Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes
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This classic French beef stew is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. After a few hours in the oven, the meat becomes meltingly tender and enveloped in a rich wine sauce.
With over 4,000 5-star reviews, this classic French beef stew is the all-time most popular recipe on my website. It is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. Chunks of well-marbled beef are seared in a hot pan, then gently braised with garlic and onions in a rich wine-based broth. After a few hours in the oven, the meat becomes meltingly tender and enveloped in a deeply flavorful sauce. It takes a few hours to make, but the recipe is mostly hands-off. Go ahead and make it a day or two ahead of time; the flavor improves the longer it sits.
This stew is part of my classic French recipe collection, which includes similar slow-cooking comfort food recipes, like coq au vin and braised short ribs, and impressive main courses, like steak au poivre or roast beef tenderloin with red wine sauce.
what you’ll need to make beef stew with carrots & potatoes
The most important thing is to start with the right cut of meat. You want to buy chuck roast that is well-marbled—that means it should have a good amount of white veins of fat running through it. Stay away from meat generically packaged as “stew meat,” especially if it looks lean (I can guarantee you it will not get tender, no matter how long you cook it).
For the wine, use any dry red (Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc.) that is inexpensive but still good enough to drink.
How To Make Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes
Begin by removing any large chunks of fat that are easy to get to (like the one my knife is pointing to below), but don’t overdo it with the trimming, as the fat helps make the beef tender.
Next, season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a bit of oil in a Dutch oven or large pot and brown the meat in batches.
This step is a bit time-consuming but browning the meat adds depth and dimension to the stew. (Note: it’s important not to crowd the pan — if you try to brown all the meat at once, it will steam instead of sear and you won’t get all that lovely color and flavor.)
Remove the meat and add the onions, garlic, and balsamic vinegar to the pan. The vinegar will loosen all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan and add flavor.
Cook until the vegetables are softened, then add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.
Add the beef back into the pan and sprinkle with the flour.
Stir until the flour is dissolved.
Add the wine, broth, water, thyme, bay leaves, and sugar.
Bring to a boil, then cover and braise in the oven for 2 hours.
After 2 hours, add the carrots and potatoes.
Return to the oven and continue cooking for one hour, or until the meat is fork-tender, the broth is thickened, and the carrots and potatoes are tender.
Feel free to adapt the recipe to your liking. You can leave out the potatoes and serve it over buttered egg noodles, or toss in some frozen peas or sautéed mushrooms at the very end. Either way, it’s soul-satisfying comfort food for a cold night.
You may also like
- Slow-Baked BBQ Short Ribs
- Onion-Braised Beef Brisket
- Chicken Cacciatore
- Guinness Lamb Stew with Vegetables
- Texas-Style Chili Con Carne
- Coq Au Vin
- Meatloaf
Video Tutorial
Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes
This classic French beef stew is the ultimate cold weather comfort food. After a few hours in the oven, the meat becomes meltingly tender and enveloped in a rich wine sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck (well-marbled), cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium yellow onions, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 7 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal
- 1 pound small white boiling potatoes (baby yukons), cut in half
- Fresh chopped parsley, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position.
- Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Brown the meat in 3 batches, turning with tongs, for about 5 minutes per batch; add one tablespoon more oil for each batch. (To sear the meat properly, do not crowd the pan and let the meat develop a nice brown crust before turning with tongs.) Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.
- Add the onions, garlic and balsamic vinegar; cook, stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping the brown bits from bottom of the pan, for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more. Add the beef with its juices back to the pan and sprinkle with the flour. Stir with wooden spoon until the flour is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, beef broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and braise for 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and place back in oven for about an hour more, or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender. Fish out the bay leaf and discard, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve the stew warm -- or let it come to room temperature and then store in the refrigerator overnight or until ready to serve. This stew improves in flavor if made at least 1 day ahead. Reheat, covered, over medium heat. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
- Note: If you don’t have a Dutch oven or covered pot that is appropriate for the oven, the stew can be cooked on the stove. The timing will be the same and it should be cooked over the lowest setting.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The stew can be frozen for up to 3 months. Before serving, defrost the stew in the refrigerator for 24 hours and then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat until hot.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 539
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Sugar: 8g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 54g
- Sodium: 1189mg
- Cholesterol: 143mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I made this recipe for company. My husband said it was the best meal he has ever had in his entire life! I did not add the potatoes instead served with mashed potatoes. I added only 1 cup of water, made the day before and warmed up day of, in oven. Be careful not to cut meat in too small of chunks.
My mom made stew all the time and I loved it. But I never felt I could make mine as good as hers. This recipe did it! It was the best stew I ever made and it was so easy. My husband really enjoyed it too. It took a little longer because I added white and sweet potatoes and a lot of peas, and they took a longer to cook. Thank you Jenn for the recipe for this delicious classic meal!
I made this today. I am not a great or experienced cook. I also found the broth too thin and a bit greasy. My mom thought it had a strange taste, she thought it tasted canned. I am not sure what I did wrong. The only thing I did different was add a can of whole tomatoes which I cut up. I even sauteed mushrooms (heaven!) and added them. When I reheat tomorrow I want to add pearl onions and more mushrooms. I still want to try it again!
Hi Shelly, Next time, try trimming a bit more fat from the beef (or you can always skim off the fat after cooling the stew). The canned tomatoes might be giving the stew an acidic taste; they also add more liquid which thins the stew. Hope that helps!
I have four lamb shanks – could I add the flour to the onion/tomato paste mixture and then substitute the lamb shanks for the beef? Would serve over mashed potatoes. Love your cookbook and website! Thanks!
Yes, that should work, Tina. Please lmk how it turns out!
This was fabulous with inexpensive lamb shanks instead of beef! I browned the shanks and made the sauce on the stovetop and then transferred to a large baking dish covered tightly with heavy duty foil for the oven. I added some rosemary sprigs and did not use the potatoes or carrots. After the lamb was really tender, I went the extra mile because it was for Christmas Eve dinner and strained the sauce into a saucepan, skimmed the fat, and reduced it a bit to a heavenly rich sauce. Then I poured the sauce over the shanks in the baking dish. Served with “Fusilli Alfredo” and “Springtime Sauteed Asparagus & Peas” from your cookbook and your buttermilk biscuits, with your ricotta cheesecake for desert. Made most of this the day before. Sooo good!!! THANK YOU for your wonderful website and recipes!
So glad it turned out well — thanks for reporting back! (And I’m truly flattered that so many of my recipes made it onto your holiday table!) 💗
After reading all the great reviews I had to make this stew. It was fantastic! Very tasty and the meat was so tender and such a great flavor. My only problem was that the broth was a little greasy. I don’t know if I added too much olive oil when I cooked the meat? I googled how to remove the grease and I took a big chunk of ice and wrapped it in a paper towel and dabbed it on top of the broth. It worked great and the stew was delicious. I will definately make this again.
When I make this, I always cut the big chunks of fat off of my meat so that the stew doesn’t end up with an overly fatty mouthfeel. There is still plenty of marbling within the meat to add that great flavor, though.
Hi Jenn, I made this stew in the pressure cooker to save time and added some red peppers and a tin of Italian tomatoes. I have made stew for 25 years, and this must be the best one ever!!!
Best beef stew recipe ever!
Hello Jenn
I was thinking of trying this recipe out tonight but I only have 1 lb of beef. How much should I reduce anything? Plus will cooking time change to?
Thank you for your feedback.
Kim L
Hi Kim, you’ll need to cut all the other ingredients by two-thirds. Cooking time should remain the same. Hope you enjoy!
Great recipe Jenn! Only addition for me was a wee bit of Red Boat fish sauce.
Anyone who gives this dish less then 5 stars is CRAZY! It was absolutely divine. I added a few other ingredients due to what was in my fridge, but holy moly it was amazing. I’ve always used red wine, but adding in the vinegar is brilliant. Going to post about it on my blog. Thanks so much for this fabulous recipe!!!
Perfect recipe; I’ve tried several red wine and beef recipes and this is the best so far.
This is the best beef stew recipe I’ve made! Braising the beef in the oven makes it perfect and just falls apart!
Jenn, I want to thank you for all of your delicious recipes! I am looking for some help with this particular recipe which is also delicious but I am struggling with too much liquid in the finished stew. The first time I made it, I followed your recipe exactly and too much liquid. Yesterday I made it again but changed the liquid to the 2 cups of wine and two cans (14.5 ounces each) of beef broth. I omitted the 2 cups of water. Great flavor (I found some nicely marbled sirloin tips at the market so used 3 lbs. A budget buster for sure but so flavorful and tender.) Again too much liquid so that I had to make a roux to finish off the stew. The photos of your stew do not have a lot of liquid. Are you leaving you pot UNCOVERED in the oven? Thanks so much for suggestions.
Hi Nancy, I’m surprised that you still found it too liquidy after cutting it back. You mentioned that you made a roux. Are you saying the broth is just a bit too thin? If so, after removing it from the oven, I’d put it on the stove at a gentle boil and simmer, uncovered, until the broth is thickened to your liking.
Hi Jen. That beef stew was heaven. Problem was I couldn’t stop eating. Made it then put it in the fridge for a day. Put potatoes in and thirty minutes later started to eat. Thanks. It was delicious.
🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Jenn, I try a gentle simmer next time.
Nancy Henry, I had the same problem, too much liquid. It’s not just you.
My husband told me how lucky our kids are that their mom is such an amazing cook! I made no-knead rosemary bread to accompany it. It was a delicious meal! Can’t wait to make it for company.
So if I let it cool down after cooking and put it in the refrigerator, how long should I cook it in the oven and at what degrees
Hi Theresa, I’d actually reheat it on the stove over low. That way, you can give it a stir periodically and don’t have to keep opening the oven to check it. Hope that helps!
The best beef stew that I have ever made
The beef is beyond tender and the flavoring is perfect!
Can I cook this entirely on the stove top? I don’t have a Dutch oven!
Sure — just give it a stir every once in a while so the bottom doesn’t scorch. Enjoy!
This recipe is fantastic! It has a rich, hearty flavor that is perfect for a cold winter day. Thanks for sharing!
I was looking for a stew recipe to use up some venison I had . I used this one substituting venison loin for the chuck. I made this on a cold rainy Sunday here in the northeast. It was absolutely delicious !
Jen my family and I absolutely love your recipes! Thank you so much!
😊
My family asked me to make this beef stew again soon ! I served it with potatoes, next time I will serve it with pasta for a change. Thank you for sharing this very tasting beef stew Jenn style!!
Best beef stew after trying so so many recipes.
Excellent beef stew! Our house smelled wonderful! Thanks, Jenn! I love your recipes!
Ive made this twice and it is absolutely amazing!!! Followed the recipe exactly (maybe added a little more veggies) and it turned out perfect. No mods needed. My family loves this stew!
I make it at least four times a fall/winter season as written. The texture of the veggies is perfect rather than over cooked like a lot of stews. Yummy!
What about using small little onions?
Hi Doris, those should work as long as you don’t add too many. If you’d like, you could sauté them in butter to give them a little caramelization and then add them at the end.
This stew was delicious! I followed recipe except instead of 2 cups of broth and 2 cups of water, I put 4 cups of broth! Thanks for such a great recipe!
By far, the best, most flavorful stew I’ve ever made! Deep, rich flavor. Followed the recipe to a T (except I didn’t have balsamic so I subbed apple cider vinegar). The sauce was the perfect consistency. Everyone gobbled it up. It will be my go-to from now on. Looking for more 5-star recipes here. So glad I found the site.
Simply Fantastic and full of flavour.
Thanks from Canada.
Dom
Jen
This stew is delicious. I made it once for six and it was devoured but for two people is it possible to freeze some after cooking? Any tips?
Thanks.
Jane
Yes, you can definitely freeze it! See the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions. 🙂
This was absolutely fantastic! We loved the taste with the wine. I made this to share with a friend and she commented that it was the best stew she ever had and then she asked for the recipe. 🙂
This stew is wonderful. Full flavoured. It is literally addictive. So amazing and well worth the work.
I did not add the bay leaf. Added turnips, mushrooms and celery. Sooo good!
Perfect on the first try! I subbed gf flour in and it still thickened nicely. This is a keeper, and I wouldn’t change a thing
Hi Jenn:
This is the beef stew that I will be making from now on. The meat was so soft and tender that it almost melted in your mouth. I did leave out the wine though because I once made a stew with wine and my family didn’t like it very much. But when my husband took a piece of bread and wiped it all around the plate to get any bit of stew that was left, I knew this recipe was a keeper.
I will be looking for more of your recipes.
Thank you so much.
Great recipe – how long does it take to reheat at 350 please?
Hi Sue, Instead of using the oven, I’d just reheat it on the stovetop until heated through. (It’s easier to check it that way.) Hope you enjoy!
This is addicting. Made it. Ate it. Now I crave it and make it any chance I can! Please try this!
Glad you enjoyed it (and I love your rhyme)! 🙂
This was the richest, tenderest stew I have every made. I only wish I had doubled it. I thought about leaving out the vinegar and the sugar but I am so glad I didn’t change anything. My whole family enjoyed it!
Would it be ok to cook this slowly on the stove as opposed to in the oven?
Definitely. Just give it a stir periodically so the bottom doesn’t scorch.
Wow, this stew is very flavorful! It snowed here yesterday so I was looking for some comfort food. I made this stew yesterday for dinner tonight because you mentioned it tastes better after the flavors sit (not gonna lie, I couldn’t wait to try it so I had second dinner). My house smells amazing and I can’t wait to taste it again. This was my first time visiting your site and I will be back. Thanks!
How do I make this without wine and beef broth? I wanted to make it for my 1 year old girls. I want to add as little sodium as possible.
Hi Whitney, You can replace the wine with more broth and if you don’t want to use beef broth, you could use reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth.
This recipe was definitely the best one that I ever made after 42 years of cooking. Glad I found this one!!!! Thanks for sharing it with us!
Hey! Notice you said you could use a crock pot/slow cooker for 4-5 hours. When would you transfer from a stove top pan to the crock pot? Was thinking after cooking the garlic and vinegar to get all the beef flavour?
Sure, Steve, that would be a great time to the mixture to the slow cooker. Hope you enjoy!
Straight epic!!! Only thing I did was add garlic powder to my meat
and the other ingredients just made it lovely.
Great recipe! I only made some slight changes. I used 2 large diced shallots (about a cups worth) and a bag of petite fingerling potatoes instead of baby Yukons.
It turned out great. I will make this again!
Jenn — A friend led me to your site and everything I have tried has been “best.” I would like to make this stew but am staying away from anything “white” so the potatoes will be omitted. Any suggestions for adding something else? Mushrooms maybe? Thanks.
So glad you’re enjoying the recipes! Mushrooms would definitely work in place of the potatoes but I’d add them closer to the end of the cooking time. You could also double the carrots or use a different root vegetable like turnips or parsnips. Hope you like it!
I’ve wanted to make this for some time and I finally did. It’s fantastic! I did skip the wine but I might try it next time.
My friend, who is the pickiest eater in the entire world, ate nearly the whole stew! I still can’t believe it.
Made many beef stews over the years and this recipe is the best! I do use worcestershire sauce instead of the balsamic vinegar because I’m more partial to that taste. And when I’m in a hurry, I just keep the beef whole – sear it on both sides and on the edges. I dredge the onion/paste mixture in the flour, add in the liquids, and mix to combine, then add in the beef. I also omit the potatoes and double the carrots, then top it off with drop dumplings on top!
Jennifer, you nailed it once again, followed the recipe to the t. just added some chopped celery along with carrots and potatoes, by far my favorite recipe for beef stew, tasty and savory. bought my own chuck roast and trimmed the meat myself, eliminated the fattiest parts.
It turned our awesome, had some pita bread for dipping in the delicious juice.
Once again “once upon a chef” comes through with flying colors. I have become a big fan of your cooking.
I love this recipe. I kept finding recipes that tasted like wine and not that savory goodness I wanted. In fact, when I first made this, I started out with only half a cup of wine. I now add the two cups and it still has that fabulous taste.
Made this today and it was delicious! My mom and son absolutely loved it! Thanks for sharing it!
Awesome. I’ve made this a few times now. I pretty much stick to the recipe. For the carrots, I just grab a bag of washed and peeled baby carrots.
Good morning Jenn, made your stew recipe yesterday. Just what I was looking for flavour wise, your directions were easy to follow. My husband loved it. We love a lot of comfort foods & I like to make ahead to freeze for easy dinners. Next up will be to make your brownies. Thanks
My family loves this stew! I think it is special enough to serve company too!
Another outstanding recipe! Followed it as written except I rendered some slab bacon cut as lardons and then seared the meat with this fat.
I’ve been impressed with all the recipes I’ve tried on this site and have bought the book!
Hi! Looking forward to making this delicious stew. Any chance I can modify it to be prepared in the Instant Pot? Tks!
Hi Carrie, I’ve never made this in an instant pot, but a number of readers have commented that they have and have been happy with the results. One recent comment indicated: “I cooked at high pressure for 35 min, although next time I will add 5 more min, then depressurized, added the potatoes and carrots, and cooked for another 10 min. Also added a bit less liquid, since you lose none in the pressure cooker.” Hope that helps and that you enjoy if you try it!
Thank-you so much! I recently made this dish & it was extraordinary.
I’ve been making delicious stew for decades, using beef, lamb, chicken, and venison. I usually use a slow-cooker for most of a day. Every fall/winter I look at recipes to get ideas and inspiration for new ways of approaching the genre. This recipe looked wonderful and so, for the first time in 30 years, I actually adhered to the recipe. The only differences were: I made a 2/3 version and used tri-tip beef rather than chuck roast. Otherwise, I stuck to the guidance and ended up with the best beef stew ever! I will make this again and again — the leftovers are even better than the first night. My only suggestion is that the carrot quotient be increased by at least a factor of 2. Yummy! And BTW – I love your cookbook and have made many things that you showcase in your emails. Thanks so much for all you do for us!
So glad to hear you’ve added this stew to your repertoire! 🙂