This post contains affiliate links.
Enjoy the ultimate comfort food with this Dutch oven beef stew recipe. Tender, savory beef simmered to perfection on the stovetop in a rich, hearty broth. It's perfect for a cozy meal any day of the week.
Why you'll love this recipe
Tender beef, hearty vegetables and a rich flavor infused broth....What's not to love??
Stew is a single meal in a bowl. Sure, you could add side dishes to the menu, but if you want to make this recipe and stop at that, you are golden!
I love making soups and stews on the stovetop. Something about the way the house smells as it cooks makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. Dutch oven chicken noodle soup is one of our favorites as is this Dutch oven beef stew.
Beef stew is a great way to use up chuck roast or rump roasts. We always have a bunch of roasts in our freezer.
Ingredients
- beef stew meat - you can buy pre-cut stew meat at the store, or cut a beef chuck roast or rump roast cut into bite size pieces. Common names of beef cuts that are good for this recipe are chuck roast, top round roast, or rump roast. You may also see pre-cut beef at the grocery store labeled as stew meat.
- carrots
- yellow or golden potatoes - I find that yellow, gold or red potatoes are the best potatoes for making beef stew. I like using these varieties of potatoes because the skins are thin enough that you don't have to peel them. Russet potatoes (think of baked potatoes) tend to get a little grainy and mushy cooking in a stew.
- celery
- onion - I usually have yellow onions on hand but you could also use white onion or sweet onion.
- garlic - you can save some time by using the pre-minced garlic in the produce aisle of the grocery store. It keeps in the fridge and is super handy!
- fresh thyme - or .
- beef broth - if you use store bought beef stock or broth, be sure it's labeled as gluten free. You can also make your own homemade beef broth, or use beef bouillion cubes.
- flour - Otherwise, you can use all-purpose flour.
- tomato paste
- bay leaf - if you've ever wondered what a bay leaf is, they actually come from a laurel tree. They impart a subtle flavor of oregano and thyme when cooking. Be sure to remove these from your pot of stew before serving.
Substitutions
To easily make this recipe gluten free, use a 1:1 gluten free flour blend.
For the fresh thyme, you can substitute one teaspoon dried thyme.
Sub in a cup of red wine for one cup of the beef broth.
To make Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Step 1: Heat a Dutch oven and add oil. Sear the meat on both sides, then remove from the pan.
Step 2: Add additional Tablespoon of olive oil.
Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Saute, stirring with a flat bottomed spoon for a few minutes until the veggies are tender.
Add in the tomato paste and thyme and stir to incorporate.
Step 3:
Add in the flour and stir. Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to get any of those tasty brown bits.
You'll only need to stir for a minute to remove the raw taste of the flour.
Step 4:
Add in the beef broth again scraping the bottom of the pan with your spoon. All these little actions are important - they're making layers of flavor!
Add in the bay leaves, beef, and potatoes. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1-1⁄2 hours, stirring occasionally until vegetables are fork tender.
Once done, taste for salt and pepper and add in any seasoning.
Variations
To make beef stew in the crock pot: It's worth taking the time to sear the beef on the stovetop before adding the meat to the crock pot. I also recommend following steps 1-3 in the recipe card before adding all the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker.
Beef stew in the Instant Pot: Set your Instant Pot the Saute function. Add oil and remaining steps as instructed in the recipe card for steps 1-4. After adding the beef broth, place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal. Set to cook for 25 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release.
Add frozen peas or canned green beans (drained) at the end of cooking time.
FAQS
Leftovers will keep in the pot or tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also see how to freeze soup in mason jars for later.
Yes, this is one of those recipes that tastes just as good reheated the next day.
If you'd like to prep ahead of time, cut and refrigerate the vegetables, which will save you a considerable amount of time.
Stew meat benefits from a longer cook time, as it breaks down the meat and tenderizes it. All three of the cooking methods in this recipe will give you tender, flavorful meat!
What to serve with beef stew
Hearty beef stew is a one-pot meal for me! It has your protein, comforting carbs and veggies! Of course, you could serve it up with gluten-free cornbread or some warm crusty bread. I have more side dishes for beef stew, too!
If you make this beef stew in the Dutch oven, leave a recipe rating or comment below. I'd love to hear from you!
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- 3 pounds beef stew meat in 1-2 inch pieces
- 3 carrots cut into ½ inch pieces
- 4 small golden potatoes cut into 1-2 inch pieces about 2 cups
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 1 large onion roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme minced
- 6 cups beef broth
- ½ cup gluten free all purpose flour
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Place a large Dutch oven on medium high heat. Add 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the meat. Season it with salt and pepper and sear on one side for 3-4 minutes. When a crust has formed and the beef releases from the pan, turn the beef and season the other side. Remove seared beef chunks after both sides have been browned,
- Add an additional Tablespoon of olive oil.
- Add in chopped onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add in fresh thyme and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Add in flour and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan and cook for 1 minute.
- Add in the beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pan with your spoon. Add in the bay leaves, beef, and potatoes. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1-1⁄2 hours, stirring occasionally until vegetables are fork tender. Once done, taste for salt and pepper and add in any seasoning. Remove bay leaves before serving
Notes
Nutrition
This Farm Girl Cooks is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
