Tender chunks of beef, vibrant veggies, and creamy potatoes all cook together in a deliciously seasoned sauce in one pot on the stove. This Classic Stovetop Beef Stew is a recipe that never goes out of style.
Everyone should have a solid beef stew recipe in their collection and this one is mine. It is astounding to me that I’ve been at this blog for nearly 8 years now and I have not shared this recipe with you until today.
I think it’s just one of those things like putting on your shoes every day. You do it all the time but never think to tell anyone about it. Well, this rustic stew is as lovely as my loveliest pair of shoes and it absolutely deserves it’s turn in the spotlight so here we go!
There are so many methods out there for creating beef stew but I believe it’s important to start at the beginning and learn to make a classic beef stew the old-fashioned way. Cooked slowly in one pot on the stove until the sauce is rich and thick and the beef and veggies are fork tender.
If you’ve tried my Instant Pot Pot Roast you know I do something a bit unique with the seasonings which makes a huge difference in the result. I do something similar in this recipe.
The Ingredients in Classic Stovetop Beef Stew
The ingredients are the usual suspects – beef chuck roast, baby potatoes, celery, carrots, frozen peas, onion, garlic, and a little fresh Italian parsley. You’ll also need a few dry seasonings (detailed below).
Pick up the beef chuck packaged as “beef for stew” to save yourself the time and effort of trimming and cutting up a whole roast. I still find I need to cut some of the larger pieces down to be bite-sized, but let the butchers do the hard part.
The rest of the prep is minimal and once you get it going, the process is mostly hands-free.
How to Make Classic Stovetop Beef Stew
The first step is what makes this recipe unique and ensures a fabulous result. A delicious assortment of dry seasonings are combined to create a mixture that is added in layers to the stew. First to the chunks of beef as they are browned and later to the sauce before it all simmers together.
The seasonings are simple and include rosemary, thyme, marjoram, paprika, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. This mixture adds a flavor component to the stew that takes me home! In addition to adding flavor, the paprika does a nice job of adding rich color to the stew.
The sauce starts with a little tomato paste, low-sodium beef broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, and a bay leaf. It’s thickened at the end of the cooking process with a simple cornstarch/water slurry into a luscious gravy-like sauce for the beef and veggies.
You’ll want to serve the stew with French bread for dipping.
The beef stew requires about two hours of simmer time which is the reason why recipes like this are a Sunday supper tradition.
I can’t think of a more perfect choice for a comforting meal before the start of a new week.
Classic Stovetop Beef Stew
Tender chunks of beef, vibrant veggies, and creamy potatoes all cook together in a deliciously seasoned sauce in one pot on the stove. This Classic Stovetop Beef Stew is a recipe that never goes out of style.
Ingredients
Beef Stew Seasoning Mix
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Beef Stew
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus additional as needed
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 1 cup diced white or yellow onion
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup medium to full-bodied red wine (like Cabernet, Zinfandel, or Merlot)
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound baby yellow or red potatoes, or a combination of both, halved or quartered
- 3 or 4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas, no need to thaw
- 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
Combine the seasoning mix ingredients in a small bowl. Cut any large pieces of stew meat into smaller bite-size pieces, if necessary.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add about half of the meat to the pan, or as much as you can without overcrowding the pan. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture over the meat and sauté the beef until nicely browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a dish and set aside. Repeat with the remaining beef, adding additional oil if needed, and seasoning with 2 more teaspoons of the spice mixture. Reserve remaining spice mixture for later.
Add additional oil to pan if needed and add onion, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the tomato paste and stir until well combined. Add the red wine and increase the heat under the pot to bring the mixture to a boil. Add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, remaining spice mix and the bay leaf. Add the beef and all the juices that have accumulated back to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to LOW, cover, and simmer for 1-1/2 hours, or until the beef is fork tender.
Add the potatoes and carrots and raise the heat under the pot to bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to LOW, cover and simmer for another 30 to 40 minutes until the veggies are fork tender. Stir in the frozen peas and parsley. Combine the water and cornstarch in a measuring cup or small bowl and stir it into the beef stew. Continue cooking, uncovered, until thickened.
Daniela Musial says
By far the best stew I’ve ever had….
Tested ✔️
printed ✔️
Filed in recipe book ✔️
B says
Wow! Beef was on sale this week, and I thought of beef stew. But I wanted a stovetop recipe, not oven. A Google search turned up your recipe, and I decided to take a chance. This is fabulous! The only thing I changed was to omit the marjoram and rosemary (none in the house) and subbed dried basil instead. This is definitely a keeper. And now I’m off to check out the rest of your site… 🙂
Pat says
Delicious Beef Stew!!! Made exactly by the recipe and served it over rice. I’ll definitely make this again and again! Thanks so much for the recipe.
Terry says
I made this before we went camping. Took it to our gathering of friends. Everyone loved it . The men kept saying it was the best they ever had. Love it. Making it tonight. Setting in for a winter storm.
Valerie says
Fanastic! So happy the guys loved it 🙂 Thanks, Terry.
Larry says
I made this tonight, it was really good. Definitely saving this one!
Judy says
This stew is wonderful! I followed the recipe exactly, except I used an 8 oz can of tomato sauce since I had no paste. My family raved. I will definitely make again!
Yvonne says
This is a delicious stew! I didn’t have beef broth or red wine. I used vegetable broth and 2 bullion cubes. I think I followed the recipe other than that. I didn’t thicken it as I wanted to have thinner “soup” vs “stew”. It was Y U M M Y! Definitely a keeper and a do again recipe!!
Yvonne says
I forgot to rate this recipe! 5 Stars for sure!
Lara says
HANDS DOWN THE BEST BEEF STEW EVER! I am kind of new to cooking but this turned out absolutely delicious. You will never need to look for another beef stew recipe after you make this one.
Abigail Gagne says
I have made many Beef Stew recipes in that past. This is by far the best one. I think the cornstarch was a great addition to make a thick consistency to this stew. Even my husband said this was the best stew I made. Thank you👍
Ryan says
I’m wondering how this can be modified for an Instant Pot? Looking to have a comfort meal to enjoy as this cold weather starts to set in.
Thanks 🙂
Valerie says
I am in the midst of developing a beef stew recipe specifically for the Instant Pot. Stay tuned….
Mary says
Hands down BEST beef stew recipe ever. My husband said “book mark this one”. I used a whole box of the Campbell’s beef broth with red wine already in it and turned out perfectly. Making my second pot now in two weeks. Recipe left as is besides that!
Deb says
This was a great recipe because it leaves room for minor seasoning/flavor changes, but the outcome is perfect stew! I added red cabbage because I need more veggie servings in my diet and I try to eat the rainbow, as they say. I added it during the last 15 or so minutes of cooking time, before the cornstarch addition. I also used fingerling potatoes and it all turned out just as I had hoped. I also used a Tempranillo red wine because it was the only red I had, and it was tasty. I’ll try the others when I make another batch!
Steve says
Excellent recipe; I added mushrooms and bell peppers, in place of the peas.
With 15 minutes remaining, I enclosed the stew in shortcrust pastry, then oven-baked for a futher 30 minutes.
I served with home pickled beetroot and sweet piccalilli… and a glass of red wine.
Comfort food at it’s best!
Stephen Lynch says
Excellent recipe; I added mushrooms and bell peppers, in place of the peas.
With 15 minutes remaining, I enclosed the stew in shortcrust pastry, then oven-baked for a futher 30 minutes.
I served with home pickled beetroot and sweet piccalilli… and a glass of red wine.
Comfort food at it’s best!
Valerie says
That sounds incredible! Love what you did with it 🙂
Judi says
Stephen Lynch, how did you make the pastry to bake stew in? Would love to give that a try!
Valerie – looking forward to making this stew for my family tomorrow night. It’s going to be a perfect dinner for tomorrow’s freezing temps!
Phyllis Cook says
I tried it this Sunday Oct 24th 2019 and would not change a thing. Thank you for sharing!
Christine @ myblissfulmess says
This was amazingly good! I don’t measure things like dried herbs and salt & pepper. I just add them to taste. I probably added more than is listed in the recipe, but that’s ok! It was a perfect rainy day dinner with hot yummy rolls!
Bill says
Made it last night, very good will definitely make it again. I added more broth and it took a little longer from start to finish about 3.5 hrs. But well worth it
Gord says
This was a great recipe for a Sunday afternoon in the fall. Spices were perfectly balanced. I added 1/2 cup more broth because I knew there’d be lots of bread dippin’. Served with French bread with butter. It was the perfect comfort food while watching football. 10/10 will make again… soon!!
Denise Belangia says
Made this tonight. It was wonderful, I did ad a little more broth. I wish I had added more wine. Will make again for sure.
Valerie says
A little more wine never hurts! Thanks for your comment. 🙂
Jean Maria Vine says
I usually cook casseroles in the oven but now want to do them on the hob. When cooking a beef stew I like to add suet dumplings near the end of the cook time. My question is can I still cook dumplings in the stew with the hob method.
Reagan says
Tasted delicious but not much broth left.
Did I do something wrong?
Valerie says
Hi Reagan. I assume you mean that the stew was too thick and you’d like a thinner consistency. If this is the case, go ahead and add as much additional broth as you’d like.
Marsha Bradbury says
When do you add the corn? Also can it be frozen or canned?
Valerie says
Hi Marsha. There is no corn in the recipe but maybe you are referring to the peas? They are added at the end – take a look at the end of the directions on the recipe card.
Heather says
I will be serving this to my kids who are not old enough for wine.
What can I replace the wine with or is it safe to use wine in this recipe ?
Valerie says
Hi Heather. Much of the alcohol cooks off when the wine is brought to a boil however, you can absolutely just replace it with additional beef broth if you’d like. I love the flavor that wine imparts to the recipe but it will be delicious either way.
Joan says
Can I use this recipe in my crock pot?
Valerie says
This recipe was specifically written and tested for the stovetop method. You can incorporate elements of this recipe and adapt it for the slow cooker method but I’d recommend searching for another recipe for the details on cook time, etc.
Allison says
I’m not normally one for stews or casseroles but your pictures looked good so I gave it a try. I was blown away! We loved it! The flavors in the broth, the tender beef- it was all delicious! I’m already planning on making it again. Thanks for sharing!
Valerie says
I’m so glad to hear it worked out for you! Thanks so much, Allison. 🙂
Nicole says
I always feel discouraged when I see a recipe that requires wine. I am clueless about cooking with alcohol. Are there certain brands I should use? Or is Barefoot or Beringer ok?
Valerie says
Hi Nicole. If you are not a wine drinker you can substitute with additional beef broth but you won’t get the same depth of flavor in the finished dish. If you do want to purchase a bottle, go with one of the varietals I listed in the recipe card. You don’t need a super expensive bottle of wine so something in the lower to medium price range is going to work just fine. And, yes, Barefoot or Beringer will do the trick!
Tracy says
This looks amazing! Looking for meals my hubs can re-heat in an oven while hunting. Do you think this would freeze well and be reheated in an oven?
Valerie says
My favorite way to freeze soups and stew is to ladle the cooled recipe into gallon size freezer-safe plastic storage bags. Press out as much air as you can, seal, and label the bags with the date. You might find that the veggies are a bit softer on the reheat but it should be just fine. I would recommend using it within 3 months for the best result. Also, sometimes when you use a thickener like flour or cornstarch it can separate when you freeze and reheat so you might need to add a touch more broth or water mixed with a little cornstarch if it needs additional thickening.
Michele says
When do you add the carrots? With the potatoes?
Valerie says
Yep! Thanks so much for catching that 🙂 The recipe card has been updated.
Michele says
We made it last night and it was absolutely delicious, and very easy! Definitely a keeper for our family.
Valerie says
So glad to hear this, Michele! Thanks for letting me know 🙂