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.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 2. Beef and Guinness Stew
- 3. Beef Carbonnade
- 4. Nihari
- 5. Beef Ragu
- 6. Beef Shank Bulalo
- 7. Instant Pot Beef Stew
- 8. Chili Con Carne with Beans
- 9. Cuban Ropa Vieja
- 10. Mediterranean Beef Stew
- 11. Beef Pares
- 12. Beef Daube
- 13. Beef Stroganoff
- 14. Instant Pot Irish Stew
- 15. Ground Beef Stew
- 16. Italian Beef Stew
- 17. Beef and Chickpea Stew
- 18. Beef Stew
- 19. Beef and Ale Stew
- 20. Beef Paya Stew
- 21. Beef Trinchado
- 22. Vietnamese Beef Stew
- 23. Beef Stew with Lemongrass
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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 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
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:
- Baguette, Dinner Rolls, Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread, Biscuits, Pao de Sal
- Corn Bread, Corn Muffins
- Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad, Caesar Salad, Arugula Quinoa Salad
- Corn Tortillas
- Couscous
- Roasted Potatoes
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.
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?!