Beef Stew Recipes

Beef stew is comfort food at its best – succulent beef, fork-tender vegetables, and rich, flavorful broth warms the belly and the soul. As cooler months approach, we want to take the footwork out of looking for what to make next with this collection of savory beef stew recipes. 

What is 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 our 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 this article, we are ALL ABOUT THAT BEEF.

While the recipes differ from place to place and person to person, the building blocks for beef stew recipes are often the same. The beef cooks with hearty vegetables or beans in a savory broth flavored with water, wine, beer, or tomato juice.

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.

Beef Stew Recipes

Whether you prefer a more classic approach or something lighter, you’re sure to find a beef stew recipe or two that will fit into your dinner rotation.

1. Rindsgulasch

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 with Crispy Onions

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

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!

4. Beef Nihari

Enjoy our easy nihari recipe made with succulent beef shanks and marrow bones spiced with homemade nihari masala to create a silky and flavorful broth to serve with the meat.

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.

7. Best 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

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

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. 

Try more Cuban recipes, like boliche and beef picadillo.

10. Dutch Oven 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.

11. Beef Pares

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. Easy 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. Easy Beef Stroganoff

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. 

15. Instant Pot 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.

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.

17. Beef and Chickpea Stew

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.

19. Slow Cooker Beef and Ale Stew

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

20. Paya Soup

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. 

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.

23. Vietnamese 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.

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 to soak up all the tasty goodness of the broth. With tender beef stew recipes like those featured in this article, you also can’t go wrong with any of these sides.

• Baguette, Dinner Rolls, Biscuits, Pao de Sal
• Corn Bread, Corn Muffins
• Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Caesar Salad
• Tortillas
• Couscous
• Roasted Potatoes

Frequently Asked Questions