This Easy Dutch Oven Beef Stew is the perfect hearty winter dinner. It is slow cooked for hours in the oven so the beef is tender and full of flavor. This one pot meal is best served with warm bread and a glass of red wine.
This recipe reminds me of my grandma’s old-fashioned dutch oven beef stew that was made in a slow cooker or crock pot. It is very similar to my Dutch Oven Pot Roast recipe. Both are total comfort food, like my Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops in the Dutch oven!
If you are looking more for chuck roast recipes, try my Instant Pot Shredded Beef.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- This hearty beef stew with red wine, onions, herbs, and garlic has the most flavorful & rich gravy/pan sauce.
- My secret ingredient is fish sauce. It adds a salty umami taste.
- This stew recipe is cooked in the oven for a couple of hours, instead of the stovetop. This method is more hands-off and the meat is super tender.
- The potatoes and carrots are added later into the braising process so they do not over cook.
- This classic beef stew recipe is a great one pot dinner idea that is kid friendly and perfect for colder weather.
- You will learn how to cook beef stew in a dutch oven in the oven and all of my tips/tricks.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Stew Meat: I buy stew meat (beef chuck roast) already cut and trimmed from the butcher at Whole Foods. You can also break down a whole chuck roast. Remove most of the fat and cut it into 1.5 inch pieces.
- Dry Red Wine: I like to use Cabernet Sauvignon, but Syrah, Pinot Noir, or Malbec are all great options as well.
- Baby Potatoes: If you can’t find baby yellow potatoes, halve or quarter yukon gold or red potatoes (depending on their size) in about 1-1.5 inch pieces.
- Cheesy Croutons: I love to serve this beef stew with mini cheese toasts. Slice half of a baguette into about 10 pieces. Mix together 4 Tablespoons salted butter, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 4 cloves of garlic. Spread this on the slices of bread. Top each piece with ½ slice of provolone cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
How to Make Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Quick Overview
- Sear the stew meat in a large dutch oven.
- Add the onions and sauté with a rubber or wooden spoon.
- Add spices and flour.
- Deglaze with wine and broth.
- Braise.
- Add potatoes and carrots.
- Braise some more & serve with cheesy croutons!
Step by Step Instructions
The onions and beef should both brown. The pot should also develop brown bits in the bottom.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the olive oil to a 6 quart dutch oven. Heat over high heat. Add about half of the beef. Sear until the beef is brown on all sides. It will not be cooked through.
Step 2: Remove from the dutch oven and repeat with the remaining beef. Set the plate aside.
Step 3: Turn the heat down to medium heat and add the butter.
Step 4: Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, or until they begin to brown.
Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pot after you deglaze it.
Step 5: Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
Step 6: Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Step 7: Deglaze the pan with the red wine, broth, worcestershire sauce, and fish sauce, scraping brown bits off the bottom. Add the beef back in. Bring to a boil.
Step 8: Stir in the bay leaves and rosemary and cover. Braise in the oven for 1.5 hours. There is no need to stir.
Step 9: Add in the potatoes and carrots. Push them down so they are mostly covered with broth.
Step 10: Cover and cook for an additional 1-1.5 hours or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
The veggies should be fork tender. Increase the cooking time if needed.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
Aside from a generous pour of red wine, there are some of my favorite sides to serve with beef stew:
- Easy Rustic Bread
- Air Fryer Garlic Bread
- Parmesan Rosemary Bread
- Old Fashioned Yeast Rolls
- Drop Biscuits
- Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes
- Kale Crunch Salad
- Cast Iron Corn
You can also check out these 50 Sides for Pot Roast!
Expert Tips & Variations
- Sear the beef. All of those caramelized bits in the bottom of the pan that form while browning the meat will add so much flavor to the stew. Try not to move the beef around a lot. This will prevent it from browning. With that being said, do not wipe out the pan before sautéeing the onions.
- Use flour. The flour will help thicken the liquid slightly. It should not be the consistency of gravy.
- Use wine. I do not recommend swapping the wine for broth, but you can if you need an alcohol free recipe.
- Add the potatoes and carrots later. This ensures the veggies do not overcook and fall apart.
- Cook low and slow. You can’t rush the process. Hours of braising deepens the flavor and allows the dry herbs to rehydrate.
- Taste. Add more seasoning if needed. Seasoning with salt and pepper really brings out the flavors of the aromatics.
- Beef stew makes for great leftovers. It reheats great in the microwave or on the stove and may even taste better the next day.
Storage Suggestions
If you have a large portion of stew leftover, place it into multiple smaller air tight containers so it can cool faster.
- Refrigerator: 3-4 days
- Freezer: 2-3 months
Reheat from the fridge or from frozen on the stovetop or in the microwave.
More Beef Recipes
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Easy Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3 pounds beef stew meat, 1.5 inch pieces*
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 yellows onions, largely diced
- 8-10 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- ¼ cup flour
- 4 cups beef stock or broth
- 2 ½ cups dry red wine*
- 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- a few sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1 ½ pounds yellow baby potatoes, 1 inch*
- 6 medium carrots, peeled & sliced diagonally in 1.5 inch pieces
- cheesy croutons, for serving*
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add the olive oil to a 6 quart dutch oven. Heat over high heat. Add about half of the beef. Sear until the beef is brown on all sides. It will not be cooked through.
- Remove from the dutch oven and repeat with the remaining beef. Set the plate aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium heat and add the butter.
- Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, or until they begin to brown.
- Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Deglaze the pan with the red wine, broth, worcestershire sauce, and fish sauce, scraping brown bits off the bottom. Bring to a boil. Add the beef back in.
- Stir in the bay leaves and rosemary and cover. Braise in the oven for 1.5 hours. There is no need to stir.
- Add in the potatoes and carrots. Push them down so they are mostly covered with broth.
- Cover and cook for an additional 1-1.5 hours or until the vegetables are cooked to your liking.
Notes:
- Stew Meat: I buy stew meat (beef chuck roast) already cut and trimmed from the butcher at Whole Foods. You can also break down a whole chuck roast. Remove most of the fat and cut it into 1.5 inch pieces.
- Dry Red Wine: I like to use Cabernet Sauvignon, but Syrah, Pinot Noir, or Malbec are all great options as well.
- Baby Potatoes: If you can’t find baby yellow potatoes, halve or quarter yukon gold or red potatoes (depending on their size) in about 1-1.5 inch pieces.
- Cheesy Croutons: I love to serve this beef stew with mini cheese toasts. Slice half of a baguette into about 10 pieces. Mix together 4 Tablespoons salted butter, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and 4 cloves of garlic. Spread this on the slices of bread. Top each piece with ½ slice of provolone cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes.
- Sear the beef. All of those caramelized bits in the bottom of the pan will add so much flavor to the stew. Try not to move the beef around a lot. This will prevent it from browning. With that being said, do not wipe out the pan before sautéeing the onions.
- Add the potatoes and carrots later. This ensures the veggies do not overcook and fall apart.
- Beef stew makes for great leftovers. It reheats great in the microwave or on the stove and may even taste better the next day.
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