Beef Stew
3.5 from 28 votes
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy
A steaming bowl of beef stew is comfort food at its finest. This straightforward recipe yields rich, savory flavors from slow simmering and makes tender beef cubes with hearty vegetables. It’s ideal for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or any time you want a warm, filling meal. You can swap lamb for beef to make an Irish-style stew, and the dish improves the longer it simmers—adjust thickness with cornstarch or by simmering uncovered near the end. Serve garnished with chopped parsley or with crusty bread.
Servings
4
servings
Prep time
20
minutes
Cooking time
1
hour
Total time
1
hour
20
minutes
Ingredients
-
2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
-
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
-
4 cubes beef bouillon, crumbled
-
4 cups water
-
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
-
1 teaspoon dried parsley
-
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-
3 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
-
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
-
4 stalks celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
-
1 large onion, chopped
-
2 teaspoons cornstarch
-
2 teaspoons cold water
Directions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Brown the beef cubes in batches so they sear evenly. Dissolve the beef bouillon in the water and pour it into the pot. Stir in the dried rosemary, dried parsley and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, celery and chopped onion to the pot. Mix the cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the stew to thicken slightly. Cover and simmer another hour, or until the meat and vegetables are tender. If you prefer a thicker stew, add a little more cornstarch or simmer uncovered for the final 15–20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Notes
- Serve hot with chopped fresh parsley or crusty bread.
- Substitute lamb for beef to make an Irish-style stew.
- Leftovers keep up to 4 days refrigerated in an airtight container and can be frozen for up to 4 months—cool completely before freezing.