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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We are making this on the 13th anniversary of this recipe being released wish us luck we love French food and stews and carrots we got all of the ingredients from the family fare but the onions were all too fat! Smh… we also don’t believe in bay leaves so THATs not happening.
It is in the oven as we speak. Making it for my sons birthday dinner tonight. I don’t normally cook with wine, but I had a bottle of Francis Coppola 2012 Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon so I used that. It smells amazing. If it tastes half as good it will be a hit.
Hu Jenn,
I’ve never had success making beef stew but I am going to try this recipe. Every time I see the picture, my mouth waters and every recipe of yours that I’ve tried, works out perfectly. Wondering could I use russet potatoes in lieu of the Yukon golds? Thanks for all of the great recipes.
Hi Bar, so glad you’ve had good luck with the recipes! Yes, you can get away with using russets here. Hope you enjoy!
Finally, I’ve made a beef stew that turned out really well. Thank you, Jenn! I’ve attempted to make beef stew several times but this recipe is the only one that has ever turned out for me. I knew I could count on your recipe to be THE one and one I will make on repeat. Not only was it very flavourful, the meat was very tender as well. I appreciate that your answers to my questions which are always so prompt. Thanks so much, Jenn!
Made this for the 4th time and it is my go-to for stew now. I always make a 1/2 batch since it’s just the queen and I. Time to go to the store for another chuck roast to have on hand.
Thanks Jenn.
Jon
US Navy Retired
Wonderful recipe. especially after a day or so. No need to change anything!!!!
I made this a couple days ago with the intent of letting it ‘rest’ for better flavor. I used the slow-cooker method and it’s just more watery/soupy than stew consistency. Any suggestions for successfully thickening? Thanks. It smells heavenly!
Sure, Lucy, I’d put it in a pot on the stove and simmer it, uncovered, until it gets to your desired consistency. Enjoy!
Sad to say but this stew was so bland. I ended up putting 3 heaping tablespoonfuls of beef bullion, salt & pepper, more thyme and herbs de provence and it was just OK. Wouldn’t use this recipe again.
Tried this once as written and loved it. Question: My butcher handed me today a 3.5 pound prime whole chuck roast. Is it necessary to cut it up into small chunks? Or can I simply leave whole and sear all sides? And if left whole, this would add cooking time?
Hi Rob, I think you could do that. It may take a bit longer to get really tender, but I don’t anticipate the difference will be significant. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I’ve made beef stew many times, however, this was the first time braising in the oven. The consistency was very good and I love the way the oven cooks thoroughly. My only issue was the amount of wine used. Next time I will use one cup instead of two, and add after the onions and garlic have sautéed to allow the alcohol to thoroughly cook off. And if definitely needs more salt and thyme.
Hello!
This recipe is delicious (I have recommended to family and friends!). What would you suggest as an alternative to red wine?
Many thanks!
Glad you like it! I’d replace the red wine with additional broth – it will still be delicious.
This is awesome. My favorite beef stew recipe ever. So easy and just delicious! Thank you!
So much liquid! And I didn’t put in the water, just the wine and stock. Tastes good but due to the amount of liquid I had the use cornflower to thicken.
Hi Jenn, I have made many of your soup recipes with great success, you are my first chef to visit when I am looking for a recipe. My question is, can I substitute a good quality dry Marsala wine for the red wine without spoiling the recipe? Maybe eliminate the balsamic? I have a bottle already open that I use to make veal or chicken Marsala.
Hi Francesca, glad you’ve enjoyed the soups you’ve made! I’ve never made this with Marsala, so I’d be inclined to stick to the red wine. That said, a few readers have commented that they’ve used Marsala and have been happy with the results. Please report back if you try it!
Absolutely delish!
Hi Jenn,
Would a bordeaux wine work for this recipe?
Maria
Sure, Maria, that’s fine – enjoy! 😊
Hi Jenn,
Thanks for this delicious recipe! My family and friends love it! This is my 3rd time making it. I now double the recipe to have leftovers and share with family.
I’ve made this stew a number of times and it is amazing every time. Awesome recipe!
Followed the recipe exactly. I have to say thumbs down. Watery. Not thick. Veggies still tough and have gone way over time called for. Didn’t like the taste. It’s more like a soup.
No good.
That’s too bad!
And weird … I just made it for the first time last week, and it turned out great & was delicious.
Just wondering if this could be adapted for a slow cooker?
Or is it better to cook the whole thing the night before, chill in fridge, and tĥen warm on low in slow cooker?
Hi Jennifer, Yes, you can use 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). The other option you mentioned is fine as well. Either way, the stew is actually better on the second day as the flavors have had time to meld. Hope you enjoy!
Best Beef Stew ever!
I’m sure the slow cooker would work, but the ‘make the night before’ method would be best. I’ve often done this, assembling everything except the carrots and potatoes and taken the recipe to the point of putting it in the oven, but then put it in the fridge overnight. The next day I add the veggies and throw the whole thing in the oven for a few hours. Letting it sit overnight takes this to the next level! My 10yr requested this for his bday dinner – it’s an absolute favourite around here.
Excellent flavor!!
I’ve been promising my family I’d make some good beef stew for awhile, and with all this gloomy, rainy weather, this seemed to be the perfect opportunity. I doubled the recipe for a big batch, and, since most of us don’t consume wine, I replaced it with tart cherry juice blended with an additional tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. It was a perfect substitute! I used a gelatin-rich beef stock that I had frozen after braising a large batch of beef shanks last month. After cooking, I let it sit for a day and reheated it. This turned out to be some of the most flavorful beef stew I’ve ever made; an instant hit! We ate it with cornbread.
I followed the recipe as closely as possible. I was a bit pressed for time, so after searing all the meat, I put everything in my Instapot and cooked it for 40 minutes. I didn’t personally taste it since I’m a vegetarian, but my boyfriend loved it. He said it reminded him so much of the grandmother that raised him (passed in 01) that he almost wanted to cry.
I have struggled to make a tender, flavorful beef stew. This recipe was so delicious and the meat so tender! I followed the recipe exactly as written. It makes a very large quantity, enough to feed 6 with second helpings and leftovers. I paired it with buttermilk biscuits which were perfect for helping sop up the flavorful broth. My family commented on how yummy it was. I even received a thumbs up from my harshest critic: my BIL who has a culinary background. The beef was melt in your mouth tender. Definitely a recipe I will use again!
I did use gluten free flour because one member of the family is gluten free. It didn’t seem to make a difference and the family loved it!
I made this and did not like it the first day. I did make it one day ahead of serving it and the second day it was very good, which is what was suggested. I added one yellow onion but not all the pearl onions because my family doesn’t like that much onion. I used more beef broth the second day to reheat it. That helped a lot so it wasn’t so thick and gave us some more gravy.
Best stew recipe. Used potato starch instead of flour to make this gluten free.
This recipe came out absolutely delicious! My only change was to toss the meat in the flour before I browned it and I thought the stew needed a bit more salt and pepper but otherwise followed the instructions to a T. It was perfect. Like others said, the broth needed a bit of simmering on the stovetop after the oven to thicken up a bit more but the flavors were rich and perfect for a cold snowy night. I’ll be sure to try out more of your recipes. Thank you!
This recipe came out absolutely delicious! My only change was to toss the meat in the flour before I browned it and I thought the stew needed a bit more salt and pepper but otherwise followed the instructions to a T. It was perfect. Like others said, the broth needed a bit of simmering on the stovetop after the oven to thicken up a bit more but the flavors were rich and perfect for a cold snowy night. I’ll be sure to try out more of your recipes. Thank you!
I love ALL your recipes. This one is a winter favorite!
Hi Jenn,
This is the very first recipe that I made from your website. It came out SO good, that I tried other recipes that you wrote, and I must say that every one of them came out delicious!!!
I always recommend my friends and family to try your recipes.
The Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes comes out superbly tasty, and everyone loves it.
Thank you for the excellent recipes.
Made this again yesterday and it’s delicious!
I’ve made beef stew before and it’s been good. I made yours and my husband wouldn’t stop raving about how amazing it was! Making it again today with some homemade crusty rolls.
I have 5.5 lbs of chuck, do i need to double the liquids and vegetables?
Yes, Yes, I’d double all the ingredients. Keep in mind that because your beef is a 1/2 pound short of double what’s called for, you’ll have some extra broth. Feel free to add slightly more than double the vegetables to add more volume. Also, make sure you have a very large pot for it. Enjoy!
i’m sure someone has asked already but how would you do this in a crock pot?
For a crockpot 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!
This was good . My husband and oldest loved it. I found the taste of the wine to be a bit over powering so I’ll make it again and reduce it next time.
Great recipe
Hi can’t wait to make this today! About to go to the store to get all my ingredients but wanted to know why did you use beef broth instead beef stock? Wouldn’t the stock add even more flavor? Thanks again for sharing any wait
Hi Deanna, I always have beef broth on hand so that’s why I used it. Feel free to use beef stock if you prefer. Hope you enjoy!
First time making beef stew and this is delicious! Two things I did different: I used one large sweet onion and diced, instead of chunks; when I put the potatoes and carrots in, the stew was purple-ish, so I added a packet of beef bouillon in 1/2 cup water. My husband said this is the best stew he’s ever eaten!
This stew was delicious!! Perfect for a snowy day. Will definitely make again. Thanks for sharing all your yummy recipes!
Blessings 🙂
This was incredible!!! In a home filled with picky eaters, this was the declared the best beef stew ever. I’m GF and I used 1/3 c gluten free flour with a 4lb roast. It was phenomenal. The meat melts in your mouth and your home smells absolutely divine while it’s cooking. This was the first time I added balsamic to a beef stew and I absolutely loved what it added. Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Made it tonight, exactly as recipe called for. So delicious! Perfect for the cold, snowy night we had.
by 6 servings are they 4oz servings 8oz?
Hi Vincent, I’d guesstimate that a serving is about 2 cups.
Great recipe and the balsamic really adds a nice sweetness to the overall stew. It’s a make again recipe for sure.
TOO GOOD. I replaced the sugar with honey just to try to eliminate processed sugars and it worked great! This was really unbelievable. Served it with crusty baguette and ate it on a cold night. One of my favorite recipes to date!
By far the best stew I have ever made just at the first try. I don’t have a dutch oven so I just did it on the stove top. I did it with the stuff I had in the pantry so was out of tomato paste and used a tomato sauce instead. Also used my potatoes from the garden instead of the ones in the recipe. The flavor is fantastic and all relatively easy, made it in 30 mins then just wait for cooking time. Wonder if it would be as good on a slow cooker..
So glad you enjoyed it! 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).
Made this yesterday it’s rather rich, which didn’t surprise me! But very delicious will for sure make it again👍😊
Made this recipe today. Followed exactly. Meat and veggies were tender but broth was very watery – not at all thick and savory. Any idea why and how to fix it?
Hi Cathy, I’d just simmer the stew, uncovered, until it gets to your desired thickness.
I forgot to add the flour! What can I do?!
Oops – no worries! I’d thicken the stew at the end with a cornstarch slurry, which is a mixture of equal parts cornstarch and cold water. I would make a slurry with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Bring the stew to a simmer and gradually pour in half of the slurry while stirring. Let it simmer for a few more minutes and see if it’s thickened to your liking. If you’d like it thicker, add the remaining slurry and simmer again. Keep in mind that the stew will thicken slightly upon cooling. (If you’ve thickened it too much, just add a bit of broth or water to thin it out.) Hope that helps!
My stew smells so good but is not thickening 🙁 Is there anything I can do? I added the flour early on, but should I add more flour, or something else?
Hi Brit, you can just simmer it, uncovered, until it gets to your desired level of thickness.
Can you make this in a crockpot?
Hi Nancy, Yes. For a crockpot, 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!
Just put the stew in the oven smells very good, I will send my full comments, but just wanted to let u know that the screen turns dark, does not stay lite? Like other websites?
Hi Marsha, Do you have the Cook-Mode setting on to keep your screen from going dark?
Hello Jen …. Yes I had the cook mode on??
That’s really strange — I’m sorry you had a problem with it! Going to let my developer know so it can be addressed.
Hi there! I would like to try to make this tonight however I don’t have red wine or balsamic vinegar. Any appropriate substitutes? I have red wine vinegar and a balsamic vinegar vinegarette dressing, would any of those be sufficient?
Hi Courtney, you can use more beef broth in place of the red wine and with red wine vinegar in place of the balsamic. Enjoy!
I just made the stew and it taste so good but the taste of wine is pretty strong. I’m not sure if that’s expected or not?
It really shouldn’t taste strongly of wine — the wine should just add more depth of flavor. I’m sorry you’re finding it to taste stronger than you’d like!
I’ve had the same problem with the screen going dark on my iPad. Fixed it by going to Settings, clicking on Display & Brightness, then selecting Auto-lock, and changing time to Never. You will have to change it back when you’re done cooking to save battery. Hope this helps.
I made this recipe on the weekend when I had more time. I didn’t have red wine, so I used sherry cooking wine. I used Knorr Beef concentrate stock for my beef stock. The beef stew came out amazing. I can’t believe I made this in my own kitchen. We would call this meal restaurant quality at our house. Definitely plan on making this again and again and again. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Silly question- what is portion size per serving?
Not a silly question — I’d estimate a serving is about 2 cups.
This recipe is OUT OF THIS WORLD! ⭐️ I have never experienced such a flavor and warmth to my soul. The veg cooked for 1.5 hours and still wasn’t soft, which I found strange. But that hiccup didn’t even matter, taste is amazing.
Absolutely delicious!
I have never liked beef stew but my teenage son wanted some -;even though I told him it was gross. No amount of complaining would change his mind so I begrudgingly made this recipe. I ate half of it. I’ve made it 4 more times and I gobble it down shamelessly every single time. Y’all this stuff is amazing!! Do yourselves a favor and try this recipe, especially card carrying members of the I Hate Beef Stew club, because I promise y’all will be so glad you did!!