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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THE BEST French beef stew I’ve ever made! Used strip steak. Needed a bit longer for the veggies, but I did add more!
Excellent! So rich, savory, and delish. I regret I made only a half batch for me and my hubby. I added half a parsnip, sliced. I didn’t want to veer too far from the recipe. I would consider adding mushrooms next time.
3rd time making this following exactly, absolutely delish! thank you Jen.
This recipe is without a doubt, restaurant quality beef stew. I used already cut and cubed stewing beef and with the braising (which I’d never done before) the meat just fell apart and melted in our mouths. The two cups of red wine really added to the rich flavor too. This is hands down a WINNER!!
Well … I gave this recipe a 5 star review a few years ago .
It’s our go to stew recipe
We did venture out a little.
We put an extra 2 cups of beef broth and added rutabagas.
I cut the carrots on the diagonal the potatoes in quarters and the rutabaga in a more square piece for even cooking
Simply the best
Thank you Jenn for this recipe !!
Made this tonight and it is absolutely delicious! When I took it out to cool down it had some juice but not as much as I expected. However, I left it out at room temp to cool and came down after putting kids to bed and all the juice is gone! It may be possible I added too much stuff? I’m not sure. In the future how much more would you recommend to add to avoid this? I definitely want to cook again soon!
Hi Paige, it’s really strange that you had little to no liquid – very unusual! Did you add a lot of additional beef and/or potatoes/carrots? Did you keep the stew covered while it was cooking?
Made this tonight and it is absolutely delicious! When I took it out to cool down it had some juice but not as much as I expected. However, I left it out at room temp to cool and came down after putting kids to bed and all the juice is gone! It may be possible I added too much stuff? I’m not sure. In the future how much more would you recommend to add to avoid this? I definately want to cook again soon!
Hi Paige, it’s really strange that you had little to no liquid – very unusual! Did you add a lot of additional beef and/or potatoes/carrots? Did you keep the stew covered while it was cooking?
Such simple ingredients but yields a complex earthy palate. Rewarding winter meal.
I love this recipe and have made it many times over the years. My problem is I don’t have a big enough Dutch oven! I wish I did because I have 2 teenagers now who devour every drop of this delicious stew.
What I do is I use 2 pounds of beef instead of three, skip the water for a total of 4 cups liquid (2 wine and 2 beef broth), and leave everything else the same.
Leftovers aren’t enough for a second supper, so to leftovers I add the rest of the carton of beef broth, water as necessary, cooked barley, maybe frozen peas and corn or some green beans.
What I really need is a larger Dutch oven though.
I’ve been making this recipe once per winter for years and it is by far the most delicious beef burgundy stew I’ve ever eaten. The only thing I do differently is saute some cut up bacon and brown the beef in the bacon fat – basically what Julia Child did with her beef bourguignon recipe. Ooh la la!
Perfect consistency but lacking flavor. Hopefully it will improve overnight. The meat literally dissolves in your mouth, absolute perfection. Definitely what you need for a cold winter night. My house smelled like a French Restaurant. I added a tiny bit of Oregano but it’s still missing something. I kept checking the ingredients and even increased the thyme, maybe just need to add more salt. I added the vegetables at 1.5 hours and they were perfection too.
It was a stew, thick and not watery at all & I used less than 1/4 c of flour.
Just made this today! It is amazing!!!
The best beef stew I’ve ever made! I followed the recipe exactly but added celery and peas. So hearty and delicious! The flavor profile that is built thru the searing, and braising is so yummy! Thank you! I’ll be making this often!
I got it very watery, I assume I must of not used enough flour or perhaps something else? Unsure. Either way it still is solid. What must be done to get it to that gravy consistency? I have noticed this is common in the comment section so maybe further explanation may help others. Thanks!
Hi Corbin, Sorry the texture was not quite right for you. You can just simmer it, uncovered, until it gets to your desired thickness.
Perfect! Classic! Easy as can be…… better the second day of course!
This stew was delicious, my new got to recipe! As some others have mentioned, it was a little liquidy after pulling it from the oven. I did omit the potatoes, so this may have been a contributing factor. Letting it simmer, uncovered, on the stove top for 15min helped.
Please note, the recipe calls for 3hr cook time, which means 30min for prep and browning meat/onions. Maybe if you have everything pre cut and ready to go this would be true. From cutting the meat, peeling garlic, washing/chopping veggies, and browning meat… that took me at least an hour and a half. Just be aware when you are trying to figure out timing. The first time I made this dinner wound up being kind of late lol
Laura, I’m learning that what is predicted as cook time doesn’t usually hold true for me. I actually made it the day before and was thankful that I did. Yes, it takes a “bit” more time to wash, cut, and prep everything.
Though I was pleasntly pleased with the final results. My family truly enjoyed it.
I followed the directions to a tee. Perfect beef stew. I added sauted mushrooms at the very end.
Excellent recipe. Thanks much
I am no stranger to the kitchen. This recipe is without a doubt the best French Beef Stew that I have ever prepared and eaten. I will only use this recipe going forward. Thank you so much for sharing it!
Came here to say the same thing. Just popped in oven after about 1.5 hour prep. Smells awesome!
Hi Jen!
Just a question.
If I make it one day ahead, is the taste change?
Thanks….
It’s still delish if you eat it on the day you make it, but the taste is actually better on the second day as the flavors have more time to meld.
If i wanted to use a slow cooker, what temp and how long would yu reccomend?
Hi Rosalia, For a slow cooker, you’ll need to go all through all the steps until you’re ready to add the water, wine, and broth. At that point, you add everything to the slow cooker and cook 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!
Absolutely stunning – my favourite beef stew recipe that I have ever made.
Let me start off with the fact that I am a very big fan of your recipes.
I don’t know what happened when I made this recipe, but the gravy was watery and the vegtables were not suffiiently cooked. it lacked what I have come to expect from your recipes. I followed the recipe exactly.
What could have went wrong?
I’m sorry you had a problem with this! Did you cook the stew for a total of at least 3 hours? Was the meat tender?
Hello Jenn…I echo the sentiment Confused made. I have come to expect the recipes you post are hard to beat. Sadly, this did not do it for me. I like another poster, made it GF with gluten free flour. It was very watery and the veggies did not get done. The meat, however, was tender and tasty. This was the second attempt at the recipe as I thought I may have done something wrong the first time…second chance. Unfortunately, the same results and yes, I braised it for at least 3 hours. I would consider cooking the meat this way and perhaps using cornstarch as the thickening agent. I would say either one…it needs more thickening agent or two…
longer cooking time. Also, as you suggested: cooking it without the lid to allow evaporation could help with the thickening of the liquid. I have to say a photo of my result does not look anything like what you posted.
This might be the most delicious thing I have ever cooked. I followed the recipe exactly and I used Snoop Dogg California red it came out so amazingly delicious that I can’t wait to make it again.
Looking for an oven recipe for beef stew, I settled on this one and am happy I did. My husband declared it “delicious!”, eating two bowls of it. The only change I made was to eliminate the sugar. In the future I think I’ll reduce the balsamic vinaigrette and add a bit of Worcestershire sauce or maybe Better Than Bouillon. All in all, a keeper!
This stew recipe was the best beef stew I ever had. I followed the recipe exactly but added green beans to the stew when I added the carrots. It will be my go to beef stew recipe. Hubby loved it, too. Thank you for ALL your delicious recipes
Joanne
The best beef stew ever. No contest. I will mention I added fresh rosemary (just because I really like rosemary with beef and wine) but it’s certainly not necessary nor do I think I would enjoy it less without the addition. THANK YOU!
Worth all the work and time. Thank goodness my husband is the best sous chef around. We devoured it and can’t wait for tomorrow’s reheat.
Thank you, Jenn ! I made this for my husband and he said it was the best beef stew he ever experienced! And we used our new Dutch Oven – which was a key essential . Looking forward to preparing many more of your exciting recipes ! XO
So good
Best recipe for stew I’ve ever made. Cooked in oven exactly by recipe. The balsamic really made it delicious. Thank you.
OMG!!!! I keep trying different stew recipes because its something I love but there is always something that I’m like, its good but something is missing but I don’t know what. Well I have officially my favorite. Everything came together so perfect and the flavor is amazing. I think I cut my carrots a little big, because after the last hour they still weren’t as soft as the potatoes. However, as i was eating the soup i really liked that the carrots weren’t as soft as everything else because it gave a great texture. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!!!
I am 64 yrs old and have been making my grandmothers stew recipe forever . I came across this recipe and made it last night. It is excellent! The best one ever! I am not going to go back to my old recipe as this one is better! Everyone loved it! Thank you so much ! I have made many of your recipes over the years and they are all winners! Thank you very much!
Amazing flavor! Substituted red wine with Fog Lifter porter brewed by 7 Saws Brewing Company. It is one of the best beef stews we’ve ever had.
Hi Jenn,
My son is GF so do you think a GF flour equivalent would work instead of flour or should I use baking powder with water as a thickening agent? Also what are your thoughts on using Worcestershire Sauce instead of Balsamic or perhaps in addition too??
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Best…
David Leo
Hi David, yes, the gluten-free flour will definitely work here and I really like the hint of sweetness that the balsamic vinegar adds, but feel free to add a bit of Worcestershire sauce as well if you’d like. Hope you enjoy the stew!
Great recipe, amazing flavor but why not call it what it is, beef Bourguignon? And why say a white potato and then in parentheses say a yellow/gold potato, hence the name Yukon “gold”?
Why do you feel that this comment is necessary?
beef Bourguignon Does not traditionally have potatoes and have a few minor differences. I’m sure you can find recipes that do but that doesn’t make then accurate. Yukon gold is a white potato
Linae I’m often baffled when readers take the time to leave comments such as yours. Are you familiar w/Jenn’s background & credentials? If anyone knows the difference between a French Beef Stew & Boeuf Bourguignon it’s Jenn.
No, this is not Boeuf Bourguignon, my mother & grandmother both made it. Its ingredients include lean salt pork, mushrooms, often you’ll find small white onions included,and a dry red wine such as burgundy.
As a former chef I’ve had the opportunity to make each,and there is a distinctive difference.
Jenn….another outstanding recipe!!
Lisa in Laton
I made this stew today with leftover prime rib I grilled over the holidays. Only had 2 1/2 lbs of beef so I decreased the liquids a bit and added more potatoes. Tastes great already but I’m not serving it today. It’s going in the fridge for a couple days to let all great flavor intensify.
I am going to make this for the first time for 8 (4 couples) on Saturday. Can I add more potatoes and carrots without changing the taste too much or should I just do 1 and 1/2 recipe? Would the larger recipe still fit in a 5.5 quart dutch oven? It sounds delicious! Thank you!
Hi Julie, you can add more potatoes and carrots to the stew without changing the taste. You could also make 1.5 times the recipe but I’m afraid it would be too much to fit in a 5 ½ quart pot.
This is absolutely the BEST beef stew!!
Followed the recipe as directed and it was delicious.
I will definitely be making this again very soon.
Thank you for this awesome recipe.
Delicious. I used minced garlic and small red potatoes. I also served it with slices of Romano cheese.
Love this stew it is delicious…
This is a fabulous beef stew recipe. After two hours, along with the potatoes and carrots, I add chopped celery and frozen corn. I usually use bone in beef short ribs but the butcher didn’t have any so this time I bought a 3 1/2 lb piece of blade steak and cut it up. I found there was much more fat than when I use the bone in meat, so I probably ended up with 2 1/2 lbs of meat once it was all cut up. I always make a big batch and freeze some for another day. Love this recipe.
This was so good!
Love , love , love this recipe…my only problem is that it seems too soupy. I will try about 30 minutes prior to it’s being done to remove the lid. My question is that you don’t seem to have this issue, as you don’t address it in the instructions. Just questioning why I and others have this issue and you don’t. You are my go to site for great recipes!
Hi Annie, so glad you like the stew, but sorry you have a problem getting it to the consistency you’d like. I generally don’t have that issue, but on the few occasions that it seemed a little soupier than I’d like, I just let it simmer on the stove until it gets too my desired thickness.
I live in SW France with very hot summers, so love it when winter arrives and I can make a stew.
I followed your recipe to the letter, with the exception of using brandy to deglaze and cooking it on the stove top rather than the oven. Tastes delicious and looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you
I will try the brandy! I always have a bottle for cooking
Winner every time! So tasty and easy – made it for family who came to visit and had lots of compliments!
Can I add turnips?
Can I add turnips to this recipe?
Sure!
Just made this recipe and I have personally never made a stew before. It was absolutely AMAZING! The beef was melt in the mouth and the gravy was rich and thick. Only problem I had was when I went to add the veggies, the stew was already at a perfect consistency and thick.
So in the end I boiled them and had them on the side which wasn’t a problem. I know my mistake, I didn’t add the whole amount wine, as I’m T total and I didn’t wan’t the wine to overpower the dish. I just used a small glass of red. In future would say to add more water or more stock?
Thanks for a great recipe!!
Glad you liked it! Next time, replace any wine you’re omitting with additional beef broth.
This was super good! I’m saving this recipe and will be the only beef stew I’ll make in the future! yum dillishes!
Hi Jenn, I am getting ready to make this recipe. Can the potatoes, carrots, and onions be cut into smaller chunks?
Hi Thomas, They can but keep in mind the carrots and potatoes won’t take as long to cook, so I’d add them about 15 min later.
Good, but delete the garlic and sugar so you can enjoy the actual flavor of the stew. I like to chuck in some dried shitake mushrooms and use whole wheat flour. Oh, and double the wine quantity, adding half once the stew is close to being ready to serve.
Made this for Christmas Eve and it was a hit! Just had a bowl for lunch on Christmas Day and it’s even better than last night. Will be making this again and again. Thank you for another perfect recipe!