beef stew

Beef stew made on the stove in 90 minutes—with melt-in-your-mouth chunks of beef, carrots, and potatoes. Comfort food you can finish in one pot.

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Total Time 1 31

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American Home Cooking

Calories: 395

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

For the stew

1.2 kg beef chuck cut into 4 cm cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion diced
3 cloves garlic chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups beef broth
2 cups water
4 large carrots peeled, cut into 2 cm chunks
4 medium potatoes peeled, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt plus more to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
2 pieces bay leaf

Method

Dab the beef cubes dry with a paper towel — this is what helps them brown well, not just steam. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium-high until hot enough that a drop of water sizzles.
Add half the beef in a single layer. Let it sear undisturbed for 2–3 minutes before flipping. Brown all sides, then move to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the beef. Don’t crowd the pot or skip this; good color = good flavor.
Lower heat to medium. Add diced onion to the pot with another drizzle of olive oil if the surface looks dry. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom while the onions cook 5 minutes. Stir in chopped garlic that last minute.
Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes until the paste darkens a shade.
Return all beef and juices to the pot. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons flour over and toss beef to coat. This helps thicken the stew without making it gluey.
Pour in 3 cups beef broth and 2 cups water. Scrape the pot bottom again, then stir in carrots and potatoes.
Add salt, pepper, dried thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Raise heat to bring to a simmer. Once bubbling, lower heat and cover.
Let it cook on a low simmer about 75 minutes, stirring every so often. You want the beef fork-tender and the carrots soft but not mushy.
Fish out the bay leaves. Taste and add a pinch more salt if it needs it — I do this at the end to avoid overdoing it. Ladle into bowls and top with chopped parsley if you have some.

Notes

I grew up with a pot of beef stew simmering most Sundays—it’s my fallback for a crowd (or for leftovers). What anchors it for me isn’t just the beef, but getting the color on that first sear.

Real-world tips that make a difference

Drying the beef is not optional: Damp cubes steam instead of browning, so I always press them well with paper towels first. Searing in two batches takes a few extra minutes but avoids the gray, bland stew nobody deserves.

If you ever struggle with stew being watery, toss the beef with flour before liquids go in, not after. This trick thickens without clumps. Want more body? Mash a few potato chunks into the broth near the end instead of adding more flour—they dissolve and add silkiness.

Don’t skip scraping the pot after each step. That crusty stuff on the bottom? That’s flavor, not debris.

Simple swaps and variations

You can swap half the beef for sliced mushrooms and nobody will complain. For something lighter, I’ve even used chicken thighs with the same veggies, though the flavor is gentler and the simmer time drops by 20 minutes.

I wouldn’t use stew meat labeled as “minute steak”—it turns stringy. Skip turnips or parsnips unless you really love their flavor; they can overpower the balance here.

Meal prep and storage

This stew gets better after a night in the fridge—the flavors settle in. It keeps fine up to 4 days, or you can portion and freeze for a couple of months. I always reheat it gently on the stove, adding a splash of broth or water if it got thicker overnight.