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.
I made this and unfortunately it didn’t work out as per the directions 😢 The meat was SO GOOD my husband and I picked at it durning the cooking process so much so that there was little left for the actual end of the cook and to dish out. ❤️❤️😂
This is so good that the recipe should show double the measurements so there is actually some left for dishing on the plates. Ps my adult son came to visit and was upset there was only 1 piece of meat left for him to sample. ❤️
Have made this many times and we absolutely love it. Having it for supper again tonight.
Just made this stew for our Sunday meal with your biscuits recipe. It is by far the best stew recipe I have seen and tried, and the biscuits were a great accompaniment . The balsamic adds a nice touch of flavor. I did not have enough red wine so I added sherry as well which made it a bit sweeter , but a good substitute. The sauce was delicious and the meat was fork tender. Definitely a keeper!!!!
I’ve made many variations of beef stew over the years. This is my absolute favorite. I add different types of vegetables each time. I serve over garlic mash potatoes, the flavor is amazing.
Not a great recipe, none of the meat or veg cooked properly.
Maybe you did something wrong. This is my absolute go to recipe for beef stew. Give it another try!
This recipe is absolutely fantastic. I have tried many of your recipes but hands down this is our favorite. I debated if I should make it the day before but opted to prepare it the same day for our dinner party. It easily fed six adults with leftovers for us to try to see how the flavors change.
Thanks for providing a novice cook with recipes that are easy and always delicious.
So delicious and tender. While this took some time, worth every minute invested. TYSM for the fabulous recipe!
Making this tomorrow! I do not have Sugar in my house, but I have honey or maple syrup? I’m thinking a little honey? Anyone? 😉
Hi Darlene, I’d just leave it out. If you determine that it needs a hit of sweetness, either the honey or maple syrup will do.
Thanks @onceuponacheffor your recipe. I did exactly what you said and my steaks turned out fantastic & very delicious..
I made this recipe and I was surprised how delicious it turned out! I have difficulty preparing meals that taste great but this one did not disappoint. My wife even enjoyed her dinner so much so that leftovers were requested the following night. This recipe is definitely worth saving in anyone’s cook book!
I’m excited to make this today, but wondering if you have a gluten free substitute for the flour? A few guests tonight are gluten intolerant and I’m not an expert on gluten free cooking!
Thank you
Hi Carole, you can use gluten-free flour to coat the meat. Hope everyone enjoys!
Oh thank you for your quick reply!! Appreciate it
I wonder if this can be adapted for the slow cooker for when I’m out at work?
Hi Vicki, Yes – I’d sear the beef on the stove first as the recipe indicates and then put 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 have made this many many times GF, and I use straight up rice flour, with no gums, and it works perfectly! No one can tell its GF. I don’t use cornstarch (slurry) to avoid it looking like dog food. LOL.
Yummmm!!! Has anyone tried making this in a pressure cooker? I’m contemplating doing so tonight.
Hi Misty, I don’t have a pressure cooker, but a number of readers have commented that they have made this in one and have been happy with the results. One recent comment indicated: “I cooked at high pressure for 35 min, although next time I will add 5 more min, then depressurized, added the potatoes and carrots, and cooked for another 10 min. Also added a bit less liquid, since you lose none in the pressure cooker.” Hope that helps!
No wonder this is your most popular recipe. I made it last night exactly per your instructions and the result was a silky, rich, delicious sauce with tender meat – so packed with flavor. I served it with your buttermilk biscuits that you recommend as an accompaniment – left a review for those as well as they were outstanding. I think the balsamic vinegar was what put it over the top!! Thank you Jenn.
Hands down the best stew recipe you will find. Definitely make it a day our two ahead. It was rather soupy last time so I just let it simmer the day I was going to serve it , till the juices cooked down. nothing but ohs and awes from my guests, Jenn, I did give you and your site credit when asked for the recipe.
I made this last night following the recipe exactly and, like everyone else, we found it absolutely delicious. I reduced it down to accommodate only one pound of meat and it was a bit short on the liquid part. Next time I will go ahead with full 3 pound and freeze leftovers. Did I mention how DELICIOUS this was ?!??!?!
I made it with 3 lbs of meat and felt it was short on liquid as well.
I was amazed at how good a humble beef stew could taste. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but this dish just knocked my socks off! I’ve used a lot of your recipes and have never been disappointed. I own both of your cookbooks and look forward to the next one, if you produce one. And I had lots of fun as one of your recipe testers for the most recent cookbook.
This is now my favorite beef stew! The stew had the perfect gravy consistency when I took the lid off the pot. The beef was melt-in-your-mouth tender. This will definitely be in my regular winter dinner rotation.
I found this recipe years ago and have been making it ever since (and passed it along to my mother-in-law, sister and mom). It’s fantastic. I always gravitate toward your recipes. Potato leek soup is tonight!
Best beef stew I ever made! I made the night before and reheated for NYE. No reason to google another! I added sautéed mushrooms and peas when reheating. I served with sourdough, biscuit and cheddar bread for choice of sopping up the delicious sauce. (!) Yum!
Jenn,
I made this yesterday.
It’s fantastic.
I halved the flour, and added a splash of Worcestershire.
All of your recipes are A or A+.
Happy New Year!
Thankyou for all of this excellent work that you do. It’s truly a public service.
Bravo.
-dan
I made this stew today & it is delicious! The meat is so tender & full of flavor. I know it will even better tomorrow when I bring to my Dad’s to have dinner with him. He’s 90 years old & he will love this stew too! Thank you Jenn
Delicious! Best stew recipe I have ever made! I added sliced mushrooms with the potatoes and carrots. Often times I feel like the wine is too heavy, but not with this recipe!! Thank you!
Wow! We had this for New Yeats Eve and felt like we were in France, at a fancy restaurant. Superb flavors!!
This stew is wonderful! I rarely cook, so this is my go-to for hosting guests since I can make it the day before. That way, I can enjoy everyone without being tired or stressed. Just one question: If I reheat it in the oven, is an hour at 300 okay?
Hi Theresa, so glad you like the stew! I recommend reheating it on the stove as that way you are able to check it periodically to see if it’s heated through. If you reheat it in the oven, about an hour at 300 sounds right.
Oh no! Jenn your recipes have made me feel like I can really cook but my amateur status is still so obvious…I forgot to bring the stew to a boil before putting it in the oven! Its been in there almost 2 hours already. Is there anything I can do to ensure it still turns out as tender as I know it can? I have made this before and it was excellent and I will be so disappointed if this doesn’t turn out! I doubt you will be able to answer right away (it is a holiday after all!) but just in case you see this, what do you suggest? My plan is to cook it at least another hour or so before adding the carrots. What do you think?
Hi Paulette, Don’t worry – it will be fine! I would add another 20 to 30 minutes before adding the vegetables; I don’t think it will require more than that. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for your response Jenn! It absolutely turned out perfect!!!! The meat was so wonderfully tender as were the carrots and the flavor of the stew – OMG – the best ever! I left the potatoes out and served it instead on your make ahead mashed potatoes and it was a fabulous meal with a beautiful presentation! One of my New Year’s resolutions is to cook something new every week! Definitely looking forward to learning more by using lots of your recipes 🙂
I was so nervous to make this due to the time commitment and I have made a few duds in a row, but this is outstanding. The sauce is so flavorful I could drink it. And I used stew meat from my grocery store (because I didn’t read the first part of recipe) and it still was so tender and melt in your mouth good.
I have tried a lot of beef stew recipes but this is the best one yet. Thank you.
I added a small cinnamon stck and removed when I added the potatoes and carrots. It’s a really great subtle flavor with this recipe.
I made this yesterday for the first time. It had really great flavor thaT I expect is from the red wine and balsamic. I only wish the sauce was slightly thicker. Should I add more flour to make the sauce not so thin? Otherwise, it’s perfect and will be in my winter rotation.
Hi Stephanie, Glad you like it! You can mash 2 tablespoons of softened butter with 2 tablespoons of flour; whisk it into the simmering stew little by little until the stew is thickened to your liking. Hope that helps!
Best stew ever! Yes… it takes a bit of time to prepare … but OH… so worth it!
This is our go to stew recipe, absolutely delicious, absolutely french method and five star! We throw in a handful of frozen peas near the end of the cooking. We also add a tablespoon of Better Than beef, a splash of worcestershire and one of braggs soy sauce, just to up the umami a bit.
Oh my goodness, this is so good!! Just made it tonight and needed to taste before putting it in the fridge. Great recipe.
Hi, Jenn. I made this stew yesterday – wanted a nice easy hot meal for when company arrived. Excluded the sugar because my husband is diabetic and omitting sugar is habit now. It was delicious! The meat just melted in my mouth. Served with garlic bread. Everybody loved it! Trying two more of your recipes this week! Thanks for sharing busy mom style recipes.
It was delicious
Hi Jenn, Thanks for being you! My family loves everything I make from your site and books. In this recipe can I delete the sugar, or replace it. what is its purpose? sweetener, tenderizer, cut acidity? looking forward to trying this!! please advise. Thank you!
Hi Dawn, thanks for your very kind words – so glad you like the recipes! The sugar just serves to balance out the savory flavors in the broth – I think it’s a nice addition and definitely doesn’t make the stew sweet, that said you can omit it (or cut back on it) if you’d like.
Thanks for your reply! I did leave sugar in and followed the recipe exactly. I made it for a friend who broke her foot and couldn’t cook, they absolutely loved it. It was EXCELLENT! (I swiped a bowl first..) I like it the way it is but my friends wanted to know if it could be made with less wine. What suggestion would you make to do that?extra broth? Or both broth and water?
Glad it was a hit! And if your friend wants to use less wine, she can just replace it with more broth. 🙂
Which cookbook is this in? And page #
Hi Amanda, It’s on page 245 of the second cookbook. 🙂
Dear Jenn,
I read this recipe 4 times before I decided to make it for tomorrow 12/26/2022. I read all comments and the only two that I found to be helpful were, 1) Pinot Noir instead of Merlot and a bit less than called for. 2) Braise a bit longer than 1 hour after adding vegetables.
May I say that this stew is unbelievably delicious, and my guests arrive tomorrow. I had a small bowl tonight and I was blown away!
Can not wait till it sits overnight!!! My expectations for tomorrow are Fantastic!!
Thank you for a great recipe!!
My expectations were correct! Let this recipe sit overnight in Refrigerator… reheat and add peas. The best!!
Thank you Jenn. It’s a keeper!
Wow. This is one of the best things I’ve ever made. I am not a cook and am so impressed with myself.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Best stew recipe, will definitely make again!
The best stew recipe out there without any complicated steps! This stew’s flavor is amazing…even when I’ve made measuring mistakes. I’ve searched and made many different stew recipes the past few years. This stew recipe beats the others hands down.
Now I’ve adapted this recipe to meet my lifestyle needs. I sous vide the meat for 48 hours and then cook the remaining ingredients on the stove to make this a doable weekday dinner. During the winters, I make this recipe weekly, because my family loves it!
Can this be doubled for a larger crowd?
Sure!
Hi Jenn!
Wishing you a happy holiday season! Thank you for this and many other wonderful recipes – so delicious.
Hi Sharon, thanks for the kind words about the recipes — a very happy holiday season to you and your family! 💗
Best stew I’ve ever made! Only modification I made was change onions to shallots – 3 large.
Hi Jen, I’ve made this stew several times and it’s awesome. I’d like to try your recipe as pot roast. Thoughts?
Hi Karyn, Glad you like this. You can use this recipe for a pot roast but instead of adding the flour to the beef/onion mixture, I’d use a flour/butter mixture method like in this recipe (take the pot roast out of the pot as I do with the chicken before stirring in the paste). I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
I grew up on beef stew made with the cut up lean beef stew pieces from store and seasoned with beef stew seasoning packet. I had no idea what I was missing using chuck. This is Amazing!!!! Never will go back to the above stated beef stew again… thank you!!!!!
First time making beef stew. I did everything as written, and it was delicious. It does take forever, but the house smelled so good all afternoon. I will make it again. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
This is a good recipe and it turned out to be great with the modifications I made. I added Worcester, skipped the water in favor of homemade beef bone broth, more garlic and onions, and a few other things. I had to finish it on the stovetop because the veggies weren’t done after more than the time specified in the recipe. All in all a keeper.
I made this stew and it is supremely delicious and definitely melts in your mouth! However, I do have a question: If, on that rare occasion, I do happen to have some leftovers, what is the best way to freeze this stew? Do I need to remove the potatoes before freezing and what is the best type of container?
Many thanks!
Hi Louise, Glad you enjoyed it! Although potatoes are not always great candidates for freezing, they freeze nicely in this stew. And any airtight container will work for freezing. 🙂
Love, Love, Love this recipe!!! Hubby and kids always look forward to this when I make it. However, I notice that the broth of this stew isn’t as plentiful as your pictures; would it be ok to add more broth or water without diluting the taste too much?
Hi Jennifer, It will dilute the taste somewhat, but it’s okay to add more broth if it’s not brothy enough as is.
I bought a large CHUCK ROAST and cut it up. If you didn’t use that cut of meat you wouldn’t get the flavor.
5STARS!!
Second time this month, WOW!
Loved this stew. It’s my go to beef stew from now on. My husband agrees 💯!
I’m not sure what I did wrong but it has no flavor! I’m so disappointed because of all the great reviews.
Did you read the recipe carefully? I’m not being sarcastic: whenever I try a new recipe, I read it a few times before I do it to be sure I have all the ingredients, I’ve measured them out correctly and the steps are followed. I’ve made this recipe several times without issue and yet today, I realized that the beef needs to be taken out and set aside while making the onion base. Only to be added back in after the onions, garlic, vinegar, tomato paste is cooked. Previously, I just cooked everything together as other beef stew recipes don’t have that step.
Also, I remember reading a book for beginning cooks and this was the first piece of advice. The authors found that some people execute recipes on-the-fly without previewing them.
You are exactly right. I made it last night and was disappointed as well. There was absolutely zero flavor. Not bad, not good, just nothing. Will not make this recipe again.
Hi Veronica..
I know how disappointing that can be! Im a former professional in the food industry,and I’m guilty of what LC described in her post!😊
Check out the comments from LC. The reason I’m commenting is because this recipe is truly outstanding (I don’t mean to come across offensive). But I read the comments from LC (I think right above your post).
This is a wonderful , solid go to recipe,and it’s one both friends & family request often this time a year. My husband is a Cowboy/Horseman and he often asks for this PARTICULAR recipe!😊. Even in the summer months!!!! That includes his colleagues …
Don’t give up on this recipe…I have both of Jenn’s cookbooks, and I look to this site for her other recipes -they never disappoint. Also, there seems to be a community that’s been created out of Jenn’s cookbooks & this site. As a result, many of us want for other readers to experience the same satisfaction in their kitchens too. Unlike other cooking sites,Jenn provides the best thorough instructions,accompanied by step by step pictures (and whenever I’ve had questions,she’s very good at responding in a timely manner-a rarity I’m grateful for!😊).
Give it another try!
Lisa
Hi, Jen, My daughter wants beef burgundy for her birthday dinner this week and she’s a chef. Would this qualify as that? Thanks. And have a blessed holiday.
Yep (and I hope you have a wonderful holiday as well)!
I’ve made this recipe several times for large groups, and it’s a home run every time. Chuck roast is a must for this — don’t skip this step and buy stew meat. The only change I make for this recipe is omitting water and stepping up the amount of wine and beef stock in the stew.
Thanks for posting this recipe!
I’ve made this recipe quite a few time over the past few years, and it’s probably the best dinner I’ve ever made. I usually make it the day before I’m having guests for dinner, which makes it even more appealing, since it tastes even better the next day. I often use Jenn’s recipes, because they’re consistently good, and her instructions are so helpful. I can’t thank you enough, Jenn!