Dutch Oven Beef Stew
There’s no other comfort food quite like beef stew. With tender beef, a rich, savory broth, and plenty of hearty vegetables, this is one of those classic dishes that just leaves you feeling nostalgic. Make this amazing dutch oven beef stew on a cold winter’s night or anytime at all! Good food knows no season.
Dutch Oven Beef Stew Recipe
This dutch oven beef stew recipe is 100% Whole30 and Paleo, hurray! I had to make a few minor adjustments to a classic beef stew recipe — I used Whole30 compliant oil, omitted flour as a thickening agent, and then used a compliant stock.
What we ended up with is a hearty and unbelievably flavorful beef stew that mirrors all the important aspects of the traditional dish, now it’s jus Whole30 compliant and Paleo approved. It has the most flavorful broth and tender beef, and it’s so simple to make.
I don’t know about you, but there are just some days that I need a hearty stew for dinner. When the weather start to get cold and I’m in need of some comfort food, stew is what I go for! It’s the perfect meal for a chilly day.
I love to using my trusty dutch oven, and it all comes together, cooked tender perfection, in about 90 minutes total. Before you know it, you’ll have hearty and healthy comfort food ready to serve up for dinner time.
You may also like: Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken, Garlic Butter Steak Bites, Irish Lamb Stew.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
You can find all the simple ingredients for this Whole30 beef stew at any of your favorite grocery stores. It’s so easy to make and you’re going to love it:
- This is a wonderful meal prep recipe! Make a big batch for chilly months and you’ll have plenty of stew for easy dinners during the week.
- Dutch oven beef stew is loaded with protein and other vital nutrients. It’s packed full of veggies and is really so good for you.
- If you need an easy way to serve a large family, then this recipe is perfect. Six hearty servings that are filling and delicious.
Ingredients
The ingredients in this beef stew recipe aren’t super complicated. You probably already have most of them in your pantry! Here’s everything you need for paleo beef stew:
- beef
- beef stock
- potatoes
- red wine vinegar
- coconut aminos
- oil
- diced canned tomatoes
- carrots
- minced garlic
- onion
- celery
- salt
- black pepper
- thyme
Substitutions and Variations
Feel free to add peas to your beef stew if you’d like! Wait until the last 10 minutes of cooking to stir in frozen peas, that way you avoid overcooking.
I usually use beef stew meat, but you can take a chuck roast and cut it into 1 inch cubes.
Use homemade beef stock, or check out my complete list of Whole30 and Paleo stocks & bone broths that you can buy in the grocery store. For extra protein and rich flavor, use beef bone broth.
I use russet potatoes, but feel free to substitute red potatoes or Yukon gold. Whichever you have on hand, they’ll all work great.
Coconut aminos are a great Whole30 compatible substitution for Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce. If you’re not concerned about sticking to a Whole30 diet, then you can use Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce.
Choose a compatible oil like olive or avocado, for browning the beef! Not sticking to a specific diet? Then grab any neutral oil with a high smoke point.
Balsamic vinegar and white wine vinegar are good swap for red wine vinegar.
How to Make Dutch Oven Beef Stew
One thing I really like about this recipe is that it’s very straight forward, and everything is done in the dutch oven. It reminds me a bit of my Dutch Oven German pork chop recipe. Here’s how to make the best beef stew:
Chop the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic so that everything is prepped for the stew.
Then, pat the beef dry and season it lightly with salt and pepper. Heat oil in the dutch oven or large pot, and then add the pieces of beef. If your dutch oven isn’t large enough to fit all of the meat with room between each piece to brown it, cook in batches. Brown the beef on all sides, then set it aside on a plate.
In the same dutch oven, add the remaining oil, and sauté the the vegetables until softened slightly, about 4 minutes.
Add in the browned beef, beef broth, tomatoes, potatoes, and seasonings. Bring the stew to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer together for about 45-50 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Uncover and simmer for a little longer, until the beef is super tender, the broth has reduced and thickened a bit, and the potatoes are cooked through.
Then just season to taste, serve, and enjoy!
How to Store Leftover Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze leftovers too — beef stew freezes well. Store in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that once thawed and reheated, the potatoes may have a but of a different texture.
What to Serve with Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Serve this stew all on its own or with some tasty side dishes. You can do a soup and salad pairing with a quinoa and arugula salad or even serve this stew with a fun Tom Collins mocktail. Don’t forget some cheesy garlic bread or fluffy dinner rolls with butter.
Finish off the meal with some banana muffins or paleo chocolate chip cookies. A delicious meal is only a few tasty recipes away!
Tips for Success
Check out these few simple tips to make this hearty stew extra delicious:
- Choice a well-marbled piece of beef if you choose to cut up your own stew meat! And make sure you slice into evenly sized chunks so that they all finish cooking at the same time.
- Dry the stew meat well with paper towels before seasoning so that the salt and pepper adheres to each piece. This will ensure that all of the meat is seasoned perfectly.
- Don’t boil the stew for the hour that it needs to cook or the beef stew meat will likely end up tough. A slow simmer is all that’s needed!
FAQ
Absolutely! Slow cooking stew is super easy, and the best part is that it can cook all day. Brown the beef separately in a deep stock pot, then deglaze the brown bits from the bottom of the pot by adding the stock and stirring, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Transfer the beef and broth to the crock pot, and add in the seasonings and tomatoes. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4, adding the vegetables in the last hour (waiting to add the veggies ensures they don’t turn into overcooked mush). Season to taste and enjoy!
I always choose chuck roast for beef stew. When cooked slowly over low heat, the beef becomes super tender and melt-in-your-mouth fantastic! Stew meat also works great, but I always double check with the butcher or read the packaging to find out exactly what cut they’re giving me.
If the beef is not fork tender at the end of cooking, cover the stew and simmer. Test it every 10-15 minutes until the beef is tender.
More Healthy Comfort Food Recipes
- Orange Sesame Chicken & Broccoli
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
- BBQ Chicken & Ranch Sliders
- Swedish Meatballs
- Classic Pot Roast
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe!
Please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes or stew meat
- 3-4 medium russet potatoes
- 3-4 medium carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 4 cups beef stock
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 2 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1.5 Tablespoon coconut aminos
- 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley optional
Instructions
Prep the Vegetables
- Mince the garlic and dice the onions. Chop the celery and carrots into bite size pieces. Peel and dice the potatoes (I set the potatoes in a large bowl of cold water to keep them from browning, but that step is totally optional).
Brown the Beef
- Pat the beef cubes dry, then sprinkle with arrowroot powderseason and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss the beef to coat.
- Heat the oil in the dutch oven, and add it in (in batches, if your dutch oven isn't large enough to fit all of it with room between each piece). Brown the beef on all sides, then set it aside on a plate.
- In the same dutch oven, add the remaining oil, and sautée the the carrots, garlic, onion, and celery until softened slightly, about 4 minutes.
Simmer Together
- Add in the beef, broth, tomatoes, potatoes and seasonings. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover. Allow to cook together on low, stirring occasionally, for about 40-50 minutes.
- Uncover and allow the stew to continue simmering for another 10 minutes or so, until the stew is thickened, the potatoes are cooked through, and the beef is tender.If the beef isn't quite fork tender, cover and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes at a time. Serve in bowls with a sprinkle of parsley, and enjoy!
Notes
Season & enjoy! Store leftovers: Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container or bag and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, per USDA. Reheat leftovers in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring, just until simmering, OR in individual bowls in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.
