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This Classic Homemade Beef Stew recipe is so easy to make and so heavenly. A one-pot meal that’s hearty, flavorful and loaded with tender beef morsels, potatoes, and carrots. Cooked in a rich and savory sauce, this beef stew recipe is comfort food at its best.
You may also like my slow cooker beef stew or my easy beef pot roast.
This simple and healthy beef stew recipe can easily be made in an instant pot, slow cooker, in the oven, or on a stovetop. I will be showing you the different ways to cook up this delicious homemade beef stew so you can make it whichever way is more convenient.
Enjoy tender, melt in your mouth beef chunks with soft comforting potatoes and carrots. I assure you that this will be the best beef stew recipe you will ever have! My kids love this and I make it for them once a week!
Ingredients needed
- Beef Chuck Roast, cut into 2-inch chunks, excess fat removed
- Kosher Salt or sea salt, adjust to aste
- Ground Black Pepper
- Gluten-free All-Purpose Flour, or Whole Wheat for non-gluten, any flour works.
- Olive Oil: I also like using avocado oil
- Yellow Onion, Chopped Large
- Garlic Cloves, minced: don’t try using garlic powder. Fresh garlic adds so much more flavor.
- Carrot, or two small-medium, cut into 2-inch chunks
- Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced into 2-inch pieces
- Beef Broth: I like beef broth over chicken for this recipe.
- Tomato Paste
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Bay Leaves
- Fresh Thyme Leaves, to garnish
How to make homemade beef stew
Let’s first talk about how I made this easy vegetable beef stew recipe.
- Preheat oven: While prepping everything else preheat the oven to 325° F.
Step 1: Chop the carrots, potatoes, and onions.
Step 2: Prep Beef: Season the beef chunks on all sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over and toss the seasoned beef to coat it on all sides.
Step 3: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or skillet over medium heat. Brown the beef in batches, on all sides, for 3-4 minutes per batch.
Step 4: Next, add the onions, garlic, and chopped carrots over the seared beef.
Step 5: Cook everything, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Step 6: Add the potatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce, and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Step 7: Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring, and return the beef to the pot.
Step 8: Cover the Dutch oven (pot), and transfer to the preheated oven. Cook the stew for 2-2.5 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Remove the bay leaf. Taste the stew and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve warm.
Note: To finish cooking this beef stew on the stovetop, cover the pot and let it simmer for 60-90 using medium to low heat. Check it occasionally to see if the beef is tender using a fork and add some broth or water if the sauce starts to dry out.
How to make beef stew in a crockpot or slow cooker
So many of you out there love the convenience of using a crockpot or slow cooker. Who wouldn’t? Set everything up, go to work, go run some errands, take your kids to their activities, and come back to dinner ready to serve!
There is a quick method to using a crockpot to make this hearty beef stew and another more flavorful method.
The quick method:
- Turn on the crockpot or slow cooker
- Add the beef, veggies, broth, spices, and all the ingredients in together at once.
- Give it a nice mix
- Cook on low for 9-10 hours, medium 7-8 hours, and high 6-7 hours.
- To thicken the stew, 30 minutes before serving, remove about 1/2 cup of the liquid/sauce, mix it with about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour it back in and allow to cook and thicken up. Remove bay leaf, serve and enjoy.
More flavorful method:
- Set up the crockpot
- Season the beef chunks on all sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over and toss the seasoned beef to coat it on all sides.
- In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Brown the beef in batches, on all sides, for 3-4 minutes per batch. The beef does not need to be cooked through. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
- Deglaze – Add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the skillet, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly browned. Add the broth and let it cook for another minute to deglaze the bottom of the skillet and collect all the flavors.
- In the crockpot or slow cooker, add the potatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce.
- ADD in the beef. Give it a good mix to combine everything.
- Cook on low for 9-10 hours, medium 7-8 hours, and high 6-7 hours.
- To thicken the stew, 30 minutes before serving, remove about 1/2 cup of the liquid/sauce, mix it with about 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Pour it back in and allow to cook and thicken up. Remove bay leaf, serve and enjoy.
How to make beef stew in an instant pot
- Prep: cut up beef into small chunk sizes along with the potatoes and carrots
- Prep Beef: Season the beef chunks on all sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over and toss the seasoned beef to coat it on all sides.
- Brown the beef: Turn on the instant pot, and put it on the saute mode. Add the oil and then add the beef. Brown the beef for 3-4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Cook onion: After you remove the beef, add onions and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes and stir until brown and soft.
- Deglaze: Pour the broth over the onions. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir for a minute.
- Season: Next, add the tomato paste, seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce. Stir for a couple of minutes.
- Add beef and veggies: Then, add the beef in, top with the potatoes and carrots. Finally, add the bay leaf.
- Close IP and cook: Close the lid of the instant pot, turn the steam release valve to seal. Press manual, and cook at high for 35 minutes, then allow the pot to naturally release for 10 minutes before opening the lid. Remove the bay leaf.
Notes: If the stew is not thick enough to your liking, you may thicken it with some corn starch. We mentioned above to use the sauce of the stew to mix in with some cornstarch but another way to thicken the sauce would be to mix about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with a tad bit of water and pour into the instant pot. Mix and turn it to sautee mode again for another 5-10 minutes until the stew thickens up. Serve and Enjoy.
frequently asked questions about beef stew
The easiest way to thicken beef stew would be to mix about 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with some water, add it to the stew, stir and cook for a few more minutes until it thickens up. Not too keen on using corn starch? You may use some whole wheat flour instead.
You could always remove some of the carrots and potatoes and blend them with a bit of water before returning it back to the stew to thicken it up.
When using a crockpot, cook on low for 9-10 hours, medium for 7-8 hours, and high for 6-7 hours.
Once you saute the veggies and browned the beef and you are ready to close the lid of the instant pot, it takes about 30-35 minutes on HIGH for the stew to cook through and become tender.
There are a few ways to cook beef stew. It will depend on your preferred method. You can cook on your stovetop, in the oven, in your crockpot or slow cooker, or in an instant pot. We have discussed all the methods above to show you how to cook your beef stew.
The most popular cut of meat used for stew is Chuck. You may also use a variety of roasts like bottom round, round tip, top round, and pot roast. Some others to consider would be oxtail, bohemian, and cross-cut shank.
What to serve with beef stew
Here are some great side options to try with beef stew:
- Cauliflower rice or Garlic mashed cauliflower.
- Quinoa or plain white rice cooked on the stovetop.
- Fluffy Homemade Couscous
- Corn Bread like this Jalapeno cornbread skillet.
- Mashed potatoes – Try Healthier mashed potatoes or my boursin mashed potatoes.
- Salads and veggies like these oven roasted veggies.
- Crusty bread or this garlic naan.
- Try them with some homemade dinner rolls.
- I also love serving it with my healthy broccoli casserole.
You may also like
- Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup
- Hamburger Soup
- Easy Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Chicken Chili recipe
- Baked BBQ Chicken Breast
- Chicken Enchilada soup
- Greek Chicken Bowl
- White Chicken Chili Recipe
We would love some feedback on this homemade beef stew recipe. Leave me a comment below and let me know what your thoughts are. Also, if you love this recipe, don’t forget to pin it and share it on your social media channels with your friends and family.
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Easy Homemade Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Beef Chuck Roast, cut into 2-inch chunks, excess fat removed
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tablespoons Gluten-free All-Purpose Flour, or Whole Wheat for non-gluten
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil, or avocado oil
- ½ Yellow Onion, Chopped Large
- 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 1 Large Carrot, or two small-medium, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 2 Yukon Gold Potatoes, diced into 2-inch pieces
- 2 Cups Beef Broth
- ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 Bay Leaves
- 2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325° F.
- Season the 2 pounds Beef Chuck Roast (cut into chunks) on all sides with 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt and ½ teaspoon Coarsely Ground Black Pepper. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons Gluten-free All-Purpose Flour over and toss the seasoned beef to coat it on all sides
- Heat the 2 tablespoons Olive Oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef in batches, on all sides, for 3-4 minutes per batch. Don’t worry about cooking the beef all the way through at this stage. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
- Add the ½ Yellow Onion (chopped), 4 Garlic Cloves (minced), and 1 Large Carrot (chopped) to the Dutch oven, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Add the 2 Yukon Gold Potatoes (chopped), 2 Cups Beef Broth, ¼ Cup Tomato Paste, 1 Bay Leaves, 2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves, and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce, and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring, and return the beef to the pot. Cover the Dutch oven, and transfer to the preheated oven
- Cook the stew for 2-2.5 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Remove the bay leaf. Taste the stew and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- You may add 1-2 cups of water or more broth if you like to have more broth on your stew.
- Types of meat you can use: Pre-Cut Stew Meat, bottom round or rump roast, Chuck Roast, or pot roast.
- You may add a bit of heat- like 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Feel free to add some chopped celery.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious
Thank you
Made this in my crockpot instead of the stove. Didn’t brown the meat beforehand. Just threw everything in together, mixed & left to cook for 4hrs on high. It was SO delicious! By mistake added 1tsp Thyme to the mixture not after and actually gave it a nice flavour. Will definitely be making it again
Has anyone made this in the pressure cook. I am going to double the recipe and want to cook it in my 8qt cooker. How long did you cook?
Thanks
I’m making my stew on the stove. When is done I would let everyone know how it came out. I’ll take a pic too.
i need you Norma. how’d it turn out??
Yum. Made exactly to the recipe minus the bay leaves and thyme (didn’t have on hand)
This is delicious and easier than others I have tried. Will be my go to.
Thanks
Norma.Don’t make promises you can’t keep,lol.
I made this today and we love it
This is the best Beef stew recipe
And will make it again
Awesome. Thank you!
Instead of potatoes can I serve with egg noodles?
You sure can
I made this last night and it was amazing! Thank you for the recipe! I will be making this again soon! Delicious!
Nice. Thanks for the feedback
Great recipe! I added 1 additional cup of water for water reduction/evaporation and 1/4 cup dry red wine for flavor. I had 2 extra stalks of celery in the fridge, which I threw into the recipe, with a dash of celery salt. I will keep this recipe on hand! Hearty and flavorful!
Can i use an oven pan and cover it with foil instead? I don’t have a dutch oven
Yes you can
I made it triple fold in the crock pot on high for 7 hours. It was the best beef stew I’ve ever made and the guests went for second and third and even fourth helpings! I served it with home made bread, glazed sweet potatoes and cheesy cauliflower. This will be my default beef stew recipe from now on!
I’ve made this recipe twice now, love finding gluten free options. It is very delicious. I added 4 cups beef broth as I wanted a very liquid stew, probably more a soup. I also add in more potatoes because I had a bag that were sprouting do I had to use them up. First time was simmering on the stovetop for about an hour, I added some frozen mixed veggies near the end (not soon enough) which made it taste very similar to my fav beef vegetable canned soup. It was very good the next day. This time I started it on stovetop and finished in the oven. I just used my stockpot, don’t own a dutch oven. Definitely a new favorite recipe!
Such great feedback Sami, thanks for sharing that
I made this even though I was missing 1/2 the ingredients for the “sauce” and it still came out phenomenally!
Amazing. Glad you loved it
Can you sub Almond or coconut flour for the all purpose? Tx this looks great always on the look for new recipes!!
Not sure. It should be fine. I just haven’t tried it.
How did it come out with the almond or coconut flour? Did you try using one of those instead?
Making it now smells delicious
Awesome. Thanks!
Made this about 2 weeks ago while visiting family. Very picky eaters in the house, but all gave it two thumbs up. New recipe to add to the collection
So awesome! Thanks for the feedback
I have used this stew recipe many times.
My family loves it with dumplings!
Amazing!
Very good
Thank you
Hello, first time I look to get what I want.
This was absolutely delicious! Wonderful flavor my only addition was at the final 15 minutes I added frozen peas and a bit more beef broth. I will make this again!!! My husband said he’d give this a 10!!
Nice. Glad your husband loved it
This the best beef stew i ever had.
Wonderful as well as delicious.
All her recipes are easy to follow and a rave when family sits down at the table.
You are the best David. Thank you
I followed this recipe and was very pleased with the outcome.
Thanks
Thanks. Glad you liked it
Can you do this on the stove top instead of putting in the oven for 2 hrs just leave it simmer on the stove? Dont have a Dutch oven
yes you can
Got to make this with my youngest son, who loves beef. And we subbed sweet potatoes for potatoes as that’s what we usually have. I did some easy self raising herbed drop dumplings after 2hrs of cooking and then let it simmer for 30 minutes longer without opening the pot and after removing the bay leaf. This is a def keeper for the winter months and cold days. Thanks for doable recipe.
I subbed butternut squash for the potatoes (we just don’t eat potatoes often) and deglazed the pan with a little whiskey before adding the onion/carrot/garlic. this recipe is a hit all around!
Sounds amazing!
Like the sound of what whiskey essence in the pot!
It was supposed to say “that whiskey essence”.
So easy and delicious!
Thanks for the feedback Roma