Beef Stew Recipe (Hearty, Comforting Family Favorite)

There’s a reason beef stew has stayed a household staple for generations — it’s warm, filling, and turns humble ingredients into something deeply satisfying. This version features tender chunks of beef simmered low and slow with potatoes, carrots, and celery in a rich, savory broth, finished with a touch of red wine and tomato paste for extra depth. It’s the kind of meal that fills the kitchen with a comforting aroma while it cooks, and rewards the wait with fall-apart tender beef and vegetables in every spoonful.

With 8 servings, this recipe is built for a big family dinner, a cold-weather gathering, or simply stocking your fridge with leftovers that taste even better the next day.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deeply comforting — rich, savory broth with tender beef and vegetables
• Great for feeding a crowd — 8 hearty servings
• Mostly hands-off cooking — once it’s simmering, the stove does the work
• Classic, familiar flavors — the kind of dish that feels like a warm hug
• Excellent for leftovers — the flavor deepens even more the next day

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 2 pounds stewing beef, trimmed and cubed
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 6 cups beef broth
• ½ cup red wine, optional
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 4 ribs celery, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, or 1 sprig fresh
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch, or as needed
• 2 tablespoons water, or as needed
• ¾ cup peas

How to Make Beef Stew

Step 1: Coat the beef.
Combine the flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl, then toss the cubed beef in the mixture until evenly coated. This coating helps the beef brown nicely and also contributes to thickening the stew later on.

Step 2: Brown the beef.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Shake off any excess flour from the beef, then brown it in small batches so the pieces sear properly instead of steaming. Remove the browned beef and set it aside in a bowl as you work through the batches.

Step 3: Cook the onions.
Add the chopped onions to the pot, adding a bit more oil if needed, and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.

Step 4: Deglaze the pot.
Pour in the beef broth and red wine, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Those browned bits carry a lot of flavor, so this step is worth taking your time with.

Step 5: Build the stew.
Stir the browned beef back into the pot along with the potatoes, carrots, celery, tomato paste, and rosemary. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and let everything simmer for about 1 hour, or up to 90 minutes, until the beef becomes tender.

Step 6: Thicken the stew.
Mix equal parts cornstarch and water together to create a slurry. Slowly stir the slurry into the simmering stew until it reaches your desired thickness — you may not need all of it, or you can add a little extra if you prefer a thicker stew.

Step 7: Finish with peas.
Stir in the peas and let the stew simmer for another 5–10 minutes before serving. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Recipe Details

• Prep time: 20 minutes
• Cook time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Servings: 8

Tips for the Best Results

• Brown the beef in batches. Crowding the pot causes the beef to steam rather than sear, so working in smaller batches gives better flavor and color.
• Don’t skip deglazing the pot. Scraping up the browned bits after cooking the onions adds significant depth to the broth.
• Let it simmer low and slow. Rushing the cooking time can leave the beef tough, while a gentle simmer breaks down the connective tissue for tender, fall-apart meat.
• Add the slurry gradually. Pouring it in slowly while stirring helps avoid lumps and lets you control the final thickness more precisely.
• Add peas at the end. Stirring them in during the last few minutes keeps them bright and tender rather than overcooked and mushy.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days — the flavor often improves after a day or two as everything continues to meld together. Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if the stew has thickened too much in the fridge. This stew also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Serving Suggestions

• With crusty bread or dinner rolls for soaking up the broth
• Over mashed potatoes for an extra hearty meal
• Alongside a simple green salad to balance the richness
• Topped with fresh parsley for a pop of color and freshness

Final Thoughts

Beef Stew is the kind of recipe that never goes out of style — hearty, comforting, and built to feed a family with leftovers to spare. With tender beef, soft vegetables, and a rich, savory broth, this is a dish worth making on a cold day whenever you want dinner to feel like a warm hug in a bowl.