Easy Beef Stew

Let Me Tell You About This Stew

Okay, so you know those days when you peek in the fridge, sigh, and think, “What on earth do I make that everyone will actually eat?” That’s me, probably once a week. Easy beef stew is basically my trusty sidekick on those days. I remember my mom would make it on rainy afternoons—her kitchen always smelled amazing, kind of like a hug wrapped up in beef, carrots, and potatoes. Now, mine smells like that, too (well, on the good days; sometimes the dog gets more than his fair share). Quick story: last winter, I tried to rush the stew for a potluck by cranking up the heat. Well, let’s just say there’s a reason grandma said ‘low and slow’—lesson learned, burnt pot included.

Why You’ll Love This So Much

I make this when life is being, well, life—kids running wild, I’m still in my slippers at 3pm—and it still somehow turns out like a meal you put effort into. My family goes a bit wild for this because it’s hearty enough to fill them up and, maybe more importantly, it’s impossible to mess up (mostly… there was an over-salted incident last month, oops). Sometimes when I’ve got maybe three brain cells left to rub together at dinnertime, this feels like my best idea all week.

What You’ll Need — And A Few Switch-Ups

• 500g (about a pound) beef chuck, cut into bite-sized cubes (stewing beef works, too—my local butcher calls it “gravy beef”, which always makes me laugh)
• 2 big carrots, peeled and chopped (if you’ve only got parsnips or even sweet potato, that totally works)
• 3 med potatoes, diced (I sometimes grab red potatoes, but honestly whatever’s lurking in the pantry is fine)
• 1 onion, chopped (any will do; I even used a shallot by accident once and it was fancy?)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or just whack in a spoon of the jar stuff, no one will know)
• 2-3 cups beef stock, enough to almost cover everything (again, bouillon cubes? Sure. Done it plenty)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste, or a squirt of ketchup in a pinch!
• 1 tablespoon flour, plain ol’ flour for thickening (cornstarch works, but it’s runnier—just saying)
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, or soy sauce if you’re fresh out (it’s a stretch, but it’s fine)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or a sprig of fresh if you don’t mind going outside to fetch it
• Salt & pepper, to taste (but I always end up adding more at the table, go figure)
• Optional: peas, mushrooms, or that forgotten celery stick (basically, the more the merrier)

How I Make It (and Where I Sneak a Taste)

1. First, grab a big pot—Dutch oven if you’ve got one, but honestly I’ve used my wonky, off-brand soup pot and it does the trick. Heat up some oil over medium-high, then brown the beef cubes in batches. Don’t crowd the pan—otherwise, you get gray-ish mystery meat and not that lovely crust. (This part smells amazing and, yes, I usually risk burning my tongue for a taste.)
2. Toss in the onions and garlic. Give them a stir for about 2-3 mins—enough for the onion to lose its crunch. If there’s some stuck-on bits, that’s flavor, so don’t panic.
3. Sprinkle the flour in and stir for a minute or so. It’ll look ugly; don’t worry, it always does at this point. Then in goes the tomato paste, Worcestershire, and thyme. Stir stir stir.
4. Add the beef back, plus carrots, potatoes, and any random fridge veggies. Pour in stock until everything’s almost covered (but not taking a bath in it).
5. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat way down, pop on a lid (sideways if you’re a rebel like me), and let it putter away for about 90 minutes. Give it a gentle stir halfway. Sometimes mine is ready in an hour, sometimes it needs a bit longer—it’s not an exact science, but you’ll know when the beef is fork-tender.
6. Add peas near the end if you like. Taste and add more salt/pepper if your taste buds say so. Take the lid off for the last 10 mins if it’s looking too watery or, if you prefer it more soupy, keep it on.
7. Turn off the heat and, if you can stand to wait, let it rest 10 minutes (I almost never do, but it probably does taste better). Remember to fish out that thyme sprig if you used one.

Some Notes That Saved Me a Headache

• If you forget to flour the beef, just dust it in at the end with a forkful stirred into cool water; it mostly sorts itself out.
• I tried adding wine once—fancy!—but honestly it tasted weird, maybe it was just a bad bottle. Or I didn’t cook it off long enough?
• If your stew ends up too salty, chuck in a peeled potato and fish it out later. No idea why this works, but it kinda does.

All the Ways I’ve Tweaked It (Some Good, One Not So Much)

• Once I swapped out beef for lamb—delicious! So rich, though, so you don’t need as much.
• I tried barley instead of potatoes… honestly, not for me, but maybe you’ll love it?
• Chucking in a handful of frozen peas means less chopping, which is always a win (especially ’round supper rush).

What You’ll Need (But You Can Improvise)

• Big ol’ Dutch oven or soup pot (Although, my friend once made this in a slow cooker. Left it for like 7 hours and said it was amazing—even less stirring!)
• Wooden spoon or anything spoon-shaped, really.
• Cutting board and a decent knife. If you don’t have one, I guess you could use kitchen scissors—in a pinch?

Keeping Leftovers (If There Are Any)

Technically, you can pop leftovers in the fridge for 3 days, and they freeze pretty well up to a month. Though, honestly, in my house, it never lasts more than a day; sometimes there’s a lone bowl at midnight and it’s fair game. I think it tastes even better the next day—something about the flavors hanging out overnight.

Best Ways to Eat This (My Family’s Trick)

We always serve it with crusty bread—gotta mop up the sauce! (My cousin swears by ladling it onto mashed potatoes, which is as good as it sounds, but also almost nap-inducing.) And, total confession: I once threw on some shredded cheddar and it did NOT disappoint.

Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way)

• Don’t rush the browning. I once tried to speed this up and landed with bland, kind of watery stew. Let it get good and brown, trust me.
• If you add too much broth, just let it simmer uncovered for a while. Don’t panic—it sorts itself out.
• Actually, I find it works better if you use stock that’s not too salty. Been there, regretted that.

Quick FAQ (People Always Ask Me These!)

• Can I make this ahead? Absolutely! In fact, I think it’s better on day two—but don’t blame me if someone nicks the leftovers.
• Do I have to use beef chuck? Nope—stewing beef, shin, or even brisket all work. I once tried pork and it was… interesting, but stick with beef for real comfort food vibes.
• Can I leave out the potatoes? For sure. Add more carrots, or chuck in turnip or sweet potato—stew is forgiving.
• How long does it really take? At least an hour for tender beef, but honestly, give it longer if you can—it’s not one for the quick and dirty weeknight (unless you like chewy meat, which, fair enough, but not my jam).
• Can I do this in a slow cooker? Sure thing—brown your meat first if you can, then toss the rest in and let it go low for 7-8 hours. Or high for 5-6 if you’re in a mad rush.

See? Not much to it. And if you go off-script, you’ll probably still end up with a meal that feels like home—plus, that’s where all the fun happens anyway. Oh, speaking of home: has anyone else noticed how stew nights are weirdly quieter? It’s like everyone’s busy chewing—bliss.

★★★★★ 4.80 from 42 ratings

Easy Beef Stew

yield: 6 servings

prep: 20 mins

cook: 20 mins

total: 50 mins

A hearty and comforting beef stew made with tender beef chunks, potatoes, carrots, and a rich, savory broth. Perfect for a cozy dinner and easy enough for any cook.

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups beef broth
• 3 large carrots, sliced
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. 1
   Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes and brown on all sides. Remove the beef and set aside.
2. 2
   Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.
3. 3
   Return the beef to the pot. Stir in tomato paste, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Pour in the beef broth and bring to a simmer.
4. 4
   Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
5. 5
   Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 45-60 minutes, until the beef and vegetables are tender.
6. 6
   Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 410cal

Protein: 34 gg

Fat: 18 gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 29 gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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