There are some meals that simply feel like home, and All-American Beef Stew is one of them.

Tender chunks of beef, hearty potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery simmer slowly in a rich, savory broth until everything becomes incredibly tender and flavorful. It is simple comfort food—the kind of meal that fills the kitchen with an irresistible aroma and makes everyone look forward to dinner.

As the weather gets cooler and fall settles in, a big pot of homemade beef stew is especially satisfying. Serve it with warm crusty bread, biscuits, cornbread, or dinner rolls, and you have a complete meal made for a cool evening.

Why You’ll Love This Beef Stew

A great beef stew doesn’t need complicated ingredients. The secret is giving simple ingredients enough time to develop their flavors.

Browning the beef creates a deep, savory foundation. Onions and garlic add another layer of flavor, while tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, herbs, and beef broth create a rich gravy-like broth.

Then come the vegetables. Potatoes make the stew filling, carrots provide a little natural sweetness, and celery adds classic homemade flavor.

Everything simmers together until you have the kind of thick, hearty stew that tastes like it has been cooking all day.

Ingredients

For the beef:

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1½-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

For the stew:

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Optional for a thicker stew:

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

1. Prepare the Beef

Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture helps the meat brown instead of steam.

Season the beef with salt and pepper, then lightly toss it with the flour until the pieces are evenly coated.

2. Brown the Beef

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.

Add the beef in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Brown the pieces on several sides, approximately 3 to 5 minutes per batch.

Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set it aside.

Don’t worry about the browned bits left on the bottom of the pot. Those little bits are packed with flavor and will become part of the stew.

3. Cook the Onion and Garlic

Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the chopped onion and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften.

Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute.

4. Build the Broth

Slowly pour in about 1 cup of the beef broth while scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.

Add the remaining beef broth along with the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.

Return the browned beef and any juices from the plate to the pot.

Bring everything to a gentle boil.

5. Let the Beef Simmer

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and allow the beef to simmer gently for about 1 hour.

Low and slow cooking helps transform chuck roast into tender pieces of beef.

6. Add the Vegetables

Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery.

Stir everything together, cover, and continue simmering for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the beef and vegetables are fork-tender.

Stir occasionally and add a little extra broth if the stew becomes thicker than you prefer.

7. Add the Peas

During the final 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen peas.

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Taste the stew and add additional salt and black pepper as needed.

Want a Thicker Beef Stew?

If you prefer a thick, gravy-like broth, make a simple cornstarch slurry.

Combine:

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Mix until completely smooth.

Slowly stir the mixture into the simmering stew and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. The broth should quickly begin to thicken.

The Secret to Tender Beef

One of the biggest mistakes when making beef stew is rushing the cooking process.

Beef chuck contains connective tissue that needs time to break down. If you check the beef and it still seems tough, that usually doesn’t mean it has cooked too long—it may simply need more time.

Keep the stew at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil and continue cooking until the beef can easily be pulled apart with a fork.

What to Serve With All-American Beef Stew

This stew is hearty enough to stand on its own, but something for soaking up that rich broth makes it even better.

Try serving it with warm French bread, sourdough, homemade biscuits, cornbread, garlic bread, or soft dinner rolls.

For an especially comforting dinner, serve the stew in large bowls with thick slices of buttered bread on the side.

Slow Cooker Version

You can also make this recipe in a slow cooker.

Brown the seasoned beef in a skillet first. While technically you can skip this step, browning creates significantly more flavor.

Transfer the beef to your slow cooker.

Add the onion, garlic, tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, potatoes, carrots, and celery.

Cook on:

LOW for 7 to 8 hours

or

HIGH for 4 to 5 hours

Add the peas during the final 15 minutes.

If you want the broth thicker, stir in the cornstarch slurry near the end and continue cooking until thickened.

Make It Ahead

Beef stew is one of those dishes that can taste even better the next day.

Once the stew cools, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it. As it sits overnight, all those flavors continue to mingle.

Reheat it slowly on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of beef broth if necessary.

Properly refrigerated leftovers can generally be kept for 3 to 4 days.

A Classic American Comfort Food

There is nothing fancy about beef stew—and that’s exactly why it remains such a favorite.

It’s a meal built around simple ingredients, patience, and big flavor.

You start with an inexpensive cut of beef, a handful of vegetables, broth, and seasonings. Give them enough time together, and those ordinary ingredients become something warm, filling, and satisfying.

It is also the type of meal that brings people to the table.

A big pot sits in the middle of the kitchen. Bread gets passed around. Bowls are filled with tender beef, potatoes, vegetables, and steaming broth. And for a little while, dinner isn’t complicated.

Sometimes the simplest meals create the best memories.

Recipe of the Day

All-American Beef Stew

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: About 2 hours
Total Time: About 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6–8

Tender beef. Hearty vegetables. Rich broth. Simple ingredients.

This All-American Beef Stew is classic comfort food that’s perfect for a cool fall evening, a Sunday family dinner, or anytime you’re craving a warm homemade meal.

What’s your favorite thing to serve alongside a big bowl of homemade beef stew?