Easy Stovetop Beef Stew

Yumna Jawad
Updated

4.99 from 766 votes

The easy Beef Stew is hearty, comforting and made in one pot. Full of tender flavorful beef and requires minimal prep, it makes for a delicious family meal!

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If you are in the need for some hearty comfort food, then this one pot easy beef stew is perfect! Packed full of veggies and loaded with flavor, this quick to prep meal is perfect for the whole family.

Beef stew in a dutch oven ready to serve
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Ingredients

  • Beef: Use stew beef for this recipe. It’s a tough cut of meat that becomes wonderfully tender and flavorful during the slow cook.
  • Flour: To coat the beef and thicken the stew. You can use all-purpose flour, or a gluten-free blend if you have a wheat intolerance.
  • Vegetables: Onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery.
  • Tomato paste: For a rich tomato base for the stew.
  • Seasonings: Thyme, basil, bay leaves, salt and pepper.
  • Broth: You can use either beef or vegetable stock in this recipe.

How do you make beef stew

It’s so quick and easy to make this flavorful beef stew and it’s all cooked in one pot! Start with beef stew meat, season it with salt and pepper and then toss it with flour until its well coated.

Beef chunks coated with flour
  1. Now, transfer the coated beef into a dutch oven or deep pot and start cooking the beef on all sides. You don’t want to move them around too much or there’s no need to completely cook the beef. You’re just looking for some good color on all sides.
  2. Add the onions and garlic and saute just for a couple minutes until they become fragrant and lightly golden. This will help deepen the flavor of the dish.
  3. Stir in the tomato paste with the beef, onions and garlic.
  4. Add in the rest of the veggies, season with salt and pepper and throw the herbs on top. It may seems like a lot but it will really help flavor the dish which has a long cooking time.
  5. Pour in the broth.
  6. Simmer until the beef is tender and enjoy it!
Step by step shots to show how to make the beef stew in a dutch oven

Tips for making this stew recipe

  1. Be sure to coat the beef in flour before browning it. It helps to provide a flavorful crust as well as thickening the stew so there’s no need to thicken the stew later on. If you are gluten-free, you can use a 1:1 GF flour.
  2. Make the stew in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan. It will help to distribute the heat evenly so that you don’t get hot spots that can burn the bottom the food.
  3. Make sure you sear the beef well before adding the other ingredients. This really helps to lock in the flavor. Brown the meat long enough so that it gets a nice crust on it, but don’t worry about cooking it all the way through.
  4. Don’t rush the cooking process. The meat needs time to cook so that it becomes tender. Test a bit of meat before serving it so you know that it isn’t tough. It could take between 60 and 90 minutes.
Beef stew served in two bowls

Frequently asked questions

What’s the best cut of meat to use?

I like to use stew meat for stew, that you can get in your local store or butchers. The stew is slow cooked, so it’s ideal for more flavorsome and tougher cuts like chuck. If you use a leaner cut of meat it can become overcooked and chewy.

Can you make the stew ahead of time?

Beef stew is a great dish for make ahead meals. Once you have made the stew, let it cool completely and it will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also get ahead of things by cutting the veggies up to a day before you cook the stew, making prep a breeze.

Can you freeze this easy beef stew?

Yes! This is such a great freezer meal and will keep well for up to 3 months, so make a double batch! Thaw the stew in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop.

What do you serve with beef stew?

Beef stew is great with something starchy to help mop up all of those juices. Crusty bread, mashed potato and sweet mashed potatoes work great. I also like to add some simple steamed green veggies like broccoli or asparagus.

Beef stew in a bowl with a spoon

This easy beef stew is such a hearty and comforting dish, and so perfect for freezer meals. It’s loaded full of rich flavors and I love how easily it comes together! Check out my mushroom stew for an alternative to beef.

More Easy Beef Recipes

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feelgood Easy Beef Stew recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

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Beef stew in a large pot after it's done cooking
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Review

Easy Beef Stew

The easy Beef Stew is hearty, comforting and made in one pot. Full of tender flavorful beef and requires minimal prep, it makes for a delicious family meal!
5 from 766 votes
Author Yumna Jawad
Servings 8 servings
Course Main Course
Calories 286
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

  • 2 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 onion roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 pound potatoes peeled and cubed
  • 6 carrots roughly chopped
  • 3 celery sticks sliced
  • 2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cups vegetable or beef broth
  • Fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

  • Season the beef with salt and pepper in a large bowl. Sprinkle the flour on top and toss well to combine.
  • Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Brown the beef on all sides, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes
  • Add the onions and garlic, and saute until lightly browned and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the tomato paste and continue to cook with the onions and garlic, about 1-2 more minutes.
  • Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, thyme and basil along with the broth and stir to combine, scraping any brown bits in the pot.
  • Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 90 minutes, or until the beef is very tender.
  • Remove the bay leaves, season with fresh parsley and serve warm.

Equipment

Notes

Storage: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and they will keep for around 3 days. You can also freeze the stew and it will keep for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 286kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 456mg, Potassium: 879mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 7824IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 59mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Cuisine American
Course: Main Course

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Comments

  2. It was EXCELLENT!
    I would add to the directions to cook the meat in the broth & seasonings for 30-45 min & THEN add the vegetables. Our potatoes were falling apart by the time we ate them. Or maybe cut the potatoes bigger so they don’t fall completely apart. But the recipe is sooo good !

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  3. Easy Beef Stew-delicious! And easy to make.
    I have tried several of your recipes and have not been disappointed.
    Thank you. 🙂 I’m enjoying cooking again.

    Reply

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