Easy Beef Stew
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This easy beef stew recipe is made right on the stovetop with simple ingredients: beef stew meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas. Everything cooks in one pot, so there is no oven and no slow cooker involved.
The beef gets tossed in seasoned flour and browned before anything else goes in the pot. That step helps give the broth its depth, and it only takes about 20 minutes of hands-on time.
After that it simmers on its own for an hour or so while you do something else. It makes eight servings, and the leftovers are even better the next day.
If you love a hearty beef dinner as much as we do, add these to your list too. Hamburger Noodle Soup is a regular here on busy nights, and when I want the slow cooker to do the work instead, I make Slow Cooker Vegetable Beef Soup or Slow Cooker Cracker Barrel Pot Roast.
Why You’ll Love This Stovetop Beef Stew
- One pot — the beef browns and the stew simmers in the same Dutch oven, so there is only one thing to wash.
- Made with simple ingredients — beef stew meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, peas, and seasonings you already have.
- Feeds the whole family — eight servings, with leftovers that reheat well.
- No-fuss — about 20 minutes of hands-on work, then the stove does the rest.
Ingredients
This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Beef stew meat — Beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes works equally well and is often cheaper per pound.
- All-purpose flour, salt, and pepper — Stirred together and used to coat the beef before it browns. The coating gives the beef a browned crust and more flavor, and the flour is also what helps the broth thicken as the stew simmers.
- Olive oil — For browning the beef. Any neutral oil works here.
- Low-sodium beef broth — Beef stock works too. Going low-sodium lets you add salt to taste.
- Potatoes — Russets break down a little as they cook and thicken the broth naturally. Yukon Gold or red potatoes hold their shape better, and baby potatoes save you the peeling.
- Carrots and celery — They go in with the potatoes and soften as the stew simmers.
- Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried basil, and bay leaves — All the seasoning this needs. The bay leaves come out before serving.
- Peas — Stirred in near the end so they stay bright and tender.
- Cornstarch and water — Optional, for a thicker stew.
How to Make Easy Beef Stew on the Stove Top
This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below.
Step 1: Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Dry meat browns, wet meat steams. Stir the flour, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl, then add the beef and toss to coat.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides in batches so the pot is not crowded, about 6 to 7 minutes per batch. Move each batch to a plate.
Step 3: Pour the beef broth into the empty pot and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. That is where most of the flavor lives. Return the beef to the pot and add the potatoes, carrots, celery, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, basil, and bay leaves.
Step 4: Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover and simmer 60 to 90 minutes, stirring now and then, until the beef is fork-tender.
Step 5: Stir in the peas 10 minutes before serving. For a thicker stew, whisk the cornstarch and water together to create a slurry, stir it in, and simmer uncovered for a few more minutes. Remove the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
Pro Tip:
Brown the beef in batches even when it feels like it is taking too long. A crowded pot traps steam and the meat turns gray instead of building a browned crust. Two or three batches is normal for two pounds.
Serving Suggestions
Crusty bread is the first thing I reach for. A loaf torn into pieces for dipping is usually all this needs.
Buttermilk Biscuits are great too, and 2-Ingredient Biscuits are the shortcut version for nights I have not planned ahead.
Storage
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed through. A splash of broth or water can be stirred in when reheating to help loosen it up a bit.
This one freezes well. Let the stew cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Tips for the Best Beef Stew
- Keep it at a gentle simmer, not a boil. Boiling toughens the beef, so turn the heat down if it starts bubbling hard.
- Give it the full time. If the beef isn’t tender at 60 minutes, it needs longer, not more heat. Fork-tender is the cue, not the clock.
- Salt at the end. The broth reduces as it simmers, so seasoning to taste once it is done keeps it from going too salty.
- Two ways to thicken it. The optional cornstarch slurry stirred in at the end works fastest. Or leave the lid off for the last 20 minutes or so and let the broth cook down on its own.
- Cut the potatoes and carrots at roughly the same size. Even pieces finish at the same time, so nothing is mushy and nothing is too firm.
Additions and Variations
- Add diced onion — Cook a diced yellow onion in the pot after the beef comes out, before the broth goes in. This recipe skips onion, but it is a good addition if your family likes it in stew.
- Stir in mushrooms — Up to 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms, added along with the other vegetables.
- Use red wine for part of the broth — Swap one cup of the beef broth for a dry red wine.
More Hearty Beef Dinners
- Slow Cooker Salisbury Steaks
- Lipton Soup Mix Meatloaf
- Slow Cooker BBQ Beef
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Beef Stew (Stove Top)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 ¼ pounds potatoes, Yukon or russet, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 3 ribs celery, sliced
- ½ Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup peas
For thickening (optional)
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the beef and toss to coat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat.
- Working in batches (so the pan isn’t crowded), brown the beef on all sides, about 6–7 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
- Pour the beef broth into the pot and use a spatula or wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom (this adds flavor).
- Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, basil, bay leaves.
- Bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 60–90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and easily pulls apart.
- About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the peas.
- If desired, thicken the stew with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together cornstarch and water and stir into the stew. Allow to simmer uncovered for a few minutes to allow it to thicken.
- Remove the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper (to taste), and serve warm.
Notes
- Beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes can be used in place of beef stew meat.
- Potatoes: Russets thicken the broth as they break down. Yukon Gold or red potatoes hold their shape better.
- Keep the stew at a gentle simmer rather than a boil so the beef stays tender.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freezing: Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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