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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Can I substitute a gluten free flour like Pamela’s Artesan gluten free flour?
Sure!
hello, my partner and I don’t like wine what could we do instead of adding wine and can we cook the whole thing on a stove top or a slow cooker on high instead?
Hi Kaeli, You can replace the wine with more beef broth. And if you want to make 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). You can also fully cook it on the stove. Just give it a stir periodically so it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Hey Kaeli, if you guys avoid wine just due to disliking the taste, I wanted to mention that I despise the taste of wine but I love beef stews/braises that are cooked in it. You couldn’t pay me to drink the stuff but my wine-hating tastebuds love this dish. I think you’d be pleasantly surprised. 😊
This is the recipe I’ve been looking for. Wonderful result. Also it adjusts well for making a pot roast. Thanks!
Thanks for the wonderful Beef Stew recipe! I will make this recipe again!
Now it’s my family favourite dish. Thank you so much for your effort that great recipe :*
I’m impressed; you didn’t actually get a single part of that right! That is NOT boeuf bourguignon, at all. You have failed at basic knife skills, basics of cooking and I sincerely hope no one ever eats this God forsaken, unbalanced, ill-textured mess. Learn to cook before posting recipes, and learn French cooking before attempting French cooking recipes. Actually, just learning the basics of a flavour palate and how foods cook would help immensely. Congrats, I have had to pour another drink to deal with this crime against food.
This comment is rude. Go find another recipe if you dont like this one or get a hobby. Sheesh.
Hi Ed, are you having a bad day? If you are being rude to someone it isn’t likely to make you feel better. Loads of people on here love Jenn’s recipes. If you don’t I’m sure there are plenty more sites online that have things that are more to your liking.
Jen, the stew is delicious. Ed, forget the semantics. Bœuf bourgignon, stew…….whatever. People likely refer to you as a man, however, I question the precision there as well. Try to find some enjoyment in life and you may feel less of a desire to bring others down. You may also want to look up the definition of boeuf bourgignon while your at it. As I said Jenn… delicious recipe. I’m not surprised that it’s another hit. Cheers 😊
Did you actually make this recipe? Your comment is unacceptable and pretentious. I followed the directions perfectly and while I don’t have “knife skills” I was able to trim and cut the meat with ease. The result was a delicious beef stew that I will be making over and over again.
Hi Jenn,
This recipe is amazing! I use more beef broth instead of wine for different reasons, but it is so flavorful. Guests and family all love it! I have a question- Am I able to make it and freeze it for later?
Glad you liked it — yes, it freezes nicely!
Great recipe! I also did it stove top and it turned out wonderfully. Smell, texture, and taste were so good. I used 3 cups beef broth and only 1 cup wine because the family is not usually a huge fan of the wine flavour. I’ll definitely make this again. Thank you!
Hello,
A little late now but I’ve just finished putting this recipe together. It requires being “braised” in the oven for 2 hrs. I don’t have a oven worthy pot so have-covered it and put on the stove to simmer instead. Should be ok?
Regards,
Christine
Definitely! Just give it a stir periodically so the bottom doesn’t scorch. Hope you enjoy!
I made this stew for my family, the braising took an hour so it was time intensive but worth it as the stew is delicious. I didnt use wine because the family has 2 children and I only used 2 cloves of garlic.
I have been making Jenn’s recipe for years and my family LOVES it. Thank you for sharing.
We made this recipe tonight and followed it to the T. Even after letting it simmer an extra hour and a half on the stovetop the flavor was just one note compared to some stews I have had. It was also still very watery. Not my thing unfortunately. I’m glad so many other people like it though.
I made this yesterday and it was Delish!! My family was very happy. I added less liquid at the start (1 instead of 2 cups of wine, stock and water) and I just kept adding as I went along. It honestly turned out perfect. I also added potatoes first for a bit then carrots after. Thank you for this stunning recipe:)
Delicious stew. I used red potatoes and added celery. Left in the oven about 3 1/2 hours to make sure beef was tender. I will never use beef labeled stew meat again!
Made this last night, best stew I ever made or had! Thank you 🇨🇦 -js
I love this recipe! It was how I imagined a stew should be. I adhered to your advice and stayed away from the pre-cut stew meat packages found in my local grocery store. Prior to trying your recipe I used the pre-cut meat for convenience but never again. It didn’t take long to cut up my own stew pieces. This time the meat came out very tender and tasty without being stringy. The smell and aroma coming from the oven was wonderful.
Delicious!
There was just a little wine left in the bottle when after pouring in the specified amount so I thought “what the heck” and just threw the rest of the bottle in. Might have made it just a teeny bit too “winey”. I’m sure the amount in the recipe is perfect. To balance and tone down the effects of my haphazardness with the wine, I added a bit of sour cream prior to serving. Maybe about 1/3 of a cup. This course of action did NOT hurt the flavor AT ALL. Yum! (I know the recipe would have been delicious as is, tho.)
I didn’t have the required amount of carrots and potatoes to complete the recipe so I left those out and instead boiled and mashed the 2 yukon gold potatoes that I had with the 1 carrot and served the stew on top of that mash. OMG. Delicious.
Wondering if anyone else has done this. I followed the recipe nearly to the letter, however, I’m a caregiver for a woman that is completely vegan. I used “beefless tips”, two diced portobello’s, vegetable broth, and omitted the sugar. Other than that, everything as written. You would never know that the dish was vegan. I wanted to share so that anyone else that might have a craving for beef stew, but wants to try a meatless version would know that this would definitely scratch that itch. Great recipe
Hi!
I have been making beef stew for years and mostly very satisfied , until now. This recipe is fantastic!!
The one new ingredient for me was the use of balsamic vinegar. Excellent addition to the flavor!! Also, the meat was so tender and the sauce perfectly thickened, smooth and silky! Tried to share photo but that wasn’t as successful!
Good, solid recipe. Ingredients would benefit with kg/ml. Potatoe and carrot need about 1.5 hours.
a-men
I have made this several times, following the recipe, and each time the stew was “soupy”. With six cups of liquid and only 1/4c AP flour as thickening agent, I am not so surprised that the stew is soupy. So… I am thinking that in that last hour, after carrots and potatoes have been added, the pot should be returned to the oven sans lid/cover and evaporation gives a more “gravy” outcome??? This question may have been asked and answered a zillion times within the zillion reviews, and if so..sorry to be asking again. While cornflour as thickening agent is always an answer, if I can achieve a thicker stew via the recipe, I would like to know how.
Regardless of my issue, this is still a very yummy meal.
Hi Dawn, Sorry to hear it hasn’t thickened as much as you’d like. Next time you make this, if you’d like it thicker, near the very end of cooking time, you can make a paste with 1 T soft butter and 1 T flour; whisk it in and bring the stew to a simmer and it should thicken up. Hope that helps!
Thank you for your time to put this on the net, great recipe, will recommend to all Real ~
Lovely recipe !
My kids loved it too !
I will undoubtedly make it again soon !
How would I go about cooking this in a Ninja pressure cooker? Thanks!
Hi Marllely, 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!
Hands down the best beef stew recipe I have tried and made! It is incredibly delicious! I don’t own an oven safe pot big enough so I substitute my Crock-Pot instead just longer. So if you don’t own a Dutch Oven or bake safe soup pot but do own a Crock-Pot and are afraid to try it, don’t be!
How long did you cook it for?
They say don’t trust a skinny chef. Well, you just blew that out of the water. Great recipe.
Really delicious, did it on the stove Top! Will surely do it again!
Hi. I’d like to try this recipe, but I don’t want to use chuck roast as we don’t eat beef that is sourced from an area containing bones. Is there another cut of beef that you think might work pretty well?
Thanks!
Hi Jeanne, This stew really is best with the chuck. Nothing else is quite the same — sorry!
Has anyone tried this in a crockpot? Any recommendations? TIA!
Hi Alexis, I haven’t made this in a slow cooker, but if you want to, 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). Hope you enjoy!
Thankyou for such a heart warming recipe as it certainly hits the spot during the cold weather, made the recipe twice and both times pretty dam good. Cheers
Hi Jen.
If you were making this to freeze would you thicken the stew before or after defrosting? Also, I would assume the potatoes would be better added when it is defrosted and reheated?????
Thank you.
Unlike many other recipes that contain potatoes, they actually do okay in this recipe when you freeze the stew.
I normally make a nice beef stew but thought I’d look for a change of recipe and wow lucky I found this. Absolutely delicious. Really really nice. Have book marked this and will make again and again. Thank you
If I don’t have a Dutch Oven how long should I let it simmer on the stove top for? Should I put the lid on while simmering? Thanks so much!
Hi Kristina, The cook time would be the same and yes, you should keep the lid on. Just give it a stir periodically so that it doesn’t scorch on the bottom. Hope you enjoy!
How would I go about changing the recipe to cook it in a slow cooker!
Hi Becky, 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). Hope you enjoy!
what are the measures of ingredients when using 1 pound of meat?
Hi Nani, I don’t know off-hand what the amounts will be but you’ll need to cut all the other ingredients by 2/3. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Way too much wine! Not enough spices. Worst beef stew we have ever had. Whole family hates it! I followed it to the tee. Cooks beware!
Hi Jenny, What temperature in C° would I cook the stew at in a convection (fan-forced oven)? I look forward to cooking this and thanks so much for sharing this great recipe!!
Hi David, I’d reduce the temp to 150°C if using a convection oven. Hope you enjoy!
Great stew. So tender. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for recipe.
I made this for the first time today and it was a hit! My boyfriend was blown away by the smell when he walked into the house lol. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe I can’t wait to try more!
Dear Jenn,
I have made hundreds of beef casseroles but this time I followed your advice about buying marbled chuck steak. In Tasmania we have a wonderful butcher who sells grass fed organic meat and I bought 1 1/2 kilos from them.
The wonderful beef plus your great recipe resulted in the very best beef casserole ever. It was so good we gave some to our elderly neighbour and he loved it too. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
So glad it was a hit!
This recipe is outstanding. I love that it utilizes the oven instead of stovetop, freeing you up to do other things. The thyme and bay leaves are a must! I also add mushrooms and Worcestershire the last hour it’s in the oven. Sometimes throw in a quarter cup or so of corn towards the end too for punches of sweetness. Serve with cornbread and it’s amazing.
My family really enjoyed this recipe. I tweaked it by substituting sweet potatoes for carrots. Also, I used Chianti because that is what was available. I am sure to make this again.
Hi,
Can I use baking potatoes instead?
Thank you
Hi Mari, baking potatoes will work here; just cut them into bite-sized chunks so they cook through. Hope you enjoy!
Another amazing recipe by Jennifer who is my go to for everything I cook now. Even bought the cookbook recognizing I could still find all online! Followed recipe exactly except no dry thyme and substituted with fresh. Was absolutely delicious. The true measure is I despise stew but made it for my wife and absolutely fell in love with the dish. As good if not better for when we were in Paris! Wish I knew how to post pics here….
I made this today for my family who luckily have their sense of taste and smell. They absolutely loved it! Followed the recipe exactly. They served it over egg noodles.
So yum. So rich and thick.
This recipe was amaaaaaazing! Thank you for sharing. I’m super happy I found this recipe and made this for my husband. We had enough leftovers for our busy week ahead.
Absolutely beautiful dish, we all loved it. I was hoping to get something at least half as good as my nan’s and mum’s stews and honestly… I think this may have been better!
Made this today but on the hob for 3 hours with good Scottish lean stewing steak and it’s was delicious and so tender . The potatoes I used are Jersey royals I just wish I had made more as I halved your recipe as cooking for one ! Thank you x
Awesome meal thank you for posting it !
Two weeks ago I made the stew. I did not have beef broth or wine but it was terrific. Last night I took a portion out of the freezer and it was delicious and the potatoes were firm as well.
I’m doing it again this Friday and making sure to have the broth and wine this time. I can’t believe how soft the meat came out. Your recipe is to be cooked in the oven when most of the others on Google simmered it on the stove. I think that you have presented the best recipe and directions. It does take time, about 3-4 hours since I am not skilled in cutting vegetables but I wind up with 2 meals and 3 in the freezer.
I was so impressed with my success that I downloaded your Kindle cookbook. I’m motivated to expand my new found culinary abilities that you have stimulated so, thank you!
You’re so welcome — and thank you for your support with the cookbook — I hope it becomes an often-used tool in your kitchen!
Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe! I am doing baby-led weaning with my 15mo daughter and she wouldn’t eat beef before, but this dish was a game changer! Today she ate beef and didn’t throw a single piece to the dog. 🙂
Additionally, my 67-year-old father tasted it (he rarely tastes any new dish) and he liked it so much that it looks like I will be making a lot more of this stew in the future.
Amazing! I made this to satisfy a craving for my mom’s beef stew she used to make. I have to admit, it was better than hers. So rich and flavorful. My picky kids gobbled it up to my surprise. I have made this twice since the first time. We love it so much.
Thank you for your clear instructions and sharing your secrets. I made this to take on a camping trip with someone who was a gluten free foodie. I used gluten free flour and he loved it. Everyone did! I will never make stew without using your method again. Five delicious stars!!!
Beef stew recipe was delicious I would definitely make it again! So easy too!
Can I just add water or stock to make it into a soup?
Hi Minna, I’m not sure I understand your question. Are you saying you’d like to add more liquid to thin out the stew? Thanks for clarifying!
Amazing stew. Have you ever substituted your favorite beer for the wine? Just curious.
Glad you like it! I haven’t made it with beer but I think you could. 🙂
The BEST stew recipe ever!! I added one jalapeño pepper, mushrooms, and frozen peas. My husband went crazy over it!! The broth was rich and intense. Will definitely make it again. 😋 Thanks for the recipe!