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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Absolutely amazing , tastes great . Massive hit with the family . Thank you.
I have no cooking experience, in fact, you could say I’m a bit of a British hooligan lol. This experience has been challenging.
Waiting for results. will let you know, was quite easy to follow. only some of the measures and descriptions needed google to help me out in the uk.
Great work
Thx
Daniel.
How long can I refrigerate for? I’m lookin to batch cook.
Hi Daniel, this will keep nicely in the fridge for about 3 days. It also freezes well. See the bottom of the recipe for freezer-friendly instructions.
Good afternoon I’m in the uk what temp should I cook at in the oven, can’t wait to get started 😊
Hi Daniel, The oven temp should be 165°C. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Thx Jen,
Made a bit of a mess in the kitchen but seems ok , she’s in the oven . 👍🏻
So rich and delicious 😋. Thank you very much Jenn !
Best recipe! It was delicious
The recipe was easy to follow and the results were amazing.
This was the best stew and not hard to make. It’s a keeper.
Had it for supper, loved it. Easy to make and the taste is super.
Next weekend I will make your meatloaf.
Pierre
I came across this recipe a couple weeks ago and have made it three times since! It is now my go-to boeuf bourguignon recipe!! Made it once as a regular stew and substituted the wine for extra beef broth. So flavourful!
Jenn,
I went from barely cooking at all to cooking every meal myself. I am great at cooking and following directions but terrible at creating my own recipes. This beef stew & your NY cheesecake recipe are the best stew/cheesecake I have ever tasted. I will continue to seek out your recipes and recommend them to my friends and family. Thank you for making me look good 😉
🙂 So glad you’ve had success with the recipes!
Fantastic recipe- one that i will continue using.
Wow that Beef stew came out perfect well worth the 3 hrs thanks for the recipe
Hands down LOVE this recipe.
Always a crowd pleaser and I use this recipe often.
It’s delicious with some Australian damper (similar to USA biscuits) cooked to the side for dipping or on its own.
X
Outstanding recipe. So flavorful. I tossed in a sprig of fresh rosemary along with the carrots and potatoes.
Wonderful recipe! A new favourite. I enjoyed how light it was for a stew – very healthy. Peas and mushrooms are necessary add ons. Delightful! Thank you ~
This recipe was delish and the family dinner was perfect! I didn’t make any changes to the recipe and looking forward to keeping this in my meal rotation! So yummy!! Tres bien
Hi Jen. Love this recipe for Beef with carrots and potatoes and have made for company a few times. Now that summer is finally approaching I’m wondering about your thoughts of making this recipe in a slow cooker?.. too hot in my condo for oven and I love how easy this recipe is.
So glad you like it! Yes, it’s fine to cook this in a slow cooker. I’d sear the beef first as the recipe indicates and then cook it in the slow cooker for 4 – 5 hours on high (and you can put the carrots and the potatoes in with the meat– you don’t need to wait).
Dear Jenn. 🙂
Thanks so much for your website.
I am recently retired, and as if that was not enough extra time on my hands, so I decided to try my hand at cooking. (Which is a long way out of my comfort zone, after 50 years working in mechanical, heavy industry, and mining fields). And while looking for a recipe came across your “Once Upon a Chef” … (Even my wife, (who is very accomplished in the kitchen) was impressed by the layout of photos and instructions …As the weather was cold I settled on this beef bourginon recipe, with wine and beef broth …I have cooked this 4 times now in the last month or so … and it has been delicious every time! My wife and son, (who is stranded in Australia and back home working on the dining table), have been very complimentary. Thank you again so much.
I am moving on to some of your other recipes now.
Best regards,
Richard 🙂
Perth, West Australia.
So glad you found the website and liked the stew — I hope you enjoy any other recipes you try! 🙂
Excellent! Easy!
Great recipe! I usually have to tweak recipes but this one was perfect. I did add a dash of salt at the end, but other than that it was perfect. I would like to know how to double this recipe for the holidays. Would the cooking time be the same?
Hi Cindy, Glad you liked it! Yes, cooking time will be the same if you double it. 🙂
I just tried this recipe and the flavor was absolutely delicious. The recipe was incredibly easy to follow and it was a hit with family and friends. The next time I make it I will use a cut of meat that is more tender for personal preference. You have me hooked on your recipes!
My husband made this for the family and it was the best stew we had ever tasted. Thanks for the recipe. Will most certainly make again.
I’m certainly no chef but my guests were mightily impressed. Delicious
This has been my go-to beef stew recipe for 2 years! I found it a while back and my family adores it. I’m making it as we speak so I thought I’d leave a comment. It’s simply the best!!
Thank you so much for the fantastic recipe. This is the second time I have made a stew and this was the best! I could not get hold of any tomato paste so I substituted with ketchup. Added some celery and rosemary too. My family totally enjoyed it.
No ingredients list.
Hi Mungo, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, under the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
Excellent!
Wow! Superb recipe for beef stew. I have tried many recipes for beef stew, and none of them come close to the delectable flavor this delivers.
I made this just as the recipe stated, albeit with more “spices” than called for. It developed a rich and tasty flavor. Definitely will make again!
Absolutely delicious! Added some chilli towards the end for a delicious little zing – this is a fabulous recipe.
Hi Jenn,
The only meat my husband was able to get this weekend was “clod heart roast choice “.
Would this cut work for this recipe?
If not, is there a recipe that you would recommend?
I’ve never used clod heart roast before but after researching, it appears to be a chuck shoulder type of cut. I am not sure what to do with this meat!
Hi Terri, I think that should work. Please LMK how it turns out!
I used the clod heart roast and it worked really well! Thanks for another great recipe!!
So glad it worked out — thanks for the follow-up!
Hi – I may make this for my son and family and rarely buy beef. Is this a chuck roast that I would get?
Thank you!
Yep – hope your son enjoys! 🙂
This is by far the best stew I have made. I like that the flour is added to the pot instead of flouring the meat. It’s so tasty and my husband loves it. Thank you for this wonderful recipe which I will not stray from.
I’ve made this stew many times. I try others, but always come back to this one. It’s delicious with a rich sauce, tender beef and the carrot and potatoes are perfectly cooked. Over time I’ve made a couple minor changes. I use only 4-5 cloves of garlic, Herbes de Provence instead of dry thyme, and add a good cup of frozen peas at the very end of cooking. I often make it a day ahead to scrape some of the cooled fat off the sauce and then add the peas when I reheat it. It is a wonderful recipe.
What if I don’t have any sugar? How does that affect the taste?
Hi Don, I like how the sugar balances out the savory flavors of the stew, but it should still be good if you omit it. Hope you enjoy!
This was delicious and my family loved it. My daughter came home for a few days and requested beef stew because we’ve had a cold front. It was perfect. Your website is always a go-to for me.
I will to try this recipe but I don’t have a Dutch oven or pot for the oven. Can I make it in the stove?
Yep – just give it a stir periodically so that it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Hi Jenn,
This recipe is super delicious, and my family rejoices when I make it!
This time, I have celery and fresh thyme to use up. Will it work to add one or both to the stew? Lmk please! Thank you!
Sure, KJ, both will work here (and so glad you like it)!
This was delicious, the only adjustments I made was, used fresh thyme, and left it uncovered for the last hour to thicken the gravy. I added sauteed mushrooms in the last hour and frozen petite peas. I did not add the potatoes as I wanted to freeze the leftovers. Served it on mashed potatoes with goat cheese, sour cream and horseradish.
How big/much is 1 serving?
Hi Max, I really don’t know off-hand, but I’d guesstimate each serving is about 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 cups. Hope you enjoy!
This has been our “go to” beef stew recipe for years and we normally are ATK/CI go to people. This is amazing. I just bought an instant pot a few weeks ago since stuck at home and trying new things. I made this last night in the instant pot with the following revisions. I added only about half a cup of water instead of two cups. I brought to pressure without the carrots and potatoes and cooked for 20 min. Then rapid released then added carrots and potatoes and brought to pressure and cooked another 20 min w natural release. Does this make sense? I couldn’t find any recipes that do this double cook but 40 min seemed like a long time for the veggies. What are your thoughts on this? I know most instant pot recipes say don’t add thickeners before cooking but i still added the flour as normal before pressure cooking. Scooped out all the big pieces of meat and veggies at the end and reduced for a about ten min then added back. Tastes just like your awesome recipe always tastes!
Hi Julie, Glad to hear you like this stew! I don’t have enough experience with it to tell weigh in on converting a recipe to an instant pot, but if you got a good result, it sounds like your on the right track! 🙂
Fabulous recipe. I got rave reviews from three separate groups. Made it in a cast iron Dutch oven. Middle rack, tightly covered. Cooked it at around 300°f for about five hours. Used Cabernet Sauvignon. I added another bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon extra thyme, plus 1/2 teaspoon herbs du Provence, and extra fresh ground pepper twice during the long cook. So good.
***** 5 stars *****
Best beef stew we’ve ever had! This was better than what you would get at a restaurant! My picky boyfriend said it was the best thing I ever made.
Due to poor planning on timing, I put my Le Creuset in the fridge overnight, and heating it up on the stovetop (as directed) and we ate it the next night. The sauce seemed to thicken overnight. My bf who doesn’t eat leftovers, still gave this an A+.
Make it as is before you add your own spin on it. I had regular “beef stew meat” and it still turned out ok- next time I’ll get the meat she recommends.
Hi, Jenn! I am about to attempt this recipe but have a quick question. We ended up getting almost 4 lbs of chuck so is it correct to assume I should just goose up the rest of the recipe ingredients to accomodate the additional volume of meat? Hope you/yours are well and thanks! Best, C
I may be weighing in too late to help, but yes, that’s what I would recommend. Hope you enjoy (or already enjoyed)!
Best stew I have ever had. Made it twice, once followed the recipe and once I substituted the balsamic and the wine using more broth and a little apple cider vinegar. They both turned out delicious!
This is a Southern, way back in the days my mother would say “It was so good, it would make your tongue want to slap your brains out!!!” I figured it was her way of complimenting, who cooked it. So I am leaving you my opinion like my Mother did! DELICIOUS!!! 👊THANKS FOR SHARING
Second time making this stew, l have celery and green peppers that I had leftover from the wing and dip night before. I hate wasting food so I browned the celery with the onions and added the green pepper when adding the carrots and potatoes. I’ll let you know if it turns out ok
Absolutely wonderful recipe. I threw out my “old favourite” stew recipe and replaced it with this “new favourite”. So easy and deliscious!
This is by far my favorite beef stew/beef bourguignon recipe I’ve ever made.
The recipe made my stew pretty thin, not the thick and creamy texture I wanted, so I added a little corn starch slurry to thicken it up enough. It made it lighter in color, but the flavor was the same, and the texture better. Maybe next time I’ll add a little more flour and see if that would help.
Tender beef and absolutely spot on!
We would usually opt against a stew or casserole as we were previously let down.
Brilliant recipe and very easy to adapt as you wish.
Jenn – very many thanks xxx
Made this tonight for my family – it was absolutely delicious. I only had a pack of stewing steak – around 500g so I adjusted quantities accordingly. I made this in my slow cooker… I followed method exactly except I added everything to the slow cooker for 6-8 hours rather than the oven. It was just fab. A big thumbs up from all in my household. Thank you
Hi Emma, I am planning to make this recipe but thinking of using my slow cooker too. I just wanted to check if you added the potatoes and carrots in the last 1-2 hours or if you added them from the start?
Also, how did you find the end volume, would you recommend reducing the amount of liquids to the slow cooker?
This is absolutely delicious. When I think of all the times I’ve spent on recipes that took hours and multiple steps and turned out just o.k. The gravy is rich and flavorful, the beef and vegetables are full of umami, the kitchen smells wonderful. Plan on serving it with egg noodles and some popovers.
hello, I want to make this as it sounds delicious and the reviews are fabulous. I don’t have chuck meat but do end cuts of tenderloin, will the cooking time be the same seeing that it is a more tnder cut of meat.
Hi Toni, I wouldn’t recommend tenderloin here — sorry!
Darn – I bought stew meat by accident! Would it help if I cook it longer?
Hi Jane, It won’t hurt it, but it’s not likely to make it more tender. 🙁
His meal was loved (and devoured) by the entire family, including our toddler! I thought I made enough that there would be leftovers for lunch the next day but we ate it all as we all had seconds! So delicious!
Jen thank you so much for such a awesome recipe. I am new to cooking and have found it very relaxing and enjoyable to create a dish. I followed the recipe, except I used stewing beef which was the only meat available at the grocery store. Needless to say it turned out terrific. My husband and I enjoyed it so much that I am making it again this week. The pictures were helpful in making this recipe as well. Thank you again for opening up my creative spirit.