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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I want to have this for dinner during a weekday but do as much cooking as possible over the weekend. Where is a good point to stop, cool it off and put into the fridge? After 2 hours in the oven? I love this recipe.
Hi Olga, I’d actually recommend fully cooking it and putting it in the fridge. It’s even better a day or two after it’s made. Hope you enjoy!
This was very good. Only had the trimmings from a beef tenderloin and had to half the recipe. Will make it again and make sure to enjoy the left overs. Layers of great flavours.
Hello, This looks delicious!! However, potatoes really twist up my stomach – would rutabaga work as a replacement? Also, I do not have a dutch oven, how long would this cook in a slow cooker? blessings, Kim
Hi Kim, Sure, rutabaga should work here. And this should work in a slow cooker. I’d sear the beef first as the recipe indicates and then cook it in the slow cooker for 4 – 5 hours on high (and you can put the carrots and the rutabagga in with the meat– you don’t need to wait). Enjoy!
This was absolutely fantastic! At first, I thought 2 cups of wine would be too much, but I did it anyway after checking the other reviews. It was so delicious! I did add 6 oz. chopped bacon (sauteed it till the fat was rendered, then added the onions and garlic), and used two big sprigs of fresh thyme instead of the dried stuff, and 3 bay leaves instead of one. Braising in the oven turned out a much better product than doing it on the stovetop or slow-cooker. The beef was so tender, and the vegetables turned out perfectly. Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Great, easy to follow recipe and tastes awesome. For some reason after 3 hours the liquid did not reduce much at all and had a very watery consistency. I added 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and mixed it well while heating on the stovetop for another 30 minutes. The stirring unfortunately broke the meat down a little more than I would have liked so I think next time I will try adding cornstarch from the beginning. Still very tasty and will definitely try again.
I think for it to reduce, the lid should be removed, but the recipe said to leave it covered which confused me.
Hi Daniel, If I haven’t made it more clear, it is a good idea to remove the lid to help it reduce more quickly. 🙂
I have made this numerous times and it is so so good! Leftovers are even better somehow. A+
I have made this before and it is amazing!!! My oven is waiting for a part and I’m ready to make this again can I cook this in my cast iron pot on the stove low heat and hopefully get the same results as oven? I will cook slowly so meat can get very tender! Thanks
Glad you like it! And, yes, that will work. Just give it a stir periodically so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom.
The best, ever! Although it is time consuming to prepare, it is simple, the ingredients are fresh, clean, and beautifully visible, and that gravy… wow! It’s so good that it has become a part of our weekly rotation. I bake up some fresh rolls to go with it, and we have a very yummy dinner! I used chuck that I cubed myself the first time, but now I just use the pre-cut stew meat from the butcher, and after all the braising, the meat is extremely tender. I think this recipe would work great for tougher types of meat too, since the “slow cooking” part of it, allows the meat to naturally tenderize. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us!
I have made this recipe many times and love it. My step son is coming to visit next week and has requested pot roast. I plan on making this but wonder if you would change anything if I were to leave the Chuck roast whole?
Hi Robin, glad you like it! The steps leading up to the meat going in the oven should be the same but it may take a bit longer to cook. I’d start checking it at 3 hours but it may take up to 4. Please LMK how it turns out!
Time consuming but well worth it.
The only thing I did was used homemade Portuguese wine.
Gonna make it again this weekend.
My 2 year old grandson is a picky eater and he couldn’t get enough.
Again TY for the recipe .
Well, I was expecting a much better taste after reading the reviews as I made it exactly as the recipe directed. I didn’t enjoy the tangy taste, perhaps it was the balsamic vinegar. My family didn’t particularly enjoy it either, so we ate the meat out of it – which was very tender, and then tossed it.
Between the wine, tomato paste and balsamic there’s a lot of acidity in this recipe. If you find it too tangy/acidic you can neutralize it/raise the pH with a small amount of baking soda. Start with half a teaspoon and adjust as needed.
If you used the red wine it does lend a taste. Some of my families like this so I do a batch just changing to all beef broth and that batch is good🤝
I guess it would depend on the quality of wine and balsamic vinegar you use. If it’s too acidic, add some light brown sugar – that cuts the acidity.
The quality of the wine you use make a huge difference in this recipe. The first time I made it with a cheap Syrah ($2) and it has an acidic and bitter aftertaste to it. The second time I used a middle of the road Pinot Noir ($8) and it came out just perfect and the aroma is unbelievable. Invest in a better (not too expensive) wine and try it again!
I have made several really good beef stew recipes over the years but this is the BEST! Like all of the recipes on this site, the directions are well written and the results are outstanding. Thank you!
I made this for a campfire outing on a slightly chilly night. Every single person was RAVING. I did not change a single thing. Especially important (in my opinion) is browning the meat as described. I can’t WAIT to make this again. It is DELICIOUS!! Thanks foe sharing your expertise!
My Husband made this for me. It is the most flavorful stew I have ever eaten. He did add 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce. Great supper.
Another great recipe. This made the house smell awesome and the meat just fell apart. Your instructions are so clear and easy to follow and you are making me look like an expert. Thank you! I will try your chicken tacos tonight on my husband.
Delicious however, I bought the right meat but unfortunately, I trimmed way too much of the fat off and some of the meat was chewy and tough. I’ll know next time! Thank you again for a delicious meal!
Cooked this a few times now. I have done a casserole like this many times but there is something about this recipe that just takes to another level. Great for switching items in and out of.
My meat turned out extremely tough. What did I do wrong?
Sorry to hear that Sara! The meat should definitely be tender. Did you buy something that was labeled as “stew meat?” If so, it won’t be nearly as tender as beef chuck.
Hi Jenn, yes I bought stew meat! Maybe it was too lean?
It’s possible. Was it well-marbled (with white “veins” of fat running through it)? Also, did you cook it for the full cooking time? If the answer is yes to both of these, it could be that you just got a bad cut of beef which does happen occasionally. 🙁
Omg this recipe is so delicious! The beef just melted in my mouth and the sauce was just so flavourful! Thank you so much, I am in love <3
I’d like to know what it is best paired with?
So glad you enjoyed it! This would pair nicely with buttermilk biscuits. Also, I have a feature on the website– for all main dishes, I suggest one or two sides that I think would pair nicely with them. To see what I’ve suggested, scroll down to the bottom of the recipe. Immediately under the recipe, you’ll see the dishes that I’ve suggested.
This is the best beef stew that I ever made! This is so delicious and flavorful! I absolutely love it! Thank you, thank you, thank you for this lovely recipe!
Recipe was DELICIOUS! I am planning to make it again tomorrow night for a Friday night special. I followed the recipe to the letter (except added some string beans in addition) and it was outstanding.
OMG OMG OMG Best thing I ever ate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Made this recipe a few times now, and it’s turned into a simple go-to cold weather dish. The instructions are easy to follow, the prep is minimal, and the finished product makes you feel like a 5-star chef.
I changed a few things up to get the dish to my liking. First, I do not add sugar. It’s a personal preference, and has nothing to do with the above recipe. I’ve considered substituting honey, however, I like the taste with no added sweetening element. If I try subbing honey I’ll make sure to edit this review.
Second, after the 3 hour cooking time, I take the pot out of the oven and place it on the stove and bring it to a low simmer (uncovered) for about 20 minutes. This allows the stew to thicken up even more. Again, this was a personal preference as I like a thick-gravy like stew.
I highly recommend making the full serving this recipes offers (or more!) because it makes for incredible leftovers… in-fact I truly believe this stew is even better the next day!
This is delicious! How many cups in a serving? Im trying to convert it to WW points.
Hi Lyn, So glad you like this! I’m not 100 percent sure, but I’d guesstimate that a serving is about 1-3/4 cups.
This recipe is FREAKING DELICIOUS and so forgiving to adapt to your kids’ tastes (my four year old currently won’t eat anything without peas). My teenage daughter says this is the best stew I’ve ever made, and requests it every time I have the nerve to suggest chicken noodle soup. 😆 The balsamic vinegar really adds something I never knew I was missing.
I’ve now made this stew 3 times and really love it. I’ve never drank alcohol so the wine content was a flavor change but I added some beef base and it made the difference. I’ve also made the beef barley soup and love that as well. I’m a 70 year old widower of 12 years so I’m a little bit slow on learning new recipes but I’m making progress. Thank you for your detailed recipes!
This is so worth the time it takes! This is not quick, but so very enjoyable to make and just the most amazing dish. Start early, put on some great music, take your time chopping, slicing, searing and stirring- it all adds to the immense amount of pride and enjoyment you’ll take away from this delicious meal! I usually add, subtract, amend every recipe I have, but this one is just spot on for flavor and balance and texture (I have a culinary background, too ;)). I’ve made this a few times now- today I only had a generic red cooking wine from our local grocery store to use (all the rest was too nice to not savor and sip) and it still was perfection. Please, if you do anything, make sure to take Jenn’s advice and take your time browning the meat- I even did four batches today for about 5 minutes each and it’s always well worth the effort 🙂
Jenn,
The beef stew was amazing. After hours of filling the house with delicious smells, the whole family and guests enjoyed it. I liked it so much I went and bought your cook book! Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for your support with the cookbook – I hope it becomes an often-used tool in your kitchen! 🙂
Absolutely delicious!! I added mushrooms and topped with dumplings. This is a 5 star recipe.
Just made this dinner and it was a hit! We will definitely make this again! Thank you for the delicious recipe!
I have made this recipe several times now and I absolutely love it. I am passing the recipe along to my friends.
I made this last night – easy and delicious!
Love your recipes. The beef stew looks good; can you provide a recipe for 2 persons? Bob
Hi Robert, You could cut the recipe in half, but this freezes beautifully in case you want to make the full recipe and pull it out to thaw for some easy weeknight dinners.
Hi Jenn!!
Made this today and it was delicious! The beef was melt in your mouth tender! I used cooking wine. A sherry and a red, one cup of each. The flavor was very, very good. It is the best stew recipe I’ve ever made. I was quite proud, actually! 🙂
I also made the biscuits you recommended. My husband loved them and said they were nice and flaky. I don’t care much for biscuits so I was glad he thought they were great.
Thanks again for another success!!
This is by far the best home beef stew recipe I’ve made. Thank you for sharing! The first part is time-consuming, but the end result is delicious and savory. Not just for cold winter nights, I make it whenever my family asks.
Great Recipe. I used organic beef base in place of the beef stock. Replaced one onion with a few small Shallots. Added dried oregano (still used thyme and bay leaves) when sautéing the onions. Also, a la Ina Garten, to save myself some time and energy I browned the beef in the oven on a sheet pan at 425 for 15 minutes and poured the juices back into the dutch oven. Stewed the beef for first two hours with parsley stalks and fished them out with the bay leaves before adding veggies. Had brussels sprouts and celery in the fridge so added that too. Did last 30 mins uncovered to reduce.
DELICIOUS!! I followed the recipe with the exception of one thing. I did not have thyme or a bay leaf so I just added some dried rosemary. I also used the low sodium beef Better then Bouillon (about 2 1/2 tsp). I tend to over salt but the low sodium keeps everything in check. Thank you Jen! Excellent recipe:)
Made this for Sunday dinner with daughter and son in law. I was bored with my normal beef stew recipe and looked around at alternatives and settled on this. Recipe was clear and pictures looked delicious. Wasn’t hard to make and everyone loved it! Very tasty! Will be my go to stew for the future. Thank you!
For those wondering if this can easily be made gluten free, the answer is YES. I made the recipe as directed and used Cup4Cup flour. It turned out incredibly.
Thank you! I have made this for a few years but we are now GF and I was wondering if I could substitute.
Gluten-free flour will definitely work here. Enjoy!
I thought I followed lthis recipe to the letter, but it is not at all good. It never did thicken even though I cooked it an extra 15 minutes. The liquid tastes like vinegar. I did use red wine vinegar instead of dry red wine. Do you think that is the problem? I was so disappointed after all of that work. I really would like to know what I did wrong!
Hi Linda, Yes, the taste of the stew would be significantly impacted by using red wine vinegar in place of the red wine. Regarding it not getting to the consistency you wanted, to thicken it, near the very end of cooking time, you can make a paste with 1 tablespoon soft butter and 1 tablespoon flour; whisk it in and bring the stew to a simmer and it should thicken up. Another option — after removing it from the oven, you can put it on the stove at a gentle boil and simmer, uncovered, until the broth is thickened to your liking. Hope that helps!
I didn’t have carrots and potatoes on hand, so used sweet potatoes and small cremini mushrooms halved. The stew was really delicious. My husband was in heaven.
I would like to adjust the recipe using 1lb of beef
You can, but if possible, I’d make more as you’ll go through that really quickly (and this freezes nicely). That said, if you want to make it with one pound of meat, cut all the other ingredients by 2/3. Hope you enjoy!
I have a question if I have a pound and half of the stew meat can I just cut the recipe in half?
Sure, that would work. Hope you enjoy!
6 cups of liquid is was too much. 1 cup wine, water & beef broth would be plenty. Wouldn’t make again.
Lol, you’d have to cut the whole recipe in half, not just the dry ingredients and meat! One of each wine, broth and water should have been used!
I made this recipe exactly as written and loved it. As a person who really feels overwhelmed just at the idea of cooking I must say it was fairly easy.
One thing I did forget was to taste for seasoning before serving. It did need a little more salt.
Can I make this completely on the stove top in my dutch oven? I’m having problems with my regular oven and can’t use it until repaired.
Sure — just give it a stir periodically so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Hope you enjoy!
Hi there! I made the stew a month ago and LOVED it. However, also having issues with my oven. It sounds like the stove top could work (with stirring), but I wondered: is it for the same amount of time? Thanks!
Yes, I would count on the same amount of time (and glad you liked it)! 🙂
I’m so excited to try making stew for the first time. The reviews here have made me feel confident that I can do it.
Jenn for some reason I thought celery was an ingredient so I bought it. If I added it with the carrots and potatoes do you think it will taste good?
Sure – hope you enjoy!
So very good!
This was a first time Beef Stew recipe for me and it was delicious. I particularly liked the red wine gravy and I also added two cans of Pennsylvania Dutchman canned mushrooms stems and pieces at the end of the recipe. Awesome!!!
Made this this afternoon and it turned out exactly like Jenn’s photo. I’ve made Julia Child’s Boeuf bourguignon recipe and find Jenn’s recipe to be less complicated and more tasty.
I skipped the wine and instead added 2 cups of chicken broth to the 2 cups of beef broth. Also included the 2 cups of water. After two hrs braising I added the potatoes and carrots. Added uncooked cremini mushrooms 45 mins later and 1 cup frozen peas at the three hour mark. Continued to cook in the oven for another 15 mins. Delicious. Thx Jenn.
Great for a family Sunday lunch, everyone enjoyed it! The steps are so easy and clear, leaving no room for mistakes. Next time I will try adding mushrooms. Thank you for replying on other reviews, it helps a lot having your input and suggestions.
Great beef stew, I don’t normally change anything but if my kids are having this i decrease the wine and increase the beef broth.
Thanks!
Is there a substitution for the wine if you don’t have wine? I have made other stews that are good using Garden Vegetable Cocktail drink however I want to try this recipe from you as I love all of your recipes that I have tried so far?
Sure, Carolyn, you can replace the wine with additional beef broth – hope you enjoy!
I am so thankful to have found you! This beef stew was amazing. It made the house smell like a home!