The Best Ever Beef Stew Recipe (video)

When it comes to flavor, this classic beef stew isn’t messing around! This is seriously the best beef stew recipe ever! It’s made with chunks of slow-braised beef, baby potatoes, mushrooms, carrots and peas. This hearty and warming chunky stew is so aromatic and flavorful, you’ll be coming back to this dinner recipe again and again!

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Ingredients for Making Stew

Here are some of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe!

• Beef Tri-Tip: this cut of beef will become super tender when cooked for a few hours. You can also use beef roast.
• Red wine: the red wine will add lots of great flavor to this recipe. You can make this recipe without the red wine, just substitute with more beef broth. I recommend using a dry red wine, such as cabernet or zinfandel.
• Potatoes: I love to use baby potatoes but regular potatoes will work great, too!
• Mushrooms: these are optional but I love to have them in my beef stew.
• Beef Broth: I recommend using a bone beef broth, which is so hearty!
• Worcestershire Sauce: this sauce is savory and adds lots of great flavor.
• Tomato sauce
• Garlic, onions, celery, carrots

How to Make the Best Beef Stew

The secret to making the best stew is time! The longer the stew gets to simmer away, the better it’s going to taste! Because it requires a few hours of cooking time, this dinner recipe is perfect for making on the weekend.

1. Start by choosing the right meat: I recommend using large, 1 1/2-inch chunks of beef tri-tip, beef roast or even beef short ribs. Preheat a large pan and sear the meat all over, giving it nice color. This step is going to add lots of flavor so don’t rush the process!
2. I love a good, chunky soup and this one is made with halved baby potatoes, carrots, sliced mushrooms and even peas! The baby potatoes are sweet and tender, making them perfect for this recipe. For the sweet peas, either fresh or frozen will work well.
3. And for the mushrooms, I recommend going with baby bella mushrooms – they’re firm in texture and delicious! After browning the mushrooms, I add a few tablespoons of flour, which will help thicken the stew as it cooks.
4. The beef and vegetables then combined with red wine, beef broth, tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce. If you don’t use wine for cooking, you can replace it with more beef broth but I highly recommend adding it. The wine will add lots of flavor that you just can’t get otherwise.
5. I also season the beef stew with smoked paprika and Italian herbs. Once the stew comes up to a boil, reduce the heat and it cook away for at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours – the longer it simmers, the softer and more tender the beef will be.

Italian Herbs Seasoning

I like to add my own Italian herb blend to this soup recipe and it’s super easy to make: I combine 1/2 teaspoon EACH of the following dried herbs: basil, oregano, marjoram, thyme and rosemary. If you enjoy fennel seed, add about 4 to 5 seeds. This is a great herb blend for the stew and can also be used for other recipes!

Serving Beef Stew

There are so many great ways to enjoy this hearty and chunky stew! I love to enjoy it with a side of toasted baguette. You can also enjoy it with biscuits, or even over a bed of rice!

Common Recipe Questions

Can I make this stew without the red wine?

Yes, you can make this beef stew without the wine. Keep in mind, the alcohol will cook out very quickly, so this stew is safe for kids, too! You can replace the wine with more beef broth.

How can I make this stew thicker?

For a thicker stew, you can do either one of two things. You can double the amount of flour, or you can reduce the amount of beef broth.

Can I omit the mushrooms?

Yes, this stew will be delicious without the mushrooms, too!

More Recipes!

If you enjoyed this hearty and warming recipe, check out some of my other favorite dinner recipes!

• Braised Beef Short Ribs – the best recipe for fall-off-the-bone, extra tender short ribs in a red wine tomato sauce!
• Smoky Chipotle Beef Chili – warming and hearty chili with loads of beef and smoky chipotle peppers!
•  Stewed Beef & Potatoes – a favorite Slavic recipe that’s packed with flavor!
• Classic Italian Lasagna – the best ever cheese and meat lasagna made with slow-cooked bolognese sauce!
• Ukrainian Braised Pork – hearty pork shoulder braised in a creamy mushroom sauce with mashed potatoes!

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4.91 from 22 votes

The Best Ever Beef Stew Recipe (video)

25 mins prep + 1 hr 30 mins cook

8 servings

Easy and hearty beef stew with potatoes, carrots and red wine.

Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

• 2 lbs beef tri-tip, roast or short ribs
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 3 medium carrots, diced
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 3 medium celery sticks, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 small mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 1/2 tsp Italian herbs blend
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• Ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 cups halved baby potatoes
• 1 cup fresh or frozen sweet peas
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

• Cut the beef into 1 1/2-inch chunks. Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add a few tablespoons of oil. Once the pan is hot, add the cubed beef, season generously with salt and fry for 7 to 10 minutes, until well browned all over. Transfer the beef into a large soup pot. Deglaze the frying pan with 1/2 cup water and add the liquids to the soup pot.
• Into the same frying pan, add 1 tablespoon cooking oil and the carrots, celery and onion. Saute the mixture over medium heat until the onions are translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Once the onion is tender, add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the mirepoix mixture into the soup pot. Into the frying pan, add the butter and allow it to melt before adding the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms for 4 to 5 minutes, until well browned all over. Season the mushrooms with salt and then add the flour. Toss the mushrooms in the flour so they're evenly coated and cook for 1 minute; transfer the mushrooms into the pot.
• To the soup pot, add the red wine, tomato sauce, Worcestershire, beef broth, spices and herbs. Season generously with black pepper and abou 1 1/2 tsp salt. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue simmering the soup for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the beef is tender.
• Add the potatoes and frozen peas; if using fresh peas, add them 10 minutes later. Cook the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until fork tender. Garnish the stew with chopped parsley and enjoy.
• Optional: for a richer stew, add the potatoes and continue cooking for an additional hour, bringing the total cooking to 2 or 2 1/2 hours.

Nutrition

Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1043mg | Potassium: 1235mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 4390IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 4mg