This Ultimate Beef Stew with Mushrooms is hearty soul-warming comfort food. With tender chunks of slow-cooked beef and a blend of earthy mushrooms, all bathed in a rich red wine sauce. Perfect for a family gathering, chilly evenings, or when you crave a hearty, satisfying meal, this delicious beef stew recipe has all the classic ingredients for any occasion.
What is Stew?
Most of us have enjoyed some kind of stew. Stews have indeed been made and savored since ancient times. This classic food tradition includes a combination of ingredients slow-cooked in liquid. The ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and meat, with a focus on tougher cuts suitable for slow cooking, like pork, lamb, and beef.
You can use water as the stew-cooking liquid, but stock or broth is most common. In addition, red wine is a great way to infuse more flavor, plus, it helps to break down the collagen, naturally tenderizing the meat.
Stew is typically slow-cooked at a relatively low temperature making the meat tender and causing all the flavors of the meat, veggies, and broth to marry.
For this savory beef mushroom stew, I used a combination of different types of mushrooms, a beef chuck roast marbled with fat, carrots, and baby Yukon potatoes, simmered in a combination of beef stock and red wine for a deep rich flavor.
Why You'll Love This Hearty Mushroom Beef Stew Recipe
Several components make this beef stew recipe irresistible.
First, it's made in one pot. All you need is one large soup pot or Dutch oven to make this stew. That means easy clean-up but also that the meat and vegetables retain all of their flavor and nutrients in the liquid they were cooked in.
Next, this beef stew is not only packed with protein but also vegetables. With carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms, it's a complete meal in every bowl.
Also, the cooking liquid is a key component of this hearty stew. Using beef broth or stock is important but the addition of red wine adds a gourmet twist. The wine will not only add depth of flavor but also break down the collagen, naturally tenderizing the meat and releasing even more rich tastes. When choosing a red wine I suggest using an inexpensive wine but also something you like to drink.
In addition, I used a cabernet sauvignon for this recipe, but you could also try a Pinot noir, merlot, or a favorite red wine blend. I like a bolder wine for a stronger flavor. (Alternatively, if you’re not a fan of wine, you can swap it out for more beef stock or broth instead.)
Finally, the meat used in this stew is crucial - use a beef chuck roast that is marbled with fat. This adds hearty flavor and when seared and cooked low and slow, it becomes very tender.
As I mentioned the beef is first seared in a hot pan. This adds even more depth and flavor to the dish. Then slow-cook it with all the other ingredients in the broth. This process of both searing and slow-cooking is called braising.
What is Braising?
Braising is a 2 part combination cooking method that starts with pan searing followed by slow cooking in liquid. Usually in a soup pot, Dutch oven, or a slow cooker—until ingredients become tender. Braising turns the ingredient being seared and the cooking liquid into something magically delicious.
After the stew cooks for a few hours in the oven the beef becomes fork tender and soaked in the flavorful sauce along with the veggies.
I serve this stew with a side of cornbread or beer bread because I want to be sure to sop up all that delicious sauce.
Allow me to share all the ingredients that make the sauce and the stew mouthwateringly delicious...
What You’ll Need to Make Beef Stew with Mushrooms
NOTE: It's important to choose the right cut of meat for this beef stew recipe. You want to buy a chuck roast that has a decent amount of fat running through it. You can cut away any large chunks of fat that are easy to remove. But be careful to not trim away too much of the fat because it helps the meat become tender during the slow-cooking process.
- Olive oil – for searing the meat.
- Chuck roast trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
- Salt and pepper
- A mix of mushrooms, sliced.
- Yellow onions peeled and chopped.
- Garlic cloves, minced.
- Fresh thyme
- Fresh parsley
- Balsamic vinegar
- Worcestershire sauce
- Tomato paste
- Sugar
- Red wine
- Beef broth
- Water
- Cornstarch slurry for thickening the stew.
- Carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks.
- Small white potatoes (baby Yukon), (cut in half if desired)
How to Make Slow-Cooked Beef Stew Recipe
Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position.
Pat the beef dry and season with salt and pepper.
In a large soup pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. In 2-3 batches brown the meat for about 5 minutes per batch.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil for each batch you sear. Transfer the meat and its juices to a large bowl and set aside.
Reduce the heat to medium, add the mushrooms, and sauté for 4 minutes.
Stir in the onions, garlic fresh thyme, fresh parsley, dried bay leaves, balsamic vinegar, and ½ cup of stock; cook for 5 minutes.
Mix in the tomato paste and sugar. Then add the beef with its juices, the wine, the remainder of the beef broth, and the cornstarch mixture, and bring to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, and transfer it to the oven, and cook for 2 hours.
Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Place the lid on the pot and cook in the oven for another hour or until the vegetables are cooked.
Next, remove the pot from the oven, discard the bay leaves, taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Finally, garnish with fresh parsley and serve the stew warm.
Variations and Substitutions
Go ahead and make this stew recipe your own - change things up to your liking.
You can leave out the potatoes and add other root veggies like parsnips, sweet potatoes, or butternut squash. Or leave them out altogether and serve the stew over mashed potatoes, rice, pasta, or parmesan polenta.
You can also toss in some frozen peas or corn at the very end.
Either way, it’s soul-satisfying comfort food for any night of the week!
Storing and Freezing Beef Stew
To store, place the beef stew on the counter and let it cool completely before placing it in the fridge. The stew lasts 3-5 days in the fridge.
To freeze, add the stew to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheat the stew by defrosting it in the fridge overnight. Heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop slowly. Add more liquid if needed.
Or carefully reheat the stew from frozen at a very low temperature in the oven or on the stovetop. Add more liquid as needed.
This Beef Stew with Mushrooms is the ultimate comfort food. The tender beef, earthy mushrooms, sweet carrots, and creamy potatoes simmered in the rich wine sauce will warm you from the inside out.
I'm excited for you to try this hearty goodness!
From my house to yours, Happy Cooking!
More Meaty Main Dishes
Here are some more protein-packed dishes that will satisfy all your cravings.
- Low Carb Slow Cooker Italian Beef
- Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage with Bacon
- Indian Beef Curry with Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
- Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa
- Texas Style Chili Recipe
Ultimate Beef Stew with Mushrooms
This Beef Stew with Mushrooms is hearty soul-warming comfort food. With tender chunks of slow-cooked beef and a blend of earthy mushrooms, all bathed in a rich red wine sauce. Perfect for a family gathering, chilly evenings, or when you crave a hearty, satisfying meal, this delicious beef stew recipe has all the classic ingredients for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil for searing meat.
- 31/2 pounds chuck roast or stewing meat, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes.
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 pound mixed mushrooms, sliced
- 2 large yellow onions, peeled and chopped
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (more for garnish)
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (3 before cooking in the oven and 1 more when fully cooked and removed from the oven if desired.)
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (2 before cooking in the oven and 1 more when fully cooked and removed from the oven if desired.)
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 cups red wine (or beef stock if preferred)
- 3 cups beef broth (or a combination of water and beef stock)
- 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed into 1 -2 tablespoons cold water.
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound small white potatoes (baby Yukon), (cut in half if desired)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and set a rack in the lower middle position.
- Pat the beef dry and season with 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. In 2-3 batches brown the meat for about 5 minutes per batch. (Add 1 tablespoon of oil for each batch you sear.) Transfer each batch of meat and its juices to a large bowl and set aside as you cook them.
- Reduce the heat to medium, add the mushrooms, and sauté for 4 minutes.
- Stir in the onions, garlic fresh thyme, fresh parsley, dried bay leaves, balsamic vinegar, and ½ cup of stock; cook for about 5 minutes. (If needed add more stock to prevent it from burning.)
- Stir in the tomato paste and sugar.
- Then add the beef with its juices, the wine, beef broth, and the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Stir, then cover the pot with a lid, transfer to the preheated oven, and cook for 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and add the carrots and potatoes. Cover and place it back in the oven for another hour, or until the vegetables are cooked. The meat should be tender, and the broth should be a bit thickened.
- Remove the pot from the oven, discard the bay leaves, then taste, and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. (I added 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar + 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce.)
- Garnish with fresh parsley and serve the stew warm.
Notes
- To store, place the beef stew on the counter and let it cool completely before placing it in the fridge. The stew lasts 3-5 days in the fridge.
- To freeze, add the stew to an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat the stew by defrosting it in the fridge overnight. Heat it in the microwave or on the stovetop slowly. Add more liquid if needed.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Amount Per Serving Calories 431Total Fat 9.8gSaturated Fat 2.4ggCholesterol 51mgmgCarbohydrates 41.5gFiber 6.5gSugar 15gProtein 23.9g
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