Best Beef & Potato Stew: A Comfort Food Classic That Never Fails

There’s something timeless about a bowl of beef and potato stew. It’s rich, warming, and deeply satisfying — the kind of dish that fills your kitchen with cozy aromas and your table with comfort. Whether you’re cooking for your family on a chilly evening or meal-prepping for the week, this classic beef stew recipe delivers every single time.

This version of Best Beef & Potato Stew is slow-simmered, flavor-packed, and built on simple, honest ingredients. Tender chunks of beef, buttery potatoes, sweet carrots, onions, garlic, and herbs come together in a thick, savory broth that tastes like it’s been cooking all day — because it has.

If you’re looking for a hearty beef stew that checks all the boxes — easy, rustic, nourishing, and deeply flavorful — this is the one to save, share, and cook again and again.

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Why This Beef & Potato Stew Is Truly the Best

What makes this stew stand out?

• Deep flavor from seared beef
• Slow simmering for ultra-tender meat
• Perfectly cooked potatoes that soak up broth
• A rich, velvety gravy
• Balanced herbs and aromatics

This is not a rushed stew. It’s a slow simmered beef stew that builds flavor layer by layer — the kind your grandmother probably made, and the kind that turns a regular dinner into a memorable meal.

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Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Fresh parsley or thyme for garnish

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Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pot, add onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté 5–7 minutes until softened.
4. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Stir in tomato paste and flour. Cook 2 minutes to remove raw taste.
6. Slowly add beef broth and water, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
7. Return beef to the pot. Add bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, paprika, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
8. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours.
9. Add potatoes and simmer uncovered another 30–40 minutes until tender.
10. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaves. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve hot.

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Tips for the Perfect Hearty Beef Stew

• Use chuck roast — it becomes buttery tender when slow-cooked
• Always sear the beef first for flavor
• Don’t rush the simmer — time = flavor
• Cut potatoes large so they hold their shape
• Let stew rest 10 minutes before serving

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Variations

• Add peas in the last 10 minutes
• Use red wine instead of 1 cup broth for richness
• Add mushrooms for earthiness
• Spice it up with crushed red pepper

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Serving Suggestions

Serve with:

• Crusty bread
• Buttered rolls
• Mashed potatoes
• Rice or egg noodles

This stew is pure comfort food dinner perfection.

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Storage & Freezing

• Fridge: 4–5 days
• Freezer: Up to 3 months
• Reheat gently on stovetop or microwave

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Fun Food Fact

Beef stew dates back to medieval Europe when slow-simmered meats were cooked over open fires all day. The tradition lives on in this deeply nourishing dish that brings people together.

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Final Thoughts

This Best Beef & Potato Stew is everything you want in a classic meal: warm, rich, rustic, and deeply satisfying. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll pass down, make on repeat, and crave when the weather cools or when life just needs a little comfort in a bowl.