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    Home » Beef » Classic Stovetop Beef Stew

    Classic Stovetop Beef Stew

    Published: May 27, 2020 by Beri · 12 Comments

    Jump to Recipe
    classic stovetop beef stew

    This healthy beef stew recipe is so easy and simple to make and yet tastes so good! All you need for making this classic stovetop beef stew is a few basic ingredients and some time to let it cook on the stove. The result is a hearty and aromatic beef stew with the most amazing sauce ever! It is thick, tasty, super flavorful and absolutely gorgeous.

    For some people, beef stew (or goulash) is what grandma served on Sunday. For me, it is what I got to eat at school. No matter where you got to eat your favorite beef stew, we all know how an amazing beef stew has to taste. And let me tell you, I got you covered with this recipe! I know, nothing will taste like grandmas cooking, but this beef stew comes pretty darn close to it.

    My favorite part of cooking this beef stew is having it on the stovetop and letting all of the different flavors develop. I simply love the smell of food, and this is especially true for this beef stew recipe! It smells slightly spicy, very aromatic and somewhat sweet. You absolutely will know what I am talking about when letting this beef stew cook on your stovetop. 

    How to make a classic beef stew

    So, let’s get into how this gorgeous classic stovetop beef stew is prepared. As I said, preparation is very simple. And it truly is. All you have to do is chop the veggies and the beef. Then, you first sear the beef. When it is brown you set it aside and sauté the veggies in the pot. Next, you add the tomato paste and sauté them some more. Now, add the beef, red wine and beef bone broth to the pot. Use the different spices and add the bay leaves to the pot. And that’s it! Now, all that is left to do is letting the beef stew simmer with the pot closed for approximately 2.5 hours. 

    I know, this is a long time. But it is absolutely necessary to get this amazingly soft beef we all love. What I like to do is make this beef stew on a weekend. While it cooks, I most of the time clean my flat, read a book or watch my favorite Netflix show. No need to stand in front of the stove and watch this beef stew cook! I also love to prepare a lot of this beef stew and then freeze some servings of it. That way, there is always something healthy in your refrigerator. 

    You will also notice that I use quite a few onions for this recipe. Don’t be afraid to use that many! It gives the beef stew flavor, but it does not make it taste like pure onions. The onions are also great for thickening the sauce naturally. Therefore, you should absolutely use them when making this recipe. Trust me, you will love this beef stew. 

    Combining the beef stew

    Since this beef stew recipe uses less veggies, I also love to serve a salad with this recipe. I absolutely love this cucumber dill salad. You can also go for a mixed salad. The options are endless, just make what you love most. As for sides, I love to eat this beef stew with potatoes, rice or pasta. Just go for what you feel like. It always tastes great!

    classic stovetop beef stew

    If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo #bitesofberi on Instagram, friends!

    classic stovetop beef stew
    Print Recipe
    5 from 17 votes

    Classic Stovetop Beef Stew

    This classic stovetop beef stew is a great Sunday meal. It tastes very aromatic and is easy to make.
    Prep Time25 mins
    Cook Time2 hrs 30 mins
    Total Time2 hrs 55 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: German
    Keyword: classic stovetop beef stew, German goulash
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 383kcal

    Ingredients

    • 1.3 lb beef stewing meat trimmed and cut into cubes
    • 1 lb onions approx. 4-5 onions
    • 2 carrots medium-sized
    • 2 celery stalks
    • 1 tablespoon avocado oil
    • 4 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 1 ½ cup beef broth
    • 1 cup red wine
    • 1 tablespoon paprika powder
    • 2 bay leaves
    • salt and pepper
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Heat a pot with the avocado oil using medium-high heat.
    • Cut the onions, carrots and celery stalks into small dices. If the beef is not pre-cut, cut it into chunky dices.
    • Add the beef to the pot and sear it until it browns. Set the beef aside. Next, add the onions, celery and carrots to the pot and sauté them shortly. Then, add the tomato paste and sauté for approx. 2 more minutes.
    • Add the beef, red wine and the beef bone broth to the pot. Put the bay leaves into the pot. Add the paprika powder, salt and pepper.
    • Bring the beef stew to a boil, then cover the pot with the lid and let the beef stew simmer on low heat for 2 hours and 30 minutes.
    • Test if the meat is soft enough. If it is not, let it simmer for 30 minutes longer. Add more spices or salt and pepper if you need to. If the consistency is not thick enough, let it simmer some more without the lid.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 285mg | Potassium: 1093mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 8762IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 5mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Peggy Puett

      December 19, 2021 at 10:06 pm

      I don't usually use avocado oil and don't want to purchase it if I can use something else. Is olive oil a.good substitute?

      Reply
      • Beri

        December 20, 2021 at 8:42 am

        Vegetable oil would be a good substitute as it has a high smoke point. Any oil that can be used for high-heat cooking can be used as a substitute for avocado oil. 😊

        Reply
    2. Rebecca L Sauer

      December 21, 2021 at 4:22 pm

      What can I substitute for the wine?

      Reply
      • Beri

        December 22, 2021 at 8:48 pm

        You can use beef broth. Just know that the taste will be different without the red wine. It will still taste delicious, just a little different. 😊

        Reply
    3. Nerak

      December 25, 2021 at 5:10 am

      5 stars
      Simple easy and delicious
      I substituted 1/4 of a cup of red wine vinegar instead of the wine realizing I didn't have paprika I used a tablespoon of adobo along with a tablespoon of Mrs dash original it turned out spectacular

      Reply
      • Beri

        December 26, 2021 at 11:39 am

        Sounds delicious! Happy you liked the recipe. 😊

        Reply
    4. Debra

      January 11, 2022 at 11:56 pm

      Sounds great but being on a low potassium diet, I couldn't eat it. Tomato paste is extremely high in potassium, could I substitute canned diced tomatoes or tomato sauce? Or better yet, no tomatoes, I love them but tomatoes are not good for my levels of potassium. Is there something else I could use?

      Reply
      • Beri

        January 12, 2022 at 12:18 pm

        Hi Debra, I usually wouldn't recommend omitting the tomato paste as it really adds to the flavor of this beef stew. But if you can't eat it, then just skip it or use a small amount of tomato sauce (only if possible). I think it's still going to be delicious! Turkish red pepper paste is usually a great substitute for tomato paste, but it might be too high in potassium for you. So I'd say skip the tomato paste and maybe add a little more paprika powder, I think it's going to taste good. 😊

        Reply
    5. Michelle

      February 03, 2023 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      I used Kroger Private Selection 5 pepper peppercorn bbq sauce in place of tomato paste. It is so smooth

      Reply
      • Beri

        February 06, 2023 at 12:42 pm

        Hi Michelle, it's great to hear that you liked the recipe! 😊

        Reply
    6. Cheryl

      February 18, 2023 at 1:34 pm

      5 stars
      Rich flavor, very nice

      Reply
      • Beri

        February 18, 2023 at 2:31 pm

        Thank you, Cheryl! 😊

        Reply

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    I'm Beri, the one behind the recipes you can find on Bites of Beri. I have a huge love for recipes that are healthy, simple and incredibly delicious. What I love even more: sharing them with you! I am sure you will enjoy browsing through my space in the internet that is all about healthy and tasty foods. Learn more about me →

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