Classic Hearty Beef Stew Recipe with Tender Braised Beef

This easy stovetop beef stew is comforting, straightforward, and made with familiar ingredients: beef stew meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas. Everything simmers in a single pot on the stove—no oven or slow cooker required—making it perfect for busy weeknights or a cozy weekend meal.

Easy beef stew with potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas in a red Dutch oven beside crusty bread.

To build rich flavor, the beef is tossed in seasoned flour and browned before the other ingredients are added. Browning takes only about 20 minutes of active work and helps create a deeper-tasting broth as the stew simmers gently for an hour or more.

This recipe yields about eight servings and reheats beautifully, so leftovers are ideal for lunches or another easy dinner the next day.

Why You’ll Love This Stovetop Beef Stew

One pot: Brown the beef and simmer the stew in the same Dutch oven—minimal cleanup.
Simple ingredients: Uses pantry-friendly seasonings plus beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas.
Family-friendly: Makes eight servings and stores well for leftovers.
Low-effort: About 20 minutes of hands-on time, then let the pot do the work.

Ingredients

Notes and substitution suggestions appear here; full measurements and the printable recipe card appear later in the recipe section.

Beef stew meat, potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas in bowls on marble, with flour, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, broth, and dried spices.

Beef stew meat: Chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes works well and is economical.
All-purpose flour, salt, and pepper: Coating the beef creates a crust and helps thicken the broth.
Olive oil: Or another neutral oil for browning.
Low-sodium beef broth: Allows you to season to taste; beef stock is an acceptable substitute.
Potatoes: Russet potatoes break down and naturally thicken the broth; Yukon Gold or red potatoes hold their shape better.
Carrots and celery: Add texture and flavor while they simmer until tender.
Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried basil, and bay leaves: Simple seasonings that lend depth—remove bay leaves before serving.
Peas: Added near the end to keep their bright color and tender texture.
Cornstarch and water: Optional slurry if you prefer a thicker stew.

How to Make Easy Beef Stew on the Stove Top

Below are step-by-step instructions; a printable recipe card with exact measurements and cook times follows.

Step 1: Pat the beef dry with paper towels—dry meat browns better than wet. In a large bowl, mix the flour with salt and pepper, then toss the beef to coat evenly.

Step 2: Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches so the pot isn’t crowded; each batch should take about 6–7 minutes to develop a good crust. Transfer browned pieces to a plate.

Left: flour-coated beef in a glass bowl. Right: beef browning in a Dutch oven beside a plate of browned pieces.

Step 3: Pour the beef broth into the empty pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon—those bits add concentrated flavor. Return the beef to the pot and add the potatoes, carrots, celery, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, basil, and bay leaves.

Browned beef, potatoes, celery, carrots, and two bay leaves arranged in a Dutch oven before simmering.

Step 4: Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 60 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through.

Step 5: Ten minutes before serving, stir in the peas. If you want a thicker stew, whisk the cornstarch with cold water to form a slurry, then stir it in and simmer uncovered for a few minutes until the broth thickens. Remove the bay leaves, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and serve warm.

Close-up of beef stew in a pot with chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, peas, and parsley.

Pro Tip:

Always brown the beef in batches. Crowding the pan traps steam and prevents proper browning, which reduces flavor and color. Two to three batches is typical for about two pounds of meat.

Serving Suggestions

A crusty loaf of bread is ideal for soaking up the savory broth. Buttermilk biscuits or quick two-ingredient biscuits also pair nicely and turn this into a complete, satisfying meal.

Beef stew served in a wooden bowl with a gold spoon, crusty bread and the pot behind it.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave; add a splash of broth or water if the stew seems too thick.

For longer storage, cool completely and freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Tips for the Best Beef Stew

Keep it at a gentle simmer: A hard boil can make the beef tough.
Cook until fork-tender: If the meat isn’t tender at 60 minutes, give it more time at low heat rather than upping the temperature.
Salt at the end: The broth reduces as it cooks, so finishing with salt prevents over-seasoning.
Two thickening options: Use a cornstarch slurry at the end for a quick thickening, or simmer uncovered for the last 20 minutes to reduce the liquid naturally.
Uniform vegetable sizes: Cut potatoes and carrots into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.

Red Dutch oven of beef stew with a wooden spoon resting inside, bread, butter, and parsley nearby.

Additions and Variations

Diced onion: Sauté a diced yellow onion in the pot after removing the browned beef, before adding the broth for extra aromatics.
Mushrooms: Add up to 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms with the other vegetables for earthiness.
Red wine: Replace one cup of beef broth with a dry red wine for deeper complexity.

More Hearty Beef Dinners

Slow Cooker Salisbury Steaks
Lipton Soup Mix Meatloaf
Slow Cooker BBQ Beef
Garlic Butter Steak Bites

Overhead view of a red Dutch oven filled with beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas.

Beef Stew (Stove Top)

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 1 hr
Total: 1 hr 20 mins

Servings: 8

A classic, easy stovetop beef stew made with browned beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, and peas simmered in seasoned beef broth. Hearty, family-friendly, and great for leftovers.

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1¼ pounds potatoes, Yukon or russet, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
4 carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, sliced
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 bay leaves
1 cup peas

For thickening (optional)

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

Instructions

Pat the beef dry and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, and pepper; toss the beef to coat.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Brown the beef in batches, about 6–7 minutes per batch, and transfer to a plate.
Pour the beef broth into the pot and scrape up browned bits from the bottom.
Return the beef to the pot and add potatoes, carrots, celery, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, basil, and bay leaves.
Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 60–90 minutes until the beef is fork-tender.
Stir in peas about 10 minutes before serving.
To thicken, whisk cornstarch and water, stir into the stew, and simmer uncovered a few minutes. Remove bay leaves and season to taste.

Notes

Substitute beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes for stew meat if desired.
Russet potatoes will break down and thicken the broth; Yukon Gold or red potatoes retain shape better.
Keep the stew at a gentle simmer rather than a boil so the beef stays tender.
Refrigerate leftovers up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months after cooling completely.

Nutrition

Calories: 299 kcal | Carbohydrates: 22 g | Protein: 30 g | Fat: 9 g

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