Skip to Content

Beef Stew Recipes

Beef stew is comfort food at its best – succulent beef, fork-tender vegetables, all in a rich and flavorful broth warms the belly and the soul. As the fall and winter months approach, I am here to take the footwork out of looking for what to make next with this collection of savory beef stew recipes

A collage of beef stew recipe pictures.

What is Beef Stew?

Few meals are as satisfying as a stew, often consisting of meat and vegetables slow-cooked in a gravy-like liquid. Like soup, stew comes together using different methods and flavors from all over the world.

Warm, hearty stews are the perfect meal. You can’t go wrong with a one-pot dish loaded with flavor. Like pozole rojo, stews often consist of pork, and vegetarian stews like moong dal feature plant-based ingredients like lentils. And it’s no secret that a great-tasting chicken stew hits the spot. Don’t believe me? Try kedjenou from the Ivory Coast or sudado de pollo from Colombia! But for now, we are ALL ABOUT THAT BEEF.

Tools You Need to Make These Recipes

  1. Dutch Oven: You can’t go wrong with investing in a high-quality Dutch oven. The one I use is from Lodge, but many prefer Le Creuset.
  2. Slow Cooker: I don’t use these as much as I used to (I was obsessed), but there is something nice and homey about dumping all your ingredients into a Crockpot and leaving it to cook for hours, as the tempting aroma circulates through the house.
  3. Instant Pot: As I mentioned, I was a diehard slow cooker, but then the Instant Pot came along; this handy kitchen gadget might be one of the most-used kitchen tools in our home.

1. Rindsgulasch

Rindsgulasch over egg noodles.

Thick cuts of tender beef simmers to perfection in a rich and flavorful gravy infused with traditional hot and sweet paprika and peppery caraway – this recipe is everything you expect from rindsgulasch; finish the meal with butter-infused egg noodles or mashed potatoes for the ultimate comfort meal.

2. Beef and Guinness Stew

Rich, melt-in-the-mouth Beef and Guinness Stew is made with crisp ale and topped with crispy fried onions.

Photo Credit: The Kitchen Sanctuary

3. Beef Carbonnade

Beef, mustard, and onions slowly cook in beer to make tender, melt-in-you-mouth Beef Carbonnade Stew that you want to eat all year round!

Photo Credit: Chef Not Required

4. Nihari

Beef nihari on a plate.

Enjoy slow-simmered Pakistani beef nihari for a hearty and filling meal you can scoop up with fresh naan. The Pakistani beef stew is a cozy meal, perfect for the cooler months. 

5. Beef Ragu

Deliciously cozy beef cheek ragu is rich, hearty, and packed with big, bold flavors. It features melt-in-your-mouth tender beef, simmered in a tomato sauce and served over fresh pappardelle pasta or creamy mashed potatoes.

Photo Credit: The Cooking Collective

6. Beef Shank Bulalo

Craving something hearty and warming that doesn’t require much prep time? Learn how to make easy Filipino beef bulalo made with beef shank.

Photo Credit: Low Carb Yum

7. Instant Pot Beef Stew

A bowl of Instant Pot beef stew.

Instant Pot beef stew is the ultimate comfort meal; tender beef pressure cooks in an umami-rich broth resulting in a savory stew that’s ready in a little over an hour!

8. Chili Con Carne with Beans

Chili in a small bowl.

Warm up with a heaping bowl of this savory, southwest-style chili con carne. Our authentic recipe is my take on an old classic with hearty beef chuck, black beans, and a satisfying combination of Arbol, guajillo, and chipotle en adobo.

9. Cuban Ropa Vieja

Instant pot ropa vieja on a plate with yellow rice.

Tender, juicy Cuban-style shredded beef stews in a tomato and sofrito base flavored with warm spices and salty green olives to make easy Instant Pot ropa vieja. Complete the meal with piping hot rice and frijoles negros. 

More Cuban Recipes:

10. Mediterranean Beef Stew

This Mediterranean beef stew is the epitome of comfort food. With delicious flavors, it is a one-pot meal, with cubes of beef simmered until meltingly tender in a rich tomato sauce with fresh vegetables and herbs.

Photo Credit: It’s Not Complicated Recipes

11. Beef Pares

Beef brisket served inside of clear broth.

Filipino beef pares features braised beef brisket simmered in a sweet, umami-rich sauce with fragrant star anise. Pair it with white or garlic fried rice and a light, savory broth.

12. Beef Daube

Beef daube, or French beef stew, is an elegant yet familiar dish! Make it quickly and easily in your Instant Pot or pressure cooker!

13. Beef Stroganoff

Easy beef stroganoff over butter noodles.

Tender beef and a creamy mushroom gravy come together for this easy beef stroganoff we serve over buttery egg noodles.

14. Instant Pot Irish Stew

Hearty Irish beef stew is easily made in the Instant Pot! Guinness adds a unique richness and depth of flavor that can’t be beat and the carrots, peas, mushrooms and potatoes make it filling and satisfying. 

Photo Credit: Feasting not Fasting

15. Ground Beef Stew

This Instant Pot ground beef stew with potatoes uses inexpensive ingredients for a hearty and delicious stew that will feed the whole family. This one-pot dish is super easy to make, so it’s great for busy weekdays.

Photo Credit: Instant Pot Eats

16. Italian Beef Stew

Italian beef stew features comforting and delicious flavor; serve it with crusty bread or pasta- this stew is the perfect prep meal for any weeknight dinner.

Photo Credit: Maricruz Avalos

17. Beef and Chickpea Stew

Beef and chickpeas stew in a serving bowl next to pita.

Beef and chickpea stew is layered with warm spices to capture the savory taste of Morocco. Fragrant spices highlight the hearty chuck roast, chickpeas, and carrots in our mouth-watering stew.

18. Beef Stew

Enjoy this classic and simple beef stew made with quality ingredients. When it comes to the classics, it’s all about technique.

Photo Credit: Tabetha’s Table

19. Beef and Ale Stew

Tender pieces of beef and sumptuous ale gravy are the building blocks for slow cooker beef and ale stew.

Photo Credit: Slowcooker Club

20. Beef Paya Stew

A bowl of paya.

Stew beef trotters to create our nutritious paya soup recipe, a delicious comfort food popular in Pakistan for its health benefits. For another variation, try mutton paya soup with goat trotters.

21. Beef Trinchado

Beef trinchado is a spicy beef stew and is popular at numerous Portuguese restaurants in South Africa. It’s a spicy stew made with peri peri chilies; serve it traditionally with fresh french fries. 

Photo Credit: Foodle Club

22. Vietnamese Beef Stew

This Vietnamese beef stew is hearty and rich with authentic Vietnamese flavors like lemongrass, fish sauce, star anise, and five spice powder.

Photo Credit: A Peachy Plate

23. Beef Stew with Lemongrass

Fragrant Vietnamese beef stew with lemongrass, also called Bo Kho is hearty and flavorful; serve it with banh mi or noodles.

Photo Credit: Delightful Plate

What to Serve with Beef Stew

Serve stew on its own or pour it over side dishes like mashed potatoes, rice, noodles, or mashed cauliflower. With tender beef stew recipes like those on this list, you also can’t go wrong with any of these side dishes:

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s are the best cuts of beef to make stew?

The secret to making delicious stew is selecting the best cut of meat. Being honest, my answer to this question changes based on what stew I am preparing and what’s on sale. Before I tell you what I recommend, I’ll share what to avoid. You may feel tempted to buy pre-cut stew meat, don’t! If you want to make these beef stew recipes and end up with tender, juicy beef, take the time to cut the meat on your own; it’s worth it in the end.

Here are the cuts I recommend for stew:
• Chuck Roast
• Boneless Short Rib
• Beef Shank
• Brisket
• Oxtail
• Sirloin Flap

In addition to cut, consider selecting collagen-rich meat with a good amount of marbling when you’re standing in front of the meat counter.

How do you make beef stew tender?

Preparing beef stew means setting aside the time for the beef to slow or pressure cook, allowing the collagen and fat to tenderize and render. Many factors can affect the meat’s tenderness; here are some variables to consider.

• Cut beef the same size to ensure it cooks evenly.
• Sear the beef to lock in the moisture.
• The cut of meat can impact the tenderness of the beef; for this reason, I recommend avoiding pre-cut stew meat. I have never had a good experience preparing it.

More Stew Recipes:

Your Feedback is Valuable

Did you try this recipe? Consider leaving a ⭐️ rating and comment below. And for more healthy international recipes for everyday cooking, sign up to have recipes emailed right to you.

Veronica

Tuesday 16th of August 2022

Thanks for including my beef trinchado. There are some great looking stews on here - definitely going to be trying some as soon as the weather cools down. We're in the middle of a heatwave here in the UK :)

Tressa Jamil

Tuesday 16th of August 2022

It's still hot here in North Carolina too! Maybe this round-up will bring on the cooler temps- here's to hoping.

Ieva

Monday 15th of August 2022

A wonderful collection of recipes! This will be my go-to list for inspiration for those cozy chilly evenings when the weather starts getting cold again :)

Tressa Jamil

Monday 15th of August 2022

I am looking forward to cozying up with warm bowl of some these too.

Alexandra

Monday 15th of August 2022

What a great collection of Beef Stew Recipes! Thanks for including mine, and I look forward to trying some others :)

Tressa Jamil

Monday 15th of August 2022

Happy to include yours; don't they look absolutely delicious?!