adding potatoes, and serving over mashed potatoes or egg noodles. I also bring some to my brother, who loves this served over rice. This is the only stew recipe I will ever use! Jenn, you are a genius in my book!
This was delicious- making it again this weekend! Definitely keep the wine!
Made this stew several times, added frozen green peas at the end. Delicious!
This is my go-to beef stew recipe. It comes out perfect every time. Sometimes I swap a cup of the wine for more broth and it’s still delicious.
This is so delicious and comforting. I love the depth of flavor, which as Jenn says, improves with a little time. It is perfectly filling with good French bread. I make this exactly as written, but add a splash or two of Worcestershire toward the end. Try this on a cold winter night; you won’t be disappointed.
This recipe was absolutely delicious. The meat was fall apart tender. The sauce perfectly balanced. I was a bit worried that the sauce would be overpowered by all of the wine but the flavors marry together beautifully and the wine surprisingly did not stand out at all. We love our veggies with stew so added a bit more. And we had plenty of leftovers that we packed up for the freezer for another wonderful meal.
This was absolutely delicious! We were staying at an Airbnb when I made it. I didn’t have a dutch oven there, but I was able to make it in a crock pot (cooked it all day). It turned out perfectly, and my husband and I couldn’t believe how delicious it was. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
After making this stew the first time, it is now the only one my husband wants. He’s always telling me to make it for our friends, as well. The meat is so tender, which was always a problem for me before. Thank you for all your wonderful recipes.
This is the first recipe that I made from Once Upon a Chef, and the one that got me hooked and continued me coming back for more. A M A Z I N G. I love a good hearty Beef Bourguignon! I have made this as the directions call for as well as transferring it to a crock pot to cook all day when I want to come home to my home smelling divine and dinner ready to be served. Sadly, our kids are all out of the house in college or having just graduated and moved on, but I keep making big batches of things. ;( So, one thing that I have done is separated out what my husband and I won’t eat that night and freeze that portion without potatoes. When I pull it out of the freezer, I just cook it on the stove with cut up potatoes and it is like it was just made for the first time! The frozen potatoes just didn’t hold up as nice as I would have liked.
This stew is the best I have ever made and I have made many in my 86 years. I took a pot of stew to some bereaved friends and they raved about it being the best they had ever tasted. I always use a very good wine and just before serving add some frozen peas. Thank you.
What I love most about your recipes is that I usually have almost everything on hand. This recipe is no exception. It was so delicious and easy to make. It will be in my regular winter rotation. Thank you!!
I have made this Beef Stew twice, and my family and I think it is the best we’ve ever tasted!
The first time, I only has marsala wine on hand, so I gave that a try, and found the final flavor to be delicious, in fact the second batch I made with Cabernet Sav, and while still wonderful, my family commented on preferring the marsala. Also, I don’t have a Dutch Oven, so I made the whole thing in a large metal soup pot on the stove, using the same timing in the oven cooking method, and it came out great. Using high quality boneless Chuck is absolutely the way to go, and I agree that the flavor only gets better the next day.
Wonderful recipe. Have made it several times and my family loves it too. Thanks for all your great recipes and all I use now are recipes from you. Also signed up my daughter to receive your e-mails as I am so impressed with everything I make.
This is the perfect beef stew. I get compliments from everybody who tries it – guests, family, friends – doesn’t matter, everyone loves it. It’s also the perfect thing to warm you up on a cold rainy day.
I made this stew last weekend. The beef is fall-apart tender and the potatoes and carrots were perfect. I followed the recipe to a T and it is just delicious. It makes enough for a crowd, but it is just myself and my husband, so we did eat it for a couple of days, then removed the potatoes and had those with your Turkey Meatloaf – one of our favorites!, froze the beef, carrots and gravy to have over egg noodles this weekend. We love your cookbook Jenn, and have not been disappointed in any of your recipes. Every time I make a recipe, my husband comments on how good it is, and everytime, I tell him “it’s one of Chef Jenn’s recipes!”….all so good!!!
Rebecca, I do the same thing with my husband. Now he is trained. If I make something new and fabulous, he ask, “is this another Jenn recipe?” Yes darling and aren’t you glad!!? LOL
Too funny Belinda!!!!
This is delicious! I always use to just wing it when making beef stew but following this recipe definitely took it to the next level! Everyone loved it! I added a bag of frozen corn and peas when I added the carrots and potatoes.