COZY CLASSIC BEEF STEW
on Jul 30, 2024, Updated Aug 29, 2024
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Now, THIS is my kind of comfort food — fork-tender beef, pillowy potatoes, tender carrots, and a rich and savory broth.
My mouth is literally watering just thinking about this Cozy Classic Healthy Beef Stew. Of course, anything that is cozy and comforting shouldn’t be too difficult. And this stew recipe is no different. Everything comes together in one pot, which you know I love.
Best of all, the leftovers are arguably better than the first night you make it. I never mind having some of this healthy beef stew stored away in the fridge for the next day or even in the freezer for another week.
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While it may look like quite a few steps, each step is fairly easy. The hardest part may be chopping up the onion, carrot, and celery! Also, can we just say that the aroma of beef stew wafting through the house is well worth any effort? Everything you could want or need is in the pot, meaning you don’t need to worry about making a side dish or starch.
Go ahead and make this cozy beef stew dish and let me know what your family and friends think on my Instagram @olivia.adriance. I have a feeling they’ll be blown away! Enjoy!
Ingredients for Beef Stew
Here’s everything you’ll need and a few suggestions to make this wintertime classic.
- Beef: I used beef chuck here and cut it into 1 1/2-inch cubes. Beef chuck can be a tougher cut of meat, but it’s great for long and slow cooking times. Your grocery store may already sell pre-cut stew meat which would be even easier. I look for organic, grass-fed beef whenever possible.
- Onion and Garlic: Cooking the beef along with chopped white onions and garlic helps flavor the meat while also tenderizing it.
- Tomato Paste: A squeeze of tomato paste adds a subtle richness to the stew, enhancing its overall taste. Letting the paste “brown” for a minute before adding any liquid lets it caramelize and further concentrate its flavor.
- Red Wine: To get the most richness out of the stew, I add a cup of California cabernet, but use whatever red wine that you have. You don’t need a top-shelf bottle, but choose something you’d enjoy drinking with dinner too. If you don’t want to use wine, just add additional beef broth.
- Beef Broth: The key to the savory, utterly delicious sauce is beef broth. I use beef bone broth from Kettle and Fire because it’s gluten-free, non-GMO verified, and full of nourishing goodness. You can substitute regular beef broth or stock.
- Arrowroot Starch: This gluten-free thickener is used in place of flour or corn starch to make the savory broth thicker. You can substitute tapioca starch, corn starch, or regular flour if you’re not gluten-free.
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Pin It- Worcestershire Sauce: This ingredient will give the stew just a little extra something. Its deep umami flavor will help bring out the other flavors from the tender beef and veggies.
- Bay Leaves: Bay leaves are often the forgotten ingredient in your spice drawer. But whenever you’re making a stew, adding in a leaf or two can add a level of complexity. If you don’t have any, just leave them out. It’s not the end of the world!
- Carrots and Celery: I wait to add the carrots and celery until 30 to 45 minutes before serving time. I want them to retain some of their texture and not completely melt away in the broth.
- Baby Potatoes: Soft, pillowy potatoes are necessary for beef stew, in my opinion. If your potatoes are tiny, add them in whole. Or cut them in half if they’re on the larger size like mine typically are.
How to Make Cozy Beef Stew
Let’s get this cozy stew going! Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large Dutch oven (7.25 quart) or stockpot over medium-high heat.
Generously season the beef stew pieces with Kosher salt and pepper. Kosher salt is coarser than regular salt and sticks better to the meat.
Sear the meat in the Dutch oven in an even layer. Avoid crowding the pan; this will steam the meat instead of browning it. Sear for about 2 or 3 minutes per side, then remove and set aside.
Add the chopped onions and cook with the beef for another 3 or 5 minutes. If the pan seems to dry, add another tablespoon of avocado oil.
Next, add the chopped garlic and tomato paste and stir into the stew, cooking it for another minute.
Add the red wine and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil.
Add 3/4 of the beef broth to the Dutch oven. Separately, in a measuring cup or small bowl, create a slurry with the arrowroot starch and the remaining beef broth by whisking in the arrowroot starch until no lumps remain.
Add the slurry mixture and the Worcestershire sauce to the pot.
Return the browned meat to the Dutch oven. Add the two bay leaves, reduce to a simmer, and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
When the 45 minutes is up, add the chopped carrots, celery, and potatoes. Continue to cook, covered, for another 35-40 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Remove from the heat and serve immediately, or allow to cool down and store in glass containers for later.
Other Cozy Fall Recipes
- Skillet Chicken Thighs with Mushroom Gravy
- Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder
- Loaded Veggie Salsa Verde Chicken Chili
- Coffee Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
- Chuck Roast with Au Jus
COZY CLASSIC BEEF STEW
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat (I used beef chuck cut into 1 ½-inch cubes)
- 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil (divided)
- 1 white onion, chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine (or substitute an additional cup of beef broth)
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 carrots, cut 1.5-inch thick
- 6 celery stalks, cut 1-inch thick
- 1 pound baby potatoes, halved
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Season the beef stew meat generously with the Kosher salt and pepper.
- Add the meat to the Dutch oven in an even layer and sear until browned on all sides (about 2 to 3 minutes per side), then remove and set aside. To avoid overcrowding the pan, you may need to do this step in batches.
- Add the onions and cook for 3 to 5 minutes (note: at this point, you may need to add another tablespoon of oil to the pot).
- Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the wine and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot as the liquid loosens them up, and bring to a boil.
- Add ¾ of the beef broth to the Dutch oven. Separately, in a measuring cup or small bowl, create a slurry with the arrowroot starch and the remaining beef broth by whisking in the arrowroot starch until no lumps remain.
- Add the slurry and the Worcestershire sauce to the pot.
- Return the browned meat to the pot, add the bay leaves, reduce to a simmer, and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes.
- When the 45 minutes is up, add the chopped carrots, celery, and potatoes. Continue to cook, covered, for another 35-40 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Remove from heat, serve, and ENJOY!
