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Home » Recipes » Classic Beef Stew Recipe

Classic Beef Stew Recipe

by Mike Hultquist · Jan 4, 2023 · 60 Comments

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Beef Stew Recipe

This beef stew recipe is a classic dish of fork tender beef stewed with carrots and potatoes, so much like my mother used to make, pure comfort food.

Mike serving a scoop of beef stew from the pot

Easy Beef Stew with Potatoes and Carrots

Growing up, my mother made a lot of crockpot beef stew. It was my favorite dish she made, such a simple recipe, with cubed stew beef tossed into a crockpot with potatoes, carrots, some liquid and a pre-made beef stew seasoning packet.

She served with mashed potatoes, and I loved the way the thick stew gravy dripped down and gave everything so much flavor.

I make my own Beef Stew today more the classic way, by coating the beef in flour and seasonings, then searing it before cooking it low and slow in a mix of red wine and beef broth.

It's perfect every time. You might be wondering - why is Mike from Chili Pepper Madness making old-fashioned beef stew? It isn't spicy, is it?

The answer is "no", this isn't a spicy recipe, but one with huge flavor for sure. Plus, I hope you'll consider all of my other beef stew recipes from around with world to see which one is your favorite. Those links are listed below.

Learn how to make beef stew.

Classic Beef Stew Ingredients

  • Beef Chuck Roast.
  • Flour.
  • Seasonings. Paprika, salt and black pepper, Italian seasonings, bay leaf. Try my beef stew seasoning recipe.
  • Olive Oil.
  • Vegetables. Onion, green pepper, celery, garlic. I like to use jalapenos in place of the green pepper for a bit of spice factor. Also, yellow potatoes and carrots.
  • Tomato Paste.
  • Red Wine. I use Cabernet Sauvignon – use beef stock as an alternative. Balsamic vinegar is a nice addition as well, just a touch.
  • Beef Stock. Or beef broth. Beef bouillon is great for this recipe.
  • Carrots.

How to Make Beef Stew - the Recipe Method

Coat the Stew Beef with Flour and Seasonings. Mix together the flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Dip the chunks of beef into the mixture to lightly coat each side.

Coating with flour is an important step in making beef stew, as it will help to brown the meat and thicken your braising liquid into a velvety gravy-like sauce.

Sear the Beef in Batches. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Sear the beef in 3 separate batches to brown each side of the meat, about 5 minutes per batch.

Transfer the browned beef to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot before each batch.

Browning the seasoned beef to make Beef Stew

Cook the Vegetables. When all of the meat is seared and resting on the plate, add the last tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the onion, peppers, and celery. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to soften.

Cooking onions, celery and peppers to make Beef Stew

Garlic and Tomato Paste. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 more minute, stirring.

Add the Liquids. Add the red wine, beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Add the Browned Beef and Seasonings. Add the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot, along with the Italian seasonings and bay leaves.

Simmering the beef chunks in wine and beef broth

The First Simmer. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 2 hours.

The Second Simmer. Remove the lid and add the potatoes and carrots. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 more hour, or utnil the vegetables are cooked through and the meat is fork tender.

You may need more time for the meat to soften up to your liking.

Beef Stew simmering in a pot, almost done

Serve Your Beef Stew. Remove from heat. You can serve the beef stew immediately, but it is best to refrigerate the pot for 24 hours.

The flavor gets even better the next day. Simply reheat and serve.

Boom! Done! Your beef stew is ready to serve. Looks wonderful, doesn't it? So rich and delicious, the sauce like a thick and comforting gravy.

Beef stew in a bowl, ready to serve

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • You can serve your beef stew immediately, but it is even better the next day. Cover the pot and refrigerate it for 24 hours, then reheat when ready to serve. The flavors will be so much more developed.
  • If you prefer to skip the wine, consider these alternatives for your beef stew - more beef stock or beef broth, unsweetened cranberry juice, or tomato sauce.
  • I recommend that you do not skip the coating of the stew beef in flour. This step is important in developing a rich, velvety gravy-like sauce for your stew, making it so much more luxurious.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

If you prefer to use your slow cooker, transfer all of the ingredients after you brown the meat and cook down the vegetables in a pan (step #6 in the recipe card below), then cook on high for 3-4 hours, or on low for 7-8 hours, or until the beef is meltingly tender.

Best Meat for Beef Stew

Chuck beef roast is ideal for making tender beef stew. Any tougher cut of beef that benefits from low and slow cooking will work, though. Consider top round, bottom round, sirloin, trip-tip, or brisket.

Best Wine for Beef Stew

Dry red wine with bold flavor is best for cooking beef stew. I prefer Cabernet Sauvignon, but also consider pinot noir or merlot.

How to Thicken Beef Stew

Coating the beef stew meat in flour before searing helps to thicken your beef stew gravy, but if you'd like to thicken it more, mix 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons milk or water to form a slurry.

Stir it into your beef stew pot and simmer until thickened. Repeat if necessary.

What to Serve with Beef Stew

My mother always served her crockpot beef stew with mashed potatoes. It's a perfect combination. You can also serve it over rice, or with a side like these jalapeno-cheddar biscuits.

Storage / Freezing Beef Stew

Beef stew will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It isn't bad served cold, but is easily reheated in a microwave or tossed in a hot pan.

You can also freeze it for 2-3 months.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this classic beef stew recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Try Some of My Other Beef Stew Recipes from Around the World

  • Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew)
  • Hungarian Goulash
  • Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef Stew)
  • Rendang (Indonesian Beef Stew)
  • Birria (Mexican Beef Stew)
  • Texas Chili (Southern Beef Stew)
  • Beef Vindaloo (Indian Beef Stew Curry)
  • Bo Kho (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew)
  • Irish Beef Stew with Guinness
  • Oxtail Soup
  • Galbi Jjim (Korean Braised Short Ribs)
  • Awaze Tibs (Ethiopian Beef Tibs)
  • Mexican Carne en su Jugo (Meat in its Juices)
Chunky Beef Stew in a pot with potatoes and carrots

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Beef Stew Recipe
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Classic Beef Stew Recipe

This beef stew recipe is a classic dish of fork tender beef stewed with carrots and potatoes, so much like my mother used to make, pure comfort food.
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, French
Keyword: beef roast, carrots, potatoes
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Calories: 632kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 6
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5 from 21 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 3 pound beef chuck cut into 1.5 inch chunks
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1 large white onion chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper chopped (use jalapenos for a spicier version)
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 5 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 cups red wine I use Cabernet Sauvignon – use beef stock as an alternative
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning use your favorite blend of dried herbs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 pound yellow potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 3 large carrots cut into bite-sized pieces

Instructions

  • Mix together the flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Dip the chunks of beef into the mixture to lightly coat each side.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Sear the beef in 3 separate batches to brown each side of the meat, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot before each batch.
  • When all of the meat is seared and resting on the plate, add the last tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, peppers, and celery. Stir and cook for 5 minutes to soften.
  • Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 more minute, stirring.
  • Add the red wine, beef stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  • Add the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot, along with the Italian seasonings and bay leaves.
  • Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 2 hours.
  • Remove the lid and add the potatoes and carrots. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 more hour, or until the vegetables are cooked through and the meat is fork tender. You may need more time for the meat to soften up to your liking.
  • Remove from heat. You can serve the beef stew immediately, but it is best to refrigerate the pot for 24 hours. The flavor gets even better the next day. Simply reheat and serve.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 632kcal   Carbohydrates: 17g   Protein: 47g   Fat: 36g   Saturated Fat: 13g   Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g   Monounsaturated Fat: 20g   Trans Fat: 2g   Cholesterol: 156mg   Sodium: 862mg   Potassium: 1340mg   Fiber: 3g   Sugar: 5g   Vitamin A: 5947IU   Vitamin C: 22mg   Calcium: 100mg   Iron: 7mg
Beef Stew Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Lynn says

    April 07, 2025 at 7:38 am

    Can you give an instant pot recipe for this?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      April 07, 2025 at 7:47 am

      I'll have to test that write that separately, Lynn.

      Reply
  2. Annabel says

    February 21, 2025 at 6:17 pm

    5 stars
    This is probably the best beef stew I've ever made, and I've been making it for years. Mostly this stood out because the beef got so tender! I used the same kind I usually do, which is chuck (I buy a whole one and cut it up). I think the amount of acidic ingredients made a difference: the tomato paste (more than I usually use), the Worcestershire sauce, and the wine. I actually substituted a combination of red wine vinegar and balsamic (1/4 cup each) since I didn't have red wine, and supplemented with more beef stock. I used a red bell pepper instead of a green one since I already had one. I also threw in two tablespoons of brown sugar to help break down the meat more, and balanced it with a tablespoon each of extra salt and paprika. The sugar really wasn't necessary but it didn't hurt either. It was delicious. It was kind of like a Paprikash. I will definitely make it again. Next time, I will skip the flour dredge to make it gluten free and add the extra seasoning during simmering time, to taste. I'll boil some extra potatoes separately while the stew is cooking, puree them and add them as a thickener instead. Love this recipe and so did my husband and my adult son who stopped by to try some. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      February 22, 2025 at 9:18 am

      Nice!! I love it, Annabel! Glad you enjoyed it! Always happy to be helpful. Cheers.

      Reply
  3. Jessica says

    December 23, 2024 at 11:42 am

    5 stars
    Yet another awesome recipe to be put on repeat. Threw everything into the crockpot at #6, added some pepperoncinis and walked away. Thickened it up a bit with some cornstarch and viola. Thank you so much for saving my relationship time and time again!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      December 23, 2024 at 3:27 pm

      Awesome, Jessica! Very happy you enjoyed it!! Glad to help your relationship!

      Reply
  4. Cody says

    November 02, 2024 at 2:45 pm

    I’m going on a cold winter camping trip and will be making dinner for a total of 7 people. How should I adjust the ingredients amounts? It’ll be 7 hungry grown men so want to make sure I have enough for everyone. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 03, 2024 at 8:40 am

      Cody, there is a slider in the recipe card with the servings that lets you adjust for amounts. See if that helps.

      Reply
  5. Margo says

    August 20, 2024 at 10:00 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so much for this Classic Beef Stew recipe. It turned out mouth watering delicious. Like you, I love Spicy, so I added one Red super hot Cherry Pepper. I am already on your mailing list, and I have your Spicy cookbook. You're awesome!!!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 20, 2024 at 10:03 pm

      Excellent! I love to hear it, Margo! Thanks, and I hope you're enjoying my cookbook as well! I hope you'll leave a review on Amazon! It's always helpful. You are the best! =)

      Reply
  6. Tracy says

    March 27, 2024 at 1:08 pm

    5 stars
    Yet another delicious meal. I subbed Hatch for green bell pepper. The combination of Cabernet Sauvignon and beef stock is amazing. This goes into the regular rotation of cool weather meals.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      March 27, 2024 at 2:09 pm

      Nice! Perfect sub with the Hatch chiles! I love it! Glad you like it, Tracy.

      Reply
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