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’ve made this two nights in a row now, just simply because I enjoyed it so much last night! Ha! This is a great recipe
The BEST beef stew recipe, hands down!
I have been making stew for many years but this is the best recipe I have ever tried. I followed the recipe exactly except I tenderized the beef first with baking soda. I also added green beans and button mushrooms at the very end that I had cooked separately. This is truly a keeper.
I would like to make this stew for 10 to 12 people. Should I just double everything? I did make it as stated and it was absolutely delicious.
Something is missing. That was my first impression. I made it for four other people and that’s exactly what they said as well. It’s a bit confounding because I can usually pick out what is missing; it lacked the characteristic richness of this dish, and the soul of the dish is missing in this. Perhaps it’s the added water. May try again, halving the water.
Celery. That’s what is missing. And maybe some baby Bella shrooms
Agree and I’d use 4 cups beef broth and no water
Heaven in a bowl! Best stew I’ve ever made! This recipe rocks!!!
I have used this recipe a few times now. Made to recipe except I always add a tablespoon of beef soup base to any braised beef recipe. This uses all the ingredients I have put in beef stew in the past and saves me from guessing how much of each to put in. The flavor is rich and balanced. Company worthy!
Hello, I am having trouble locating “Beef Broth” where I live, can I use Beef stock instead?
Thank you.
Sure!
I made this last night and it was SPECTACULAR! I made it with 2 lbs of chuck roast and I have to admit we hardly had leftovers (maybe .5 lbs left?) for only 2 people. I will make this for the next dinner party but will need to increase the meat to maybe 4-5 lbs for a party of 6 lol. Great recipe and highly recommend!
I have recently retired and thought maybe I would try some cooking, my husband usually does most of it. I decided I wanted to make a beef stew and I use to cheat and just use the package mix and canned veggies but wanted to make from scratch and I found this recipe and thought it sounded really good and it did not disappoint !!!! My husband was so impressed and loved it and so did I. Since it is just the 2 of us we will probably get 3 meals each out of one batch. Amazing. I am going to buy your cookbook. 10+++
Bonjour Jenn,
Very tasty beef stew. I follow exactly all your instructions and came out so tender and full of flavour. Another recipe to keep and to enjoy with our family and friends on winter snowy nights 🙂 Merci !
Martine
My wife and I really enjoyed this with egg noodles. The only thing I did differently was I grilled the Chuck roast on a charcoal grill until medium rare. Then I cut it into 1″ cubes.👍👍👍
Made this stew tonight and it was great. I’m usually a tinkerer with recipes, but hewed quite closely to the original on this (departures: used a mix of saved bacon grease 50-50 with olive oil in the meat browning, and subbed a grip of fresh thyme from the garden instead of dried). The balsamic as acid for releasing the fond was a great touch I wouldn’t normally have thought to try, but it added a subtle tangy brightness to the finished product that worked really well with the savory richness. Used some recently-opened California Pinot Noir for the wine and it was perfectly Burgundian for a Bourgogne-like dish. A very well thought out and balanced recipe that yielded perfectly tender beef and a flavorful, thickened broth. I served it with warm crusty baguette and the family was well pleased, as was this chef. Well done! I’ll definitely be keeping this recipe for future stews. Kudos!
Delicious! Gravy just a tad thin but, family said who cares? This is fabulous! So tasty, tender, and comforting! This is a keeper!
I have made this recipe several times now, and it is fantastic. I add mushrooms, but other than that, it is awesome the way it is!! 5 stars!!
What temperature should the oven be on?
Hi Felice, the oven temp should be 325°F/165°C. Enjoy!
Thank you !!! Loved this !!!
I’d give this 10 stars if I could! Amazing flavor. I’ve tried so many recipes for beef stew over the years and my husband always complains the meat is dried out. He actually went back for a second helping with this delicious stew.
when do you add the olive oil? thanks J
Hi Jason, you add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pot before browning each batch of beef. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy!
Made this last night. It was an instant hit! Added shrooms and peas at the end. Looking forward to making it again
Made this last Sunday and it was delicious! Even better the next day, just so yummy and comforting! I only had a small 2 lb roast to use in this recipe so I added a lb of beef finger ribs I had in the freezer, which I thawed. Seasoned and browned them whole, same as for the cut up beef roast pieces. Added one more carrot and three or four more baby potatoes to make up the difference in meat weight. I’ve made Julia’s Beef Bourguignon recipe a couple of times in the past and it is great, but I love Jenn’s recipe just as much! I want to buy a larger proper-sized beef roast next time to make this again!
I made this in my Dutch oven and it was fantastic! The wine I used was a Merlot and I added a little bit more sugar. Hubby loved it!
Made it tonight ( but used beef tenderloin and only made a quarter recipe( did not want leftovers!! we are a family of two) Great recipe.. we just prefer beef tenderloin and we omit he sugar!
Thanks for this recipe. It is a keeper!
I made this recipe… it was no less than Amazing. My family gobbled it up until there wasn’t a soup spoon left. I cannot wait to make it again. Thank you for such a flavorful, and colorful recipe.
Denise
Hi there! I’m planning on making this Thursday night and I’d really like to add some pearl onions. When do you recommend I throw those in the dutch oven? I was planning on buying them already jarred 🙂
Hi Emily, I’d sauté them in a little butter and add them at the end. Hope you enjoy!
Absolutely the best beef stew I’ve ever made! Dark, rich, flavorful gravy, all veggies cooked perfectly. First time I have cooked stew in an oven. I totally understand why. LOVED IT and will share with friends.
Excellent recipe! Everyone in my family loved this dish. I will add this to my rotation. Thanks for teaching us an excellent way to make stew!! A true winner.
This is so yummy! Best beef stew ever! We’ve made it twice this month for ourselves and twice for friends and family recuperating from being sick. Everyone raves. Dish takes a bit of prep and time but well worth it. Thank you
Made this as written, even sauteed some fresh mushrooms and added them at the end. The wine flavor really added some depth. This recipe is a keeper.
Absolutely delicious! I doubled the broth and wine to create more of a soupy stew. My Mom is a food snob and said it was the best Bourguignon she has ever tasted!
I discovered this recipe just a few months ago, but have already made it 3 times. I have tried several others over the years. I love this one the most – – tastes out of this world! Thank you!
Tried this tonight! I rarely leave comments or reviews because I often look at recipes mainly for inspiration and change it up a little or a bit. I would say I followed it very closely this time. Well it came out awesome! Im not great with beef but if you follow the recipe it will be a success! It was a perfect night for it too even though I’m in Florida. I used fresh thyme instead. And I added a little more tomato paste mainly because I don’t go through it fast and didn’t want to waste too much of I don’t finish the tube. And the carton of beef broth was 16.9 oz and I used the whole thing since it was close. My family loved it and even sent a sampling home for my parents who called to tell me they loved it too! Rich, flavorful and delicious!! Thank you!
This hands down is the best beef stew ever, I was watching Julia Child as I was preparing this. My Husband came in and I didn’t even realize he was in the kitchen. Cooking is my happy place! Thank you for the recipe!
Fabulous stew! We loved it. Perfect for a casual dinner party. Thanks to @onceuponachef
Just a word of warning, you really need to make sure you use the right kind of meat. I sent my husband to a pricey butcher and somehow he came home with very lean stew meat. I made the recipe anyways and it was a failure. The meat was so dry and beyond tough. And weirdly, the vegetables weren’t cooked at all after an hour in the often as the recipe dictated. At least the broth was delicious, but using the wrong kind of meat with no fat ruined it. And the raw vegetables was like rubbing salt in the wound. So sad I spent all the time and money on this dish and it was inedible.
I am not a cook!! Boredom meant I decided to try a couple of easy recipes. Beef stew from my childhood was one. Good recipe, I tweaked it a bit and all attempts were ok, 4th attempt is just right!! Thanks
I couldn’t believe how delicious this was. I’ve made it three times in two weeks… making it again tonight!
I use about half cup good red wine and substitute the rest with beef broth… only because I like my glass filled!
I love the process of cooking this and the wonderful aromas it fills the house with. I’ve attempted to put into containers for freezing but it gets eaten up so fast. My new favorite recipe. Thanks for sharing!
Made this tonight to use up four steaks. Had to do a substitute for balsamic (cider vinegar & sugar) and don’t drink so used cooking wine, and didn’t have tomato paste so used the equivalent I googled using tomato sauce. It was absolutely fantastic! Great recipe and will make again with the called out ingredients but I can’t imagine it’d be better than this batch.
I finally made a meal that my family liked. Thanks giving both the recipe and the the methodology behind the recipe. I ended up buying a Dutch Oven because I liked this so much.
This is the best beef stew I have ever tasted. Thanks so much for sharing it! I used unpeeled baby organic red potatoes, cut in half and this helped to make it so easy with the side benefit of the potatoes holding together.
Can I use a crockpot? If so what do you recommend for the cook process? Time and heat? Thank you so much 🔥😝
Hi Jacob, I haven’t personally made it in a slow cooker, but a number of readers have. 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 potatoes in with the meat– you don’t need to wait). Enjoy!
I do! It won’t thicken so you’ll need to make a roux. I always transfer it to a stock pot after 4 hours, add the roux, and let it simmer until thickened. Delicious!
What is a roux?
Hi Terri, A roux is equal parts of flour and butter (or another fat) that helps to thicken stews/sauces, etc. You can read more about it here.
This is a magnificent recipe. The use of balsamic to deglaze is an ingenious touch. It gives the finished dish a light zing that you won’t find in other beef stew recipes. Nicely done.
Can I add 4 cups of beef broth instead of wine
Yep!
So this really is the best stew ever. I floured the meat prior to searing because that’s what I’m used to doing, used only 1 cup of red wine and 4 beef broth, no water. Besides those alterations i basically followed the recipe. So incredibly delicious. Enjoy with some crusty bread and the rest of the red wine!
Absolutely delicious!! The stew comes out with an aomost velvety texture. It was 9 degrees tonight so I thought it would be the perfect dinner and I was absolutely correct. I will 100% be making this again. Thank you!!
This recipe is delicious!!!!! Love that you don’t have to flour and cook the meat as it always seems to burn that way. The only one minor adjustment I will make next time is to use fresh thyme leaves. Perhaps mine were old which may have impacted the flavor.
Thanks so much – this is a keeper. I have tried so many, many beef stew recipes and this is by far my favorite!!
I’ve made a lot of stews over my 65 years, but this is my favorite! I wasn’t in the mood for another chuck roast, then I found this recipe. Love the THICK broth that comes with adding flour after searing and prior to roasting in oven. Love the tomato-iness of the broth. I added fresh green beans that I had on hand the 2nd day we had this for dinner. This recipe is a keeper.
Hi Jenn, I have a question. If what’s on hand is a drinkable white wine and a bottle of Holland house red cooking wine, which would you opt for?
Hi Joy, I’d go with the white wine. The stew may taste a bit different and be a little lighter in color, but it will still be good. 🙂
I need to cook for 9 people. Can I multiply ingredients by 1.5 and cook in a 7.5 qt Dutch oven? And could I use unpeeled small red potatoes?
I think it will just fit, but it should work and, yes, the red potatoes should work. Hope you enjoy!
Thank you, Jenn. I did give it a shot the next day with white and everyone still loved it. I think I’ll start making sure we have some red in the house just for this winter favorite!
I do not generally comment on recipes but this one deserves it. I have been making it for years now, after looking for a beef stew that would meet the standards of the one made for me as a child 🙂 I have tried several variations with the liquids, one cup wine/3 broth, etc but I have come back to the original recipe. It’s perfect. I do have to cook the carrots and potatoes a little longer than suggested sometimes but that may just be preference. It is cooking now and I cannot wait to eat it. I am thankful every year that I have found it.
Excellent
Delicious. I appreciate the depth of flavor. Certainly not my mother’s beef stew. I’ve never been much of a fan of beef stew so never made it myself and I cook a lot. Well, this recipe is a game changer! Loved it!
Would flap steak work well with this recipe?
I wouldn’t recommend it here — sorry!
What size (number quarts) soup pot should I use?
Hi Julie, I use a 5-1/2 quart pot and it fits perfectly. Hope that helps!
If u don’t have a Dutch oven, how should u cook it? Put in crock pot or transfer to large casserole dishes to put in oven?
Hi Terri, Do you have a large soup pot? If not a crockpot will work. I haven’t personally made it in one, but a number of readers have. I’d sear the beef first as the recipe indicates and then cook it in the crockpot for 4 – 5 hours on high (and you can put the carrots and the potatoes in with the meat– you don’t need to wait). Enjoy!
I’m hosting a gourmet themed dinner and would like to serve this as an entree. What would you suggest for a “french theme” potato?
Hi Dolly, The stew has potatoes in it, so you may want to consider some other options on the side. One option that’s very “French” is this recipe for Gougères (French Cheese Puffs). Here are some other French recipes you could consider. Hope that helps!
I finished making this beef stew and removed it from the oven after cooking 3 hours, it smells delicious! I just realized that I forgot to add the balsamic vinegar. I am planning on serving it tomorrow night. Can I add the balsamic vinegar now or is it to late? Thanks Jenn!
Hi Rose, that should be fine. Enjoy!
The only bad thing with this dish is when your pot is empty!! Great dish and easy to make😊