Hearty Classic Beef Stew is at the top of my list for comfort foods. This Classic Beef Stew features plenty of delicious, garden-fresh herbs and vegetables, so it is a great way to enjoy those savory treasures from your garden or the local farmers’ market.
When I say that this is the best beef stew recipe, it is! It’s the ultimate way to fill your belly with comfort food that everyone will love to eat. If you crave a thicker stew, this is the recipe for you. The rich flavor will have you filling your bowl for more!
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this Old-Fashioned Beef Stew
- This hearty beef stew is full of tender beef
- It’s perfect for colder weather or any time of the year
- It’s one of my favorite dinner recipes because there’s always some left for the next day.
Easy Beef Stew Recipe Ingredients
- Extra virgin olive oil – You can also use coconut oil.
- Garlic cloves – I’ve used minced garlic in a pinch as well.
- Mushrooms – Cut up white mushrooms and add them to the stew.
- Beef stock – This adds even more of that rich flavor.
- Sea salt and pepper – To taste.
- Beef stew meat – Cut it up into cubed pieces.
- Dry red wine – Make sure you use dry wine.
- Bay leaf – For flavor.
- Carrots – Peel and cut the carrots.
- Celery stalks – Chop up the celery for a bit of crunch.
- Yellow onion – You can also use a sweet onion.
- Russet potatoes – Clean the potatoes well and dice them up.
- Fresh thyme leaves – For flavor.
- Oregano leaves – For taste.
- Rosemary leaves – For flavor.
How to Make Classic Beef Stew
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements!
- Wash and peel all vegetables and pat dry before prepping. (Potato skins can either be left on or removed based on personal preference)
- Heat olive oil, garlic, and mushrooms in a large (5 or 6-quart), high-sided Jumbo Deep Fry Pan over medium-high heat. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms start to release their liquid, stirring occasionally.
- Working in batches if necessary, add beef to skillet and cook until browned on all sides. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Transfer browned beef and mushroom mixture to a large bowl, and return empty skillet to the cooktop.
- Deglaze skillet with 1 cup beef stock and the red wine over medium-high heat, using a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits. Boil liquid until reduced by one half before returning the beef-mushroom mixture to the skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add 2 cups of beef broth and the bay leaf to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 1-1½ hours, or until the beef is tender. Stir beef mixture occasionally while simmering.
- Remove lid and add carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and fresh herbs. Stir to combine and add additional beef stock, if necessary, to reach desired consistency.
- Continue simmering, uncovered, for another 20-25 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender, but not mushy. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon hot stew into individual serving bowls and serve immediately.
Storage and leftovers
This great meal makes quite a bit so you’ll have a little bit leftover for the next day. Just add the homemade beef stew recipe into an airtight container and store it in the fridge. You can reheat it on the stovetop in a large pot. You should eat within 2-3 days.
FAQs
You can always add Worcestershire sauce to add flavor quickly. You can also up the number of pay leaves that you add to this classic beef stew recipe. If you’re wanting to add lots of flavors, you may want to change up the ingredients and try adding sweet potatoes, frozen peas, or other veggies to the soup pot.
If you want the cut of beef to get more tender, it may the longer it cooks. To make beef stew meat tender, you can just keep it cooking for a little bit longer. As long as it’s submerged in liquid, you shouldn’t have to worry about it drying out.
What to Serve With Hearty Beef Stew
A great side dish is a game changer. For a complete meal, consider adding one of these recipes.
Related Recipes
- Tuscan Sausage Potato Soup
- Irish Inspired Ground Beef Stew Recipe
- Southwestern Chicken Soup
- Check out the rest of my soup recipes here!
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Classic Beef Stew
Equipment
- Deep Fry Pan (5 or 6-quart)
- Wooden Corner Spoon (our favorite)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 3-4 cloves garlic fresh minced
- 8 oz mushrooms white, sliced
- 2 lbs beef stew cut into 1” cubes
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 3-4 cup beef stock divided*
- 1 cup red wine dry
- 1 bay leaf whole
- 3 carrots chopped
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 lbs Russet potatoes chopped
- 2 tps fresh thyme leaves rinsed
- 2 tps fresh oregano leaves rinsed
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary leaves chopped
- *Use more or less beef stock to achieve the desired consistency
Instructions
- Wash and peel all vegetables and pat dry before prepping. (Potato skins can either be left on or removed based on personal preference)
- Heat olive oil, garlic, and mushrooms in a large (5 or 6-quart), high-sided Jumbo Deep Fry Pan over medium-high heat. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until mushrooms start to release their liquid, stirring occasionally.
- Working in batches if necessary, add beef to skillet and cook until browned on all sides. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Transfer browned beef and mushroom mixture to a large bowl, and return empty skillet to the cooktop.
- Deglaze skillet with 1 cup beef stock and the red wine over medium-high heat, using a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits. Boil liquid until reduced by one half before returning the beef-mushroom mixture to the skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add 2 cups of beef broth and the bay leaf to the skillet. Cover and simmer for 1-1½ hours, or until the beef is tender. Stir beef mixture occasionally while simmering.
- Remove lid and add carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, and fresh herbs. Stir to combine and add additional beef stock, if necessary, to reach desired consistency.
- Continue simmering, uncovered, for another 20-25 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are tender, but not mushy. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon hot stew into individual serving bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Bella says
yummm gimme gimme this looks so tasty!! gonan had this to my menu this week!
Kim Schob says
Lol, Bella! I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for coming by!
patricia says
I love the herbs & veggies in this classic dish. I also love when one dish can turn into an entire meal! So good!
Kim Schob says
Oh, Patricia, I so agree with you on all counts. Thank you for coming by!
Heather @ US Japan Fam says
Yessss!! Such a staple for Fall and Winter! Gonna save this one, thanks!
Kim Schob says
I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for coming by, Heather!
serena says
I love a great beef stew. I think my favorite part is definitely the leftovers! YUM
Kim Schob says
Yes, the leftovers are the best! Thank you for coming by, Serena!
Mimi says
Wow this sounds so good! It’ll be perfect once the weather cools down a bit
Kim Schob says
Thank you! Yeah, you could wait for the weather, but why? Lol, I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for coming by, Mini!