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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Love the recipe, and braising in the oven is so worry-free. Mine has had plenty of cooking time, meat is tender, all is well – except I wish I could bring down the wine flavor a bit. Seems a bit “bright” as my mother used to say. I could add more potatoes, did not use many, but LOTS of carrots. Any remedies? Thanks!
I have made this twice now and it’s outstanding! I went a little heavy on the pepper and red wine the first time around but everyone loved it. The second time was perfect!
Thanks for the delicious stew recipe! Had no wine, so used two cups broth (Penzeys beef base, 1T, for equivalent of four total cups broth). Perfect after 3 hours, per recipe. Look forward to trying it in slow cooker sometime. Everyone loved it!
I don’t like cooking, but I cooked this because it not only sounds good, it looks good. Your dish is both appealing and pleasing. I thought I was a chef! This is absolutely a meal with depth and satisfaction. The last time I made it, I added red bellpepper and mushrooms–mmm! For the potatoes I like the large French. One time I substituted the potatoes for chayote, and it was great!
Never written a review before. Amazing! Doubled this and followed exactly – which I do not usually do. Was a little worried about the amount of garlic and the balsamic vinegar. Hands down the best stew/soup I have ever tasted. Also never did the oven before – always the stove. Not one spoonful left – hubby, kids and grandchildren thought it was amazing. Thank you.
I’ve made this recipe several times with a few tweaks that others have mentioned- adding mushrooms and frozen peas. It always tastes very rich and comforting. I’ve even served it for a few casual dinner parties to rave reviews. The recommendation to use a well marbled chuck roast makes all the difference. The meat is always tender and very flavorful. I also use homemade beef broth which I think adds to the richness of the dish.
Absolutely delicious!! My husband said that this was the best beef stew he ever had. The only change that I made was too add some hardy ceremni mushrooms at the same time as you add the potatoes and carrots because my husband loves them in stew.
This was excellent. Some went in the freezer for a few weeks and was even better. I did add additional vegetables, as it is a very rich stew.
Wow! Best.beef.stew.EVER! This was so tasty and yet so easy to make. I had leftover Pinot Noir on hand, so can’t wait to make again with a bolder red like syrah. I paired it with your kale and brussel sprout salad and warm French bread. We are pleasantly stuffed and satisfied. I can’t wait to have the leftovers!!!
The best beef stew I ever made. I followed the recipe to the letter except when I added the potatoes and carrots, I also added a container of small mushrooms that I had stemmed. My problem was that I kept eating and eating. Thank you for this recipe!
The day after the blizzard of 2016 which was a Sunday and a perfect day to fire up m LeCreuset Dutch oven and make this recipe. It was AWESOME and perfect for a cold winter day! Thanks Jenn
Best pot roast ever, rich and delicious! As always with your recipes Jenn you take us to another level of wonderful!!
The beef stew with carrots and potatoes was by far, the best stew I’ve ever made. Thanks for sharing!
In the oven now and smells wonderful! I have just added carrots and potatoes. It will be a long hour wait!! I wished I could wait until tomorrow since everyone says it just gets better, but I can’t!!! The balsamic vinegar with the red wine is so aromatic. Just joined your email list, can’t wait to try more recipes. Thank you!!
5 stars, this is the best beef stew I have ever made. The ONLY change I made was to carmeluze the carrots & potatoes in a skillet w EVOO, garlic, s&p & then add them to the stew for last 20 mins or so, making the carrots & potatoes as sweet & delish as the rest of the ingredients.
I just made this recipe and it was fantastic. My husband even said it was a winner. I added salt to my taste but this is a very good beef stew full of flavor.
This is the second time I’m making this and followed it verbatim, except a bit less sugar and added a small stalk of celery with leaves for flavor. The aroma throughout the house is just mouth watering. Cannot wait to eat! We eat when it’s done and it’s wonderful. Lotsa leftovers too. Thank you for this excellent stew!! 🙂
Wow! The stew was amazing. I was a little unsure about adding the balsamic vinegar and red wine but I think the combination added a richer more complex flavor than recipes that call for worcestershire sauce. Since I had used a stock pot that has handles that can’t be put into the oven, I cooked the stew over low heat. The taste is similar to braised short ribs that you would order at nice restaurants. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
I love to cook and got a Le Creuset Dutch oven last year 6 3/4 oval. And have only used for turkey or chicken. But this Christmas / birthday ( as my birthday is Xmas day) present a 4 quart round and have made this amazing recipe 3 times !! And it doesnt hurt to enjoy a glass of red wine while making recipe .. Julia would be so proud of recipe too !! ??
Hi Jenn,
Snowed in in Virginia but found your recipe and cooked for my wife’s birthday. Your recipe was great, easy to follow, smelled great from the start, and tasted great. Wine for the chef along the way helped make the preparation fun. Served it in a bowl over rice with a loaf of baked bread and a side dish of Lima beans which complimented the stew very well. Also added a shake of crushed red peppers to give it a slight zing. My wife loved it! Thank you.
Hey Jenn,
I plan to triple your recipe tomorrow and serve it Sunday afternoon (family, food and football). Any changes to cooking times or suggestions?
No, the recipe and cooking time can stay exactly the same- hope everyone enjoys!
Best. Stew. Recipe. Ever. Seriously amazing flavor, texture of meat and veggies perfect, and simple to make (though a bit time consuming). I thought the sauce would be too thin but it was perfect! Only change is that I added double the carrots and potato
How long do you think it will take to cook in a slow cooker. I am also making it gluten free so do you suggest the cornstarch method vs. using gluten free flour. Thanks!
I would recommend searing the beef first as the recipe indicates and then I would cook the stew for 4 – 5 hours on high in the slow cooker (and you can put the carrots and the potatoes in with the meat– you don’t need to wait). And I think gluten free flour would work just fine here. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Stacey, I just made it again using brown rice flour. Stir it into a little wine to make a watery paste and add. It worked perfect!
Best stew ever!!! Loved that you gave advice on the type of meat to use! So rich, tender and delicious☺️. My kids and I ate majority of it before my husband got home…..oops I guess that means I have to make it again??.
Thank you, Jenn
I made this the other night and WOW it was delish!!! This dish has many layers to it, but it’s really quite easy to do. The wine gives a wonderful depth of flavor. Next time, I will be doubling the recipe!
I did add more potatoes than it called for and an extra carrot. Next time I will add a few more carrots. Definitely a keeper! 🙂
Made the beef stew tonight! the best I’ve ever had!. I had seconds and thirds!
Excellent recipe! Great flavor and popular with my meat and potatoes Irishman. Adding the potatoes and carrots with 30 minutes left is perfect timing to cook thoroughly without turning them to mush! I might consider adding the onions at the same time. I added corn and would consider another vegetable like celery if I decide to skip the side salad.
id like to leave it on the stove top since my oven is not working. Can i do that? and for how long and how high?
Sure Jennalene, Yes, you can simmer it on the stove for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. Enjoy!
Sure, just simmer on low, covered, and stir occasionally; cook time will be the same. Enjoy!
This was another excellent recipe. Thank you. The viscosity of the stew was silky without tasting heavy. I used a 3+ pound chuck roast, trimmed the fat quite a bit, added extra carrots and baby yukon gold potatoes and it was devoured by my male dominated crew of four.
We cooked this stew last night and it turned out amazing,it’s something we have never tried before so I liked the look of your website and the pictures helped. I will be adding this to one of our favourites.is a good one for me as can’t do dairy or yeast so we made it with yeast free veg stock and it was still great.
We made the beef stew.Your recipe knocked it out the park. Our grand kids loved it.Next lamb stew.
This stew is WONDERFUL!!! Can’t tell you how wonderful this stew is. I have tried so many stew recipes – with results from “we can eat it, but don’t make it again” to “throw this away” – that I was almost ready to give up on stew. Thankfully I stumbled upon your site and tried stew one more time. Everyone really liked this – even my picky son. Thanks so much!
I tried this recipe and it was delicious. Will be making this again. Soon!
What about using a pressure cooker with this? Got one as a gift and trying to learn what works and what doesn’t. Haven’t tried the recipe yet, but want to in the next couple of days. Thanks!
Hi Pattie, Yes it’s fine to use a pressure cooker; just be sure to sear the meat first as the recipe indicates. Hope you enjoy it!
Hi Pattie, It just occurred to me that you said pressure cooker and not slow cooker– sorry! I don’t have any experience with pressure cookers…I think they are supposed to be good for stews but you may need a different recipe that’s specific to a pressure cooker. Sorry for any confusion!
Scoured the Internet, glad I did not give up.
This is THE BEST stew I have ever made, thank you! I added one less cup of wine and substituted with more broth. Meat was very tender and everyone loved it loved it LOVED IT!
Absolutely the best Beef Stew I have ever eaten.The only change I made was to eliminate the sugar & it was due to a personal preference only. Hubby rated it as a WOW & the next morning had lots of suggestions on how to incorporate the beef only in different ways–he just loved it.
Had purchased 3 pkgs of 8 oz sirloins @ buy one get 2 free–end cost 3.00/lb & used 1.5 lbs for this. Got 2 full meal dinners & one lunch. A win win all around. Thanks Jen.
Made it yesterday and it came out great! I’m not a garlic fan, so I put in just a teaspoon. Great recipe. Will definitely make it again.
Hi Jen, I have your recipe for Beef Stew in the oven now. I will add the carrots & potatoes when it is time. My question is in your recipe it says cute the carrots in 1 inch chunks but, the picture shows the carrots much larger. I also wondered if it would affect your recipe if I added celery which my family loves. It smells so good in my kitchen now. I can’t wait to try this recipe. I was so lucky to come across your website. Your food looks amazing! I would like to subscribe but at this time I am unable. When my finances improve I definately will subscribe.
Hi Darlene, the carrots may look larger in the pictures, but I would stick to the 1 inch chunks, and yes, you can definitely add celery as well. And good news… it’s free to subscribe to the newsletter! Hope you enjoy the stew–
Can cornstarch be used in place of flour?
Hi Jen, Yes, you can use cornstarch instead of the flour, but don’t add it at the same time. Cook the stew, omitting the flour, until the very end (the broth will be thin). Then make a “slurry” by combining a 1/4 cup cornstarch with 1/4 cup cold water; mix until completely smooth. Whisk half of the slurry into the stew, bring to a gentle boil on the stovetop and simmer until the broth is thickened and any starchy taste has been cooked away. If you want the broth thicker, add the remaining slurry and repeat.
I made this for the first snow of the year yesterday …… AMAZING . and yes the next day it’s even better !! The marbled boneless chuck roast is so perfect , do not get any other cut of meat! I made the recipe exactly as it was written , the directions are perfect . Sometimes I change recipes after the first time trying them in case there’s something different I would do , this one will stay exactly the same 🙂 everyone should make this on a cold day for the family . It’s absolutely delicious . I used a Cabernet for the wine portion . Also , even if there’s two of you like me and my husband , make the whole recipe , left overs are already almost gone !
Will russet potatoes work?
Yes, I think they will work. Just make sure they’re cook through.
Made this for dinner last night and I can honesty say it was the best stew I have ever made/eaten! And I thought my stew I have made in the past was the best!! Will never use another recipe!!!
Made this for Christmas, and it was delicious. Didn’t add that many potatoes, but instead served it over broad noodles and was amazing.
I’ve been meaning to type a review for a long time, as I have been using this recipe for a year now and it has been my go-to recipe for stew and I dont usually review but this is a must. This stew turns out great everytime. It has great key instructions in sequencing to really help you cook the stew proper. My stews have always sucked until now. You know those types of dishes it tastes like your grandmother can cook and you can never replicate? This recipe did that for me. Thank you!
I am planning to make this great sounding recipe on the stovetop initially, and then transferring to a slow cooker instead of the oven. How long would you keep it it the slow cooker if the meat is already browned? Still 4-5 hours on high?
Also, when would you add the carrots and potatoes? One hour before the end of slow-cooking time? Thank you!
Yes Debbie, I would cook the stew for 4 – 5 hours on high in the slow cooker (and you can put the carrots and the potatoes in with the meat– you don’t need to wait).
Take your time and enjoy the layering of favors in the recipe. The magic starts to happen when the balsamic is added in my opinion. Add the wine before the water for a wonderful deglaze of heavenly bits.
This is the first time I make beef stew and this recipe is great. I made it one day ahead for the holiday and the next day taste even better. Thank you for the sharing the recipe.
Crockpot was my cooking mode, allowing me to use the leftover rare Christmas prime rib. After cutting meat off bone, removing fat, putting bones in pot, I followed recipe. I let it go on low 8 hrs or more, adding small sliced portobello mushrooms and fresh sweet peas an hour or so before serving. The crockpot allows use of the leanest meats. Add crusty bread with garlic olive oil or cornbread and you have a feast!
I don’t have any potatoes but I do have some sweet potato fries I’d love to throw in there. Do you think if I put them in about an hour before serving they would turn out ok?
Hi Helen, Sweet potatoes will work, but I probably wouldn’t recommend fries.
That’s kind of what I thought so I made a beef pot pie instead and cut the fries into 1″ strips and sprinkled them throughout. But I used your recipe for the meat part and it smells and tastes wonderful.
Thanks
Do you think Guinness ale could be used in place of the red wine? And I notice that Americas Test Kitchen suggests chicken broth instead of beef which can taste too “tinny.”
Yes, while I’ve never tried it that way, I think you could use Guinness ale in the stew. If you use that and/or chicken broth let me know how it turns out!
I have made this recipe twice in the last 2 weeks. Both times I got lots wonderful compliments. It is such a hearty dish and full of flavor. I did as you suggested and added peas and mushrooms for additional color. But even with out that it would be great.