Jump to Recipe
Comforting and hearty Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew is the best soup to have during frigid winter temperatures. So comforting and rich in flavors. Made with beef chuck that is simmered until it reaches melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Loaded with veggies for added nutritional value and creamy potatoes.
Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew
Living in New England and enduring frigid cold winters, really makes me crave hearty and comforting soups. One of my go-to soups during these cold winter days is this Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew. It’s so flavorful and just what you need to warm right-up during any cold chilly day. Rich in flavors, tender beef stew meat, and loaded with veggies. Did I mention it’s gluten-free? You will find yourself making this stew over and over again.
Ingredients needed to make Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew:
- Beef Chuck or Pot Roast– Short rib or oxtail are great cuts of meat to use in beef stew also.
- Tapioca Flour– To thicken stew. Arrowroot flour is a great gluten-free flour too. You can also use cornstarch.
- Avocado Oil– High smoking point oils will do.
- Aromatics– Yellow Onion and garlic.
- Red Wine– To deglaze and add great flavor to the stew as it elevates beef flavor.
- Fresh Veggies– Cremini Mushrooms, carrots, string beans, and frozen peas. A must in beef stew and they add more nutrients too.
- Red Potatoes– Another vegetable that is a staple in any beef stew recipe. Any waxy potatoes are great for beef stew such Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Spices and Herbs– Oregano, thyme, bay leaves, tomato paste, pink salt and black pepper.
- Beef Broth– I like to use low-sodium beef broth to control the amount of salt that goes in. Beef Bone Broth is also a great broth for this recipe as it will add more nutrients as well.
Equipment needed to make Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew:
- Chef’s Knife– A good knife to cut through your meat and veggies.
- Cutting board– The largest you have!
- Large mixing bowl– To coat your beef with flour.
- Dutch Oven– To cook the stew on the stovetop and then transfer to the oven.
- Sautéing Pan– For sautéing some of the veggies.
How to make Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew:
- Step 1– Prep veggies by dicing onion, mince garlic, slice mushrooms into thick slices, chop carrots into thick pieces, and cut string beans into 1-2 inch pieces to measure out 1 cup. Set all prepped veggies aside.
- Step 2– Slice beef chuck into small cubes. Place beef in a large mixing bowl and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and give it a good toss. Sprinkle with tapioca flour and give it another good toss making sure the beef is well coated with flour.
- Step 3– Place dutch oven on stove top and turn heat to medium-high. Drizzle with avocado oil and bring oil to a heat. Use tongs to place each piece of beef in dutch oven leaving enough space between each piece. You will probably have to cook in batches. Cook beef for 2-3 minutes on one side. Then flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove beef from dutch oven and place in a bowl. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the beef until all beef has been seared.
- Step 4– As beef browns, place a sautéing pan on stovetop. Drizzle with another tablespoon of avocado oil and bring to a heat on medum-high heat. Add mushrooms and carrots and sauté for 7-8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Add tomato paste and continue sautéing for another 2-3 minutes. Remove veggies from heat.
- Step 5– Do not clean dutch oven after browning beef. Drizzle 1 tablespoon avocado oil in dutch oven and bring to a heat on medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions start to soften. Pour wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot to get all the beef pieces off.
- Step 6– Preheat oven at 325 degrees F.
- Step 7– Once wine starts to boil, add cooked stew beef back into pot along with sautéed mushrooms and carrots. Pour in beef broth and add in bay leaves. Bring broth to a simmer.
- Step 8– As broth starts to simmer, chop potatoes into fourths and add to pot. Place lid on dutch oven and place in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Step 9– Take stew out of the oven and add string beans. Place dutch oven back in the oven for another 25 minutes.
- Step 10– Remove stew from the oven and add frozen peas. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste if needed. Let stew sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Remove bay leaves and discard. Serve stew and enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Can’t find beef chuck?- You can use pot roast, short rib or even oxtail instead.
- Sear your beef beforehand– Don’t skip this step. Searing your beef releases so much juice and adds so much flavor to your stew.
- Best Potatoes to use– Red potatoes are great in a beef stew, but you can also use Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes.
- Any dry wine will do- The best dry wines to use in this recipe are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot.
- Thicken your stew properly– The secret to a good stew is to get it more on the thick side. Coating your beef chunks with flour before searing it and cooking it in the stew will make your stew thick. If it’s not thick enough once it comes out of the oven, make a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons arrowroot or tapioca flour with 2 tablespoons of broth. Then pour it back in the stew and give it a good stir.
- Don’t have an oven safe pot?– You can finish the stew on the stovetop if you don’t have an oven safe pot. Turn heat low and cover pot. Allow stew to simmer for about 1.5 hours or until the beef becomes tender. Add string beans and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until string beans cook through.
- Add bacon- For a more hearty stew, add some bacon. Chop bacon into small pieces and cook through on pot before cooking the beef. Set bacon aside, clean pot and continue with browning beef. Add bacon back when you add the beef into the stew.
How to make Homemade Beef Stew in the Crockpot or Slow Cooker:
- Prep all ingredients including veggies and beef per below instructions for stovetop method. Place a large frying pan on the stovetop and drizzle with 1 tablespoon avocado oil. Turn heat on medium-high and bring oil to a heat. Use tongs to place each piece of beef on the frying pan leaving enough space between each piece of beef. You will probably have to cook in batches. Cook beef for 2-3 minutes on one side. Then flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove beef from the frying pan and place in a bowl. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the beef until all beef has been seared.
- Once all beef has been seared, place inside the slow cooker. Add in mushrooms, carrots, onions and garlic, potatoes, pink sea salt, black pepper, oregano, thyme, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Pour in wine and beef broth. Give everything a good stir making sure all ingredients are well mixed together.
- Place lid on slow cooker and turn on and set on low to cook for 6-7 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.
- After preferred cooking time has gone by, remove lid from slow cooker. Toss in string beans and once again give everything a good stir. Keep slow cooking for another 30 minutes.
- Remove lid once again and toss in frozen peas. Give a good stir once again. Turn slow cooker off and allow stew to sit for a few minutes.
- Remove bay leaves, serve immediately and enjoy!
How to make Homemade Beef Stew in the Instant Pot:
- Prep all ingredients including veggies and beef per below instructions for stovetop method. Turn Instant Pot on and set on sauté option. Drizzle the inside of Instant Pot with 1 tablespoon avocado oil and bring to a heat. Use tongs to place each piece of beef in Instant Pot leaving enough space between each piece. You will probably have to cook in batches. Cook beef for 2-3 minutes on one side. Then flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove beef from IP and place in a bowl. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the beef until all beef has been seared.
- Place all the seared beef back in the IP along with the rest of ingredients; mushrooms, carrots, onions and garlic, potatoes, pink sea salt, black pepper, oregano, thyme, tomato paste, and bay leaves. Pour in wine and beef broth. Give everything a good stir making sure all ingredients are well mixed together.
- Place IP lid on and close it. Turn the steam release valve to seal. Press manual then set IP on high and set timer for 35 minutes. It will take some time for the pressure to build up. Once it does, the timer will start counting down from 35.
- Once the countdown goes off, allow IP to NRP for 10 minutes then carefully turn steam release valve to unseal to release any additional pressure.
- Add in string beans and close IP again turning steam release valve to seal. Set IP to manual and set on high for 5 minutes. Once timer goes off, manually release all the pressure. Remove lid from IP and stir in frozen peas. Set IP on keep warm and allow beef stew to sit in the pot for another 5-10 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves and serve beef stew immediately. Enjoy!
Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew FAQ’s:
What is Beef Stew?
Beef Stew is a comforting and hearty soup made with beef and vegetables. Classic beef stew is made with beef, potatoes and carrots. We love adding extra veggies for more flavor and a boost of nutrition. This Beef Stew is loaded with fresh mushrooms, string beans, and peas.
What is the secret to a good beef stew?
The secret to a good stew is first of all, to use the right cut of beef. You then want to sear the small cubes of beef to get the juices flowing and slightly browning it. This highly elevates the flavor of the beef, therefore optimizing the flavor of your stew. Lastly, simmering your stew in the oven for a couple of hours will give it a great flavor as well.
What gives beef stew the best flavor?
Adding all the veggies to your beef stew gives it the best flavors along with all the spices and herbs the recipe calls for. Potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms all perfectly compliment the beef and elevates all the flavors in the stew.
What is the best cut of meat to make stew?
The best cut of meat of make beef stew are either beef chuck, pot roast or short rib. These cuts of beef have a robust flavor and will absorb the stew sauce during cooking time. When the beef simmers in liquid for a long time, the connective tissue breaks down and you are left with tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef. Resulting in a flavorful, rich and hearty stew.
What is the best thickener for beef stew?
To thicken your beef stew you can use flour. We are gluten-free so my go-to flours to thicken my beef stew are arrowroot flour or tapioca flour. You can also use cornstarch.
What kind of wine is best for cooking Beef Stew?
When it comes to cooking, most of the time the best kind of wine are dry ones. Wine can add so much flavor to recipes, especially this one. My go-to wine to use when cooking beef, particularly for this recipe, is Cabernet Sauvignon. Other dry wines that are great for cooking are Pinot Noir and Merlot.
Can I make it without wine?
Yes you certainly can. Just add more beef broth to your stew.
What to serve with Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew:
Did you like this recipe for Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew? You may also like these other healthy and hearty soup recipes:
- Chicken Taco Soup (Crockpot)
- Best Lasagna Soup
- Pumpkin Chili
- White Chicken Chili with Roasted Poblano Peppers (Instant Pot)
- Crockpot Sriracha Turkey Chili
Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew
Comforting and hearty Dutch Oven Homemade Beef Stew is the best soup to have during frigid winter temperatures. So comforting and rich in flavors. Made with beef chuck that is simmered until it reaches melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Loaded with veggies for added nutritional value and creamy mashed potatoes. Gluten-free beef stew.
Ingredients
Stew Beef:
- 2 lbs beef chuck (or pot roast)
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp tapioca flour
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
Stew:
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (divided)
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup red wine
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms
- 5 carrots
- 1 cup string beans
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 lb red potatoes
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
-
Prep veggies by dicing onion, mince garlic, slice mushrooms into thick slices, chop carrots into thick pieces, and cut string beans into 1-2 inch pieces to measure out 1 cup. Set all prepped veggies aside.
-
Slice beef chuck into small cubes. Place beef in a large mixing bowl and pat dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and give it a good toss. Sprinkle with tapioca flour and give it another good toss making sure the beef is well coated with flour.
-
Place dutch oven on stove top and turn heat to medium-high. Drizzle with avocado oil and bring oil to a heat. Use tongs to place each piece of beef in dutch oven leaving enough space between each piece. You will probably have to cook in batches. Cook beef for 2-3 minutes on one side. Then flip over and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side. Remove beef from dutch oven and place in a bowl. Set aside and repeat with the rest of the beef until all beef has been seared.
-
As beef browns, place a sautéing pan on stovetop. Drizzle with another tablespoon of avocado oil and bring to a heat on medum-high heat. Add mushrooms and carrots and sauté for 7-8 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Add tomato paste and continue sautéing for another 2-3 minutes. Remove veggies from heat.
-
Do not clean dutch oven after browning beef. Drizzle 1 tablespoon avocado oil in dutch oven and bring to a heat on medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes until onions start to soften. Pour wine and deglaze the bottom of the pot to get all the beef pieces off.
-
Preheat oven at 325 degrees F.
-
Once wine starts to boil, add cooked stew beef back into pot along with sautéed mushrooms and carrots. Pour in beef broth and add in bay leaves. Bring broth to a simmer.
-
As broth starts to simmer, chop potatoes into fourths and add to pot. Place lid on dutch oven and place in preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
-
Take stew out of the oven and add string beans. Place dutch oven back in the oven for another 25 minutes.
-
Remove stew from the oven and add frozen peas. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste if needed. Let stew sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Remove bay leaves and discard. Serve stew and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- Can’t find beef chuck?- You can use pot roast, short rib or even oxtail instead.
- Sear your beef beforehand– Don’t skip this step. Searing your beef releases so much juice and adds so much flavor to your stew.
- Best Potatoes to use– Red potatoes are great in a beef stew, but you can also use Yukon Gold or yellow potatoes.
- Any dry wine will do- The best dry wines to use in this recipe are Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot.
- Thicken your stew properly– The secret to a good stew is to get it more on the thick side. Coating your beef chunks with flour before searing it and cooking it in the stew will make your stew thick. If it’s not thick enough once it comes out of the oven, make a slurry by combining 2 tablespoons arrowroot or tapioca flour with 2 tablespoons of broth. Then pour it back in the stew and give it a good stir.
- Don’t have an oven safe pot?– You can finish the stew on the stovetop if you don’t have an oven safe pot. Turn heat low and cover pot. Allow stew to simmer for about 1.5 hours or until the beef becomes tender. Add string beans and continue to simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until string beans cook through.
- Add bacon- For a more hearty stew, add some bacon. Chop bacon into small pieces and cook through on pot before cooking the beef. Set bacon aside, clean pot and continue with browning beef. Add bacon back when you add the beef into the stew.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
***Post originally published on February 23, 2022.
