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Old Fashioned Beef Stew Recipe: The Ultimate Comfort Food

Old Fashioned Beef Stew in rustic bowl
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This Old Fashioned Beef Stew is comfort food at its best—tender chunks of beef simmered with hearty vegetables, rich broth, and classic herbs and spices for a warm, satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef stew meat (cubed chuck roast)
  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
  • 10 ounces pearl onions
  • 4 medium carrots, sliced
  • 4 medium celery ribs, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 cup cold water

Instructions

1. Dust the beef stew meat with 2 tablespoons cornstarch and season with salt and black pepper.

2. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned beef and sear for about 5 minutes, until browned on all sides, stirring frequently.

3. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

4. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.

5. Add the potatoes, pearl onions, carrots, and celery to the pot. Sprinkle in the sugar, dried basil, oregano, parsley, paprika, and ground allspice. Stir everything together.

6. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 90 to 120 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.

7. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the cold water. Stir until dissolved.

8. Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the stew, stirring constantly, and cook on low until the stew thickens.

9. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot.

Notes

This stew is even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop. You can swap out pearl onions for chopped yellow onion if preferred. Serve with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes for a heartier meal.

Find it online: https://cookingwithramsay.com/old-fashioned-beef-stew/