Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a commission. This comes at no additional cost to you. For more details, please visit my Affiliate Disclosure page.

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·Leave a Review

Tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich, thick gravy make this homemade beef stew the perfect comfort food for a chilly evening.

I was elbow-deep in pumpkin pies when my wife wandered into the kitchen and asked a perfectly reasonable question: “So, what are we doing for dinner?”

Dinner? Oh, right. Dinner.

Somehow, between rolling pie crusts, preparing pumpkin filling, and keeping an eye on the oven, I’d completely forgotten everyone would eventually want something other than pie.

Fortunately, a couple of pounds of stew meat sat in the refrigerator, plenty of vegetables were on hand, and a Dutch oven waited on the stove. A little chopping, some browning, a splash of red wine, and dinner was underway.

The beauty of a good beef stew is that, once everything comes together, it asks very little of you. A gentle simmer does most of the work, leaving you free to tackle whatever else the day has in store.

And with temperatures expected to dip below freezing that night, a big pot of hearty beef stew, filled with tender beef, vegetables, and a rich, thick gravy, turned out to be exactly the dinner we needed.

Overhead view of hearty beef stew with tender beef, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and peas coated in a rich, thick brown gravy. — Tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich, thick gravy make this homemade beef stew the ultimate cold-weather comfort food.

Why You’ll Love This Beef Stew

Rich, thick gravy. Red wine, tomato paste, and beef stock create a deeply flavorful gravy that generously coats every bite of beef and vegetables.
Tender beef and hearty vegetables. Slow simmering transforms ordinary stew meat into tender bites, surrounded by potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and peas.
Mostly hands-off cooking. Once the beef is browned and everything is in the pot, a gentle simmer does most of the work, leaving you free to tackle other things.
Even better the next day. The flavors continue to develop as the stew rests, making leftovers something to look forward to.
A complete, comforting meal. Everything comes together in one Dutch oven. Add some crusty bread, and dinner is served.

Get Foodienoise by email

Recipes—and the thinking behind them: the technique, timing, and small decisions that make things work in the kitchen.

Join the Foodienoise newsletter →

First Things First: Mise en Place

Before you start with the recipe, let me share some kitchen wisdom that’s made cooking much easier over the years. It’s called Mise en Place—a French phrase that means “everything in its place.” It might sound fancy, but it’s just about setting yourself up for success: read the recipe all the way through, gather your tools, then prep and measure everything before the heat goes on.

This simple habit takes the guesswork out of cooking and keeps surprises to a minimum. Whether you’re new to the kitchen or have been cooking for decades, Mise en Place is a process that makes a big difference.

Curious to learn more? I recommend Everything in Its Place: The Power of Mise-En-Place to Organize Your Life, Work, and Mind—it’s a great read that goes way beyond the kitchen.

Ingredients for Hearty Beef Stew

Beef Stew Meat

Two pounds of beef stew meat form the foundation of this recipe. Look for well-marbled pieces of beef chuck, which become wonderfully tender during a long, gentle simmer. Precut stew meat works perfectly well, but try to choose pieces of similar size so they cook evenly.

All-Purpose Flour

A light coating of flour helps the beef develop a flavorful brown crust during searing. It also provides some thickening power as the stew cooks, contributing to the rich gravy.

Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

Seasoning the beef before browning builds flavor from the beginning. Use freshly ground black pepper if possible, and remember to taste the finished stew before serving. The amount of additional salt needed will depend partly on your beef stock.

Olive Oil or Rendered Bacon Fat

Either works well for browning the beef and sautéing the aromatics. Olive oil provides a neutral foundation, while rendered bacon fat adds another layer of savory richness.

Garlic

Garlic adds depth without overwhelming the other ingredients.

Tomato Paste

Tomato paste brings concentrated tomato flavor, a little acidity, and richness to the gravy. Cooking it briefly with the garlic until it darkens to a deep brick-red color develops its flavor before you add the liquid.

Dry Red Wine

A cup of dry red wine, such as Merlot, adds depth and complexity to the gravy. It also helps release the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven. Choose a wine you’d enjoy drinking; there’s no need for an expensive bottle.

Beef Stock

Beef stock provides the liquid for the slow simmer and forms the base of the gravy. Low-sodium stock is particularly useful because it allows you to control the seasoning as the stew reduces.

Fresh Thyme and Bay Leaves

These classic herbs add subtle, earthy flavor that complements the beef and vegetables. Fresh thyme is wonderful here, but dried thyme works well, too. Remember to remove the thyme stems and bay leaves before serving.

Yukon Gold Potatoes

Yukon Gold potatoes have a naturally buttery flavor and creamy texture that make them ideal for stew. They hold their shape reasonably well during simmering while becoming tender enough to absorb some of that delicious gravy.

Baby Carrots and Celery

Carrots bring gentle sweetness and color, while celery contributes a subtle savory note. Baby carrots are especially convenient because they require very little preparation.

Yellow Onion

Cut into large, bite-sized pieces, yellow onion adds gentle sweetness and savory depth to the stew. The larger pieces soften during the long simmer while retaining some of their texture, contributing to the stew’s hearty, rustic character.

Whole Cremini Mushrooms

Cremini mushrooms add an earthy, meaty quality to the stew. Leaving them whole gives the finished dish a rustic appearance and a satisfying bite. Adding them toward the end of cooking helps preserve their texture.

Green Peas

Frozen peas work well here, adding a little sweetness and color as the stew finishes simmering.

Cornstarch (Optional)

If the gravy hasn’t thickened sufficiently through simmering and reduction, a simple cornstarch slurry provides an easy finishing adjustment. Mix the cornstarch with cold water before stirring it into the simmering stew, adding only as much as needed to achieve a thick gravy that coats the beef and vegetables.

How to Make Hearty Beef Stew

Making this hearty beef stew is straightforward, and most of the cooking time is hands-off. A little attention to browning the beef and developing the gravy at the beginning rewards you with a rich, flavorful stew that needs little attention as it simmers.

Prepare and Brown the Beef

Pat the beef dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine the flour, kosher salt, and black pepper. Add the beef and toss until the pieces are lightly and evenly coated.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or rendered bacon fat in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, sear the beef for approximately 5–7 minutes per batch, turning occasionally until a deep brown crust develops on several sides. Avoid overcrowding the pot, and add more oil if necessary.

Flour-coated chunks of beef searing in hot oil in a Dutch oven, with browned bits developing on the bottom of the pot. — Sear the flour-coated beef in batches to develop a flavorful brown crust. Those browned bits on the bottom of the Dutch oven will add richness to the gravy.

Transfer the browned beef to a paper-towel-lined plate or bowl. Don’t worry about the browned bits left on the bottom of the Dutch oven. They’ll contribute wonderful flavor to the gravy.

Browned chunks of beef stew meat resting on a paper towel-lined plate after searing in a Dutch oven. — Transfer the seared beef to a paper towel-lined plate or bowl while preparing the gravy. The browned crust adds rich, savory flavor to the finished stew.

Build the Flavorful Gravy

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the minced garlic and cook briefly, about 30–60 seconds, stirring until fragrant. Be careful not to burn it.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it darkens to a deep brick-red color.

Tomato paste cooking in an enameled Dutch oven, stirred with a wooden spatula as it darkens and develops flavor. — Cook the tomato paste for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until it darkens to a deep brick-red color. This simple step adds richness and depth to the stew’s gravy.

Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven with a wooden spoon to release the browned bits. Allow the wine to simmer for 2–3 minutes, reducing slightly.

Red wine added to cooked tomato paste in an enameled Dutch oven, with a wooden spatula stirring the mixture. — Add the red wine and scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven to release the flavorful browned bits left behind from searing the beef.

Simmer the Beef

Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven.
Add the beef stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine and bring everything to a gentle simmer.
Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for approximately 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef begins to soften. Keep the simmer gentle rather than allowing the stew to boil vigorously.

Add the Vegetables

Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and large pieces of yellow onion. Stir gently to combine and return the stew to a simmer.

Chunks of Yukon Gold potatoes, baby carrots, celery, and large yellow onion wedges added to beef stew in an enameled Dutch oven. — Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, and large pieces of yellow onion to the simmering beef stew. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the beef is fork-tender.

After the vegetables have simmered for approximately 15–30 minutes, add the whole cremini mushrooms and the peas. Continue cooking until the beef is fork-tender and the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork.

Finished hearty beef stew simmering in a Dutch oven with tender beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and peas in thick brown gravy. — The finished beef stew, with tender beef and hearty vegetables surrounded by a rich, thick gravy, ready to ladle into bowls and serve.

If the gravy becomes too thick before the beef is tender, add a little additional beef stock as needed.

Thicken the Gravy

During the final 30–45 minutes of cooking, leave the lid slightly ajar to allow excess moisture to evaporate. Stir occasionally, taking care not to break apart the softened potatoes.
If the gravy needs additional thickening, combine 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water until smooth. Stir the slurry into the gently simmering stew and cook for 1–2 minutes, allowing it to thicken. Repeat if necessary.
The finished gravy should generously coat the beef and vegetables, briefly leaving a trail when a spoon is drawn through it.

Finish and Serve

Remove the thyme stems and bay leaves.
Taste the gravy and a piece of beef or potato, adjusting the salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle the stew into bowls and serve hot with crusty bread for soaking up that rich gravy.

Hearty beef stew with tender beef, carrots, potatoes, mushrooms, and peas in thick brown gravy, served in a white bowl alongside garlic bread. — A generous bowl of hearty beef stew, filled with tender beef and vegetables in a rich, thick gravy. Add a slice of garlic bread, and dinner is served!

Storage

Allow the stew to cool slightly, then transfer to shallow, airtight containers and refrigerate promptly. Store for up to 3–4 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of beef stock if the gravy has thickened excessively during storage.

If you found this post helpful…

There’s more.

Recipes you won’t always find on the site, a few new techniques, and a better sense of what matters when you’re cooking.