This Dutch oven beef stew is the ultimate one-pot dinner. Slow cooked to oven-braised perfection, it features succulent bites of tender beef enveloped in a rich, savory gravy alongside hearty potatoes, thick-cut carrots, and sweet onions. It is classic homemade comfort food at its absolute finest!
When it actually starts to cool down here in Texas, and we finally get those colder days, I love making a big pot of this classic beef stew. There is something so comforting about a bowl of rich, saucy beef stew paired with a big slice of warm buttered cornbread. I love making cozy dishes like this that require very little hands-on time so that I can get things done around the house while the oven does all the work.
Table of contents
Beef stew is also ideal for preparing in advance because the flavors meld together and taste even better the next day. It is the perfect recipe to add to your comfort food rotation, especially if you want to switch things up from a classic Dutch oven pot roast or a cozy, from-scratch homemade chicken pot pie.
Serve with a big slice of buttered Cornbread (my personal favorite way to enjoy this beef stew recipe) or a nice sturdy piece of toasted bread like Sourdough.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chuck Roast: For the absolute best results, purchase a whole boneless chuck roast and cut it into 2-inch pieces yourself. Chuck roast has excellent marbling that breaks down during the slow oven braise to create incredibly tender bites. You can also use packaged stew meat.
- Flour: Tossing the beef in all-purpose flour before browning helps create a beautiful crust on the meat and naturally thickens the gravy as it cooks in the oven.
- Red or Yukon Gold Potatoes: These waxy potatoes hold their shape beautifully during a long cook, meaning they will not break down or turn mushy in the gravy.
- Tomato Paste and Worcestershire Sauce: This combination is essential for creating a deep, savory umami base.
- Optional Additions: If you want to add more vegetables to your stew, celery and English peas are classic choices. You can also add diced rutabaga or parsnips along with the potatoes for a hearty, rustic twist.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
How To Make Dutch Oven Beef Stew
This classic stew is put together in one pot before finishing in the oven for an ultra-tender braise. Follow these simple steps to put it all together:
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides. Remove the beef and set it aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the diced onions and the carrots to the pot, sautéing them for 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Cook for 1 minute while stirring constantly, scraping up all those delicious, flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Pour in the beef stock and return the beef to the pot. Add the bay leaf and sprigs of fresh thyme. Stir everything together, cover the pot with its lid, and place in the oven for 1 hour.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the potatoes, place the lid back on, and return the pot to the oven for another 1.5 hours, or until the beef is tender.
- Discard the bay leaf and thyme stems. Serve it as-is with warm, buttered cornbread! Enjoy!
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
👉 Sky's Tips
- Brown the meat thoroughly before adding the rest of the ingredients. This will impart a ton of delicious flavor to the stew that cannot be achieved without browning the meat.
- Don't add the potatoes in the beginning. If added too early the potatoes will be overcooked and possibly fall apart in the stew.
- Slice the carrots in large pieces so that they do not get over cooked. If you prefer smaller cuts of carrots don't add the carrots until you add the potatoes to the stew.
- For a thicker stew make a cornstarch slurry and add to the stew after it has come out of the oven the final time. Place on the stove and mix until thickened. Since the meat is tossed in flour beforehand it should be thick enough to not need any additional thickener.
- Use a good quality beef stock for optimal flavor.
- Garnish with fresh thyme and parsley for added fresh flavor.
I hope this Hearty Beef Stew is as big of a hit with your family as it is with mine!
-Sky🩷
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📖 Recipe
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds chuck roast (or stew meat) cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup onion large diced
- 2 cups carrots cut into 1-inch thick pieces
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pound red potatoes cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme extra for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Season the cubed beef with salt and pepper, then toss in the flour to coat evenly. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides, then remove it from the pot and set aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium. Add the carrots and onions to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce, cooking for 1 minute while scraping up all the delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the beef and any juices back to the pot. Pour in the beef stock, then add the bay leaf and 2 sprigs of fresh thyme. Stir well, cover with the lid, and place in the preheated oven for 1 hour.
- Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the potatoes, cover with the lid, and return to the oven for another 1 ½ hours, or until the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender.
- Discard the bay leaf and thyme stems. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Can You Make Beef Stew in Advance?
Absolutely! I actually prefer Beef Stew the second day, after it has had time to marry all of the flavors. You can fully cook the recipe, allow it to cool completely and store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Terry says
This is a great recipe! I added parsnips and it turned out delicious. I will definitely be making it again!
Simply Scratch Made says
I'm glad you liked it!