Hearty Beef Stew

Name: Hearty Beef Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes; 3 tbsp all-purpose flour; 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 large yellow onion, diced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 cup dry red wine; 4 cups beef broth; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cubed; 3 large carrots, cut into rounds; 2 stalks celery, sliced; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 bay leaf; 1 cup frozen peas

Rich, fork-tender beef stew with root vegetables in a thick, savory gravy

By RecipesQueen Kitchen • June 10, 2026

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 2h 30m

Servings: 6

Difficulty: Easy

beef-stewcomfort-foodwinterone-potbeef-stew-recipeslow-cookedhearty

Pin This Recipe

This hearty beef stew is cold-weather comfort food at its finest — chunks of beef so tender they melt on your tongue, surrounded by potatoes, carrots, and onions in a thick, wine-enriched gravy that begs to be soaked up with crusty bread.

The secret to incredible beef stew is taking time where it matters: searing the beef in batches until deeply browned (this is where 80% of the flavor comes from), deglazing with red wine, and simmering low and slow for at least 2 hours. Rushing any of these steps produces a bland stew.

A touch of tomato paste adds depth, Worcestershire provides umami, and a late addition of frozen peas brings brightness to the finished bowl. This is the kind of stew that fills your house with an aroma so good your neighbors will knock on your door.

Ingredients

2.5 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
4 cups beef broth
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lb Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
3 large carrots, cut into rounds
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

1
Pat beef dry and toss with flour, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Sear beef in batches until deeply browned on all sides — do not crowd the pan. Remove and set aside.
2
Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and tomato paste, stirring for 1 minute.
3
Pour in red wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
4
Return the beef and any accumulated juices. Add beef broth, Worcestershire, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
5
Cover and cook for 1.5 hours. Add potatoes and cook uncovered for another 30-45 minutes until beef and potatoes are fork-tender and the gravy has thickened.
6
Stir in frozen peas in the last 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Serve in deep bowls with crusty bread.