Beef Stew: 7 Easy Steps

We make beef stew on the nights when we want something good on the table without a long list of steps. This is the kind of cooking we believe in, nothing fussy, just a plate worth sitting down for.

This Beef Stew is pure comfort in a bowl with melt-in-your-mouth chunks of beef, hearty vegetables, and all the right herbs and spices. This recipe comes together in about 140 minutes from start to finish, which is exactly why it keeps showing up on our table. Below you will find the full ingredient list, the exact method we use, and the small details that make this dish work every single time.

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Beef Stew, freshly made and ready to serve

Why You Will Love Beef Stew

There are plenty of weeknight dinners out there. Here is why the recipe keeps winning in our kitchen.

• It actually fills you up. Hearty and filling, perfect for cold days.
• Protein where you need it. Packed with protein from the beef.
• It just works. Contains a variety of vegetables for added nutrition.
• Dinner in about 140 minutes. Start to plate, including the prep.
• About 29 g of protein per serving. Enough to hold you until morning, not just until nine.

Ingredients You Will Need for Beef Stew

Everything here is an everyday ingredient. This is the exact list we use for this one, measured the way we actually cook it.

Protein

• 2 lb beef stew meat cubed chuck roast
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup chicken broth plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Produce

• 4 tbsp cornstarch divided
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 10 oz pearl onions
• 4 medium carrots sliced
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley

Seasoning

• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice

Pantry

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb red potatoes cut into bite-sized chunks
• 4 medium celery ribs sliced
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cold water

A quick word on the parts that matter most in it:

• Beef stew meat cubed chuck roast. Give it a proper sear first. That browning is where most of the flavor comes from.
• Cornstarch divided. It is an everyday ingredient doing quiet, useful work here.
• Minced garlic. Let it soften slowly rather than rushing it. Burnt garlic turns bitter and there is no fixing it.

Prefer metric? The recipe card below switches every amount over for you.

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Beef Stew, freshly made and ready to serve

How to Make Beef Stew

Here is exactly how we make the dish: about 20 minutes of prep and roughly 120 minutes of cooking.

What you need: Large Skillet, Large Pot, Oven, Mixing Bowl.

1. Dust 2 pounds beef stew meat with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned beef and sear for about 5 minutes, until all sides are browned, stirring frequently.
3. Stir in 2 cloves minced garlic and 2 tablespoons tomato paste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
4. Pour in 4 cups beef broth and 1/4 cup chicken broth plus 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the diced potatoes, pearl onions, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice. Stir to combine.
5. Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 90 to 120 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.
6. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water. Stir until completely dissolved. Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the stew, stirring constantly. Cook on low heat for a few more minutes, until the stew thickens.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot.

That is the whole method. Nothing here needs special technique, just a little attention at the right moments.

Tips for the Best Beef Stew

None of this is complicated, but these are the small habits that separate a good plate of this recipe from a great one.

• Taste and adjust the salt at the end. Simmering concentrates everything, so season last.
• Simmer gently instead of boiling hard. A rolling boil can toughen the meat and cloud the broth.
• If it thickens too much as it sits, loosen it with a splash of broth when you reheat. If it thickens too much as it sits, loosen it with a splash of broth when you reheat.
• Read the steps once before you start. Knowing what is coming makes the whole thing calmer.
• Have everything measured and within reach before the heat goes on. Have everything measured and within reach before the heat goes on.

Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning at the end rather than the beginning. This dish rewards a little attention right at the finish.

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Beef Stew, freshly made and ready to serve

Variations and Add Ins

Beef stew takes changes well, so treat the recipe above as a starting point rather than a set of rules. These are the swaps we come back to most often.

• Change the cut. Ground beef, chuck or sirloin each work, they just need different cooking times.
• Make it richer. A spoonful of tomato paste or a splash of broth deepens the sauce.
• Add heat. Red pepper flakes or a little cayenne give it a gentle warmth.
• Bulk it up. Beans, mushrooms or extra vegetables stretch it without changing the character.
• Change the herbs. Fresh parsley, basil or dill at the end each send it somewhere slightly different for no extra effort.
• Make it a bigger meal. Serve it over rice or with warm bread and it stretches to feed another person or two.

Change one thing at a time rather than three. That way you find out what you actually like in the recipe instead of guessing at the end.

How to Store and Reheat Beef Stew

Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, and the flavor often deepens overnight. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth. It also freezes well for up to three months.

If you are cooking ahead on purpose, prep the components and keep them separate until you are ready. It takes a few minutes off a busy evening and this one holds its texture far better that way.

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Beef Stew, freshly made and ready to serve

What to Serve With Beef Stew

It carries a plate on its own, but a few simple things turn it into a proper dinner.

• Mashed potatoes. Simple, and it soaks up everything on the plate.
• A crusty piece of bread. A little contrast keeps the whole plate from feeling heavy.
• Buttered noodles. Easy to put together while the main event finishes.
• A sharp green salad. The kind of small addition that makes dinner feel finished.

Beef Stew FAQ

Can I make Beef Stew ahead of time?

Yes. You can prep the components a day ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator, then finish the dish when you are ready to eat. It saves real time on a busy evening.

Can I use something other than beef stew meat cubed chuck roast?

You can. Use what you have and keep the quantity about the same. The cooking time may shift slightly, so go by how this recipe looks rather than the clock.

How long does Beef Stew take?

About 140 minutes from start to finish, including roughly 20 minutes of hands on prep. The first time through may run a little longer.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes. Doubling works well here. Use a larger pan so nothing crowds, and expect this dish to need a little more time in the heat.

How do I store leftovers?

Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days, and the flavor often deepens overnight.

Can I freeze Beef Stew?

Yes, in an airtight container for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently so the texture holds.

Simple Food That Earns Its Place

If you make beef stew, we hope it turns into one of those recipes you stop measuring after a while, the one you can put together on a Tuesday without thinking too hard about it. That is the best thing a recipe can become, not a special occasion dish but a reliable one.

If something worked especially well for you, or you found a swap worth passing on, we would genuinely like to hear about it. Most of the small improvements in our recipes started as somebody else’s idea.

Simple ingredients, an honest method, and a plate worth sitting down for. That is all we are ever after.