Easy Stovetop Beef Stew

One pot, easy stovetop beef stew is loaded with chunks of tender beef, sweet carrots and juicy peppers. A hearty, healthy and delicious meal that makes great leftovers.

This easy Stovetop Beef Stew is a dinner staple in our family. I like how easy it is to make, even if it involves a few steps. The stew is flavorful, warming with chunks of soft and tender beef, carrots and juicy red bell peppers. This is what I call comfort food and something that I love to eat on chilly nights under a blanket. Preferably someone else to do the dishes afterwards.

Sometimes I like to cook my stew without potatoes, to keep it lighter and lower in carbs. You could cook some delicious mashed potatoes and serve them as a side dish. The buttery potatoes would absorb the delicious broth, and in my opinion that’s pure comfort food, just give me a blanket plus a movie and I am good for the evening. I stole this recipe from my mom’s collection, and her secret to  a mouth watering beef stew is very simple: marinate the beef for a few hour before cooking. Also, did you know that adding just a little mustard to the beef marinade makes it more tender? Thats one of my tricks!

Tips and tricks to make the perfect Stovetop Beef Stew:

• Use grass-fed, organic stew meet if possible, grass-fed meet tends to be extra tender.
• For extra tender beef marinate it for a few hours. If you do not want to use the wine for the marinade you can substitute for: stock, sugar-free grape juice or sugar-free cranberry juice.
• You can also add mushrooms, celery or potatoes to the stew.
• Don’t shy away from using carrots, they add a sweet taste that balances the richness of the meal.
• Brown your beef – this has double purpose, first it locks the meat from the outside together, so during cooking it doesn’t fall apart when in becomes extra tender. Second, it will add extra flavor to the meat and the overall stew.
• If possible don’t skip the Worcestershire Sauce, a little goes a long way, and it definitely makes the beef flavor shine.
• Use low sodium beef broth, you don’t want to end up with a salty stew.
• When stirring the stew, be gentle as at the  end all the cooked ingredients become very tender.
• Store the stew in an airtight container in the fridge, make sure that the stew liquid covers all the ingredients so they don’t dry out.

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I like how clear and flavorful the broth turned, the veggies are not over cooked, the carrots brighten up the  dish with a subtle sweetness, and the peppers add some color and a nice texture. This Stovetop Beef Stew is a healthy dish, and can be served on its own with some nice crispy banquette to use for dipping or with a side of mashed potatoes or rice. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Looking for more Easy Ways to Cook Beef? Check these Recipes:

• Slow Cooker Beef Stew
• Slow Cooker Pot Roast with Red wine
• Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon 
• Instant Pot Mississipi Pot Roast

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Easy Stovetop Beef Stew

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs 20 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 40 mins

 

One pot, easy stovetop beef stew is loaded with chunks of tender beef, sweet carrots and juicy peppers. A hearty, healthy and delicious meal that makes great leftovers.

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Beef Stew

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Catalina Castravet

Ingredients

• 2 pounds stew beef cut into chucks

Marinade:

• 3 onions thinly sliced
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup red wine
• 1 tablespoon mustard

Cook Stew:

• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cloves garlic peeled and minced
• 1 cup beef broth low sodium
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3 large carrots cut into rondelle
• 1-2 red peppers sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3 bay leaves

To thicken the gravy:

• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix soy sauce, red wine and mustard. Add the beef and 3 sliced onions, mix with your hands making sure the beef is coated in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and set in the fridge to marinate for 2-3 hours. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking, discard the onions and the liquid.
2. In a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown meat in hot oil, until golden brown. If needed brown in layers. Once you add the beef to the pot, don't stir for 2 minutes, so it gets a nice sear.
3. Remove browned beef from pot and set aside.
4. Add water to the pot and deglaze, using a wooden spoon to try to remove and bits that stuck to the bottom.
5. Add the remaining diced onion and garlic, stir and cook for about 1 minutes.
6. Add back the beef, followed by tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, paprika and bay leaves.
7. Cover and simmer on low for 1½ hours.
8. Add sliced carrots and bell peppers. Cover and cook for 30 to 40 minutes longer on low heat. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. If needed add a little more broth, in case it reduced a lot.
9. If you would like to thicken the gravy, combine 1/4 cup water with 1/4 cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot gravy and return mixture to pot.
10. Stir and cook until mixture starts to boil (bubbly).
11. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve.