There is nothing quite like a steaming bowl of Red Wine Beef Stew to warm your soul on a chilly winter night. It’s like your food is giving you a giant hug.
Why You’ll Love This Stovetop Beef Stew
The next time you’re craving a good stew, try out this hearty beef stew! Tender beef cooked in a flavorful broth with loads of veggies.
- Classic comfort food – On a cold winter night, there is nothing quite like a steaming bowl of beef stew.
- So much flavor – Red wine brings out flavors from a hearty beef broth. It has a rich flavor that is enjoyed by the whole family.
- Great recipe for colder months – While we enjoy this traditional beef stew all year round, it’s especially great in winter because it warms you to the core.
Red Wine Beef Stew Ingredients
This classic beef stew recipe is made with simple ingredients that are easily found at your local grocery store.
- Chuck roast, top or bottom round – Any of these cuts or something labeled “stew meat”, these have a lot of connective tissue, so they will be tough if cooked on quick high heat, but become more soft and fork tender as they simmer in liquid.
- Flour – This is used in two places, to coat the beef and get a better brown sear, building flavor, and then to thicken the stew base.
- Seasoning – This includes salt, smoked paprika, black pepper ground thyme and bay leaves.
- Olive Oil – Any neutral oil can be used, we like the flavor of olive oil in this stew recipe.
- Dry red wine – For deglazing and building a super tasty stew broth. A cabernet, pinot noir or shiraz are all good bets. This can be swapped with more beef broth or cooking wine, if desired.
- Low sodium beef broth – I always choose a low sodium broth or homemade broth so I have control over the salt level.
- Vegetables – These can be omitted, increased or decreased based on personal preference. We used onion, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips, potatoes and mushrooms.
- Red Wine Vinegar – Our secret ingredient, adding a splash of acid to brighten the stew.
Stovetop Beef Stew Vegetables
For my beef stew, I prefer using root vegetables. They are hearty and won’t break down or become mushy while cooking or when stored for a later date.
Turnips and parsnips are two of my favorite root vegetables that are seriously under used in the US.
The store was all out of turnips, so I used parsnips and rutabaga, but feel free to throw some in or adjust the amounts of any of the other veggies. Sometimes I even throw in a little cabbage or kale for leafy greens!
Potatoes are pretty standard, as are mushrooms. But again, create blend that works for your family.
What is important is how you cut them. Make sure they are fairly similar shape and size so they all cook to perfect at the same time and nothing is undercooked or overcooked and mushy.
How to Make Beef Stew with Red Wine
You are going to love how easy it is to make this easy beef stew recipe.
- Trim meat. Trim the beef of any large fatty pieces and then cut into 1-inch cubes (bite-sized). Dab well with a paper towel.
- Dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, salt, paprika and black pepper. Mix the dry ingredients well and set aside some of the flour mixture.
- Coat beef pieces in flour mixture. Toss the cubed beef with the flour, removing beef and shaking off excess flour. Discard this flour.
- Cook beef. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef. Turn every so often to sear and brown the outside. Cook and remove to a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease.
- Add red wine. Deglaze the pan by adding the red wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the beef broth, thyme and bay leaves.
- Simmer and add cooked meat. Bring to a low simmer before adding the cooked meat. Simmer on low.
- Add vegetables. Thirty minutes before serving, add the onion, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Continue to simmer, then add the mushrooms.
- Make slurry. Ladle out some of the beef broth and whisk with the reserved flour-spice mixture until smooth. Add back to the to stew.
- Allow to thicken. Heat for an additional few minutes. Stew liquid should coat the backside of a wooden spoon, but not be thick like gravy. Vegetables should be fork tender.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add the red wine vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon coarse salt and season to desired taste with freshly ground pepper.
- Serve with bread. Ladle into bowls and serve with slices of a crusty bread to soak up the remaining liquid your spoon couldn’t reach.
How to Make a Slurry
Slurry might sounds like a gross word, but it is easy to make and is a quick way to thicken any soup, sauce or gravy. In fact, I bet you’ve make one before and just didn’t know the buzz word.
Combine equal parts cornstarch and water, broth or the liquid you are trying to thicken and stir.
Pour slurry in a little at a time into hot soup or stew to thicken. Wait a little between each addition, as it takes a few minutes to do its magic. Once you achieve your desired thickness, allow it to boil at least 1-2 minutes to ensure you cook out any starchy texture.
If you make the slurry ahead of time, give it a quick stir before adding. It will separate, but quickly come back together.
Variations
There are plenty of ways you can make this red wine beef stew recipe your own.
- Flavor – If you’d like a more robust flavor, try adding in some tomato paste, tomato sauce or a few dashed or Worcestershire sauce.
- Vegetables – Tender potatoes are a staple for beef stew, but you can change up which kind you add. Red potatoes or russet potatoes are best. You could also throw in peas, celery, pearl onions or tomatoes.
- Spices – If you want a little kick, throw in some red pepper flakes. A bay leaf would also add another depth of flavor.
- Meat – On the date I decided to make my Red Wine Beef Stew the only beef I had in the fridge was New York Strip. But you could also use beef stew meat, beef chuck roast or even short ribs.
What to Serve with Red Wine Beef Stew
Beef stew should always be served with some sort of bread. The reason is that the broth will still linger in the bottom of the bowl and you’ll want to eat up every last bit. Mop that up with a piece of bread, easy yeast roll or breadstick.
A leafy green side salad will also go well with a bowl of soup. We serve this popular recipe as a main dish because it is such a hearty stew.
Storage and Freezing
Storage: Beef stew is perfect for making ahead and also freezing. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Freeze in an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 6 months.
With either freezing or storing, test and correct seasoning before seasoning. These flavors, especially salt, mute when cold.
Beef Stew with Wine FAQs
Stew meat and other tougher cuts require some tender, loving care. But doing this is easy, it is a low simmer, braising or even using a slow cooker.
Depending on the size your meat is cut into will also determine how long it needs to simmer. For this recipe, smaller bites only need 60-90 minutes to achieve the best results.
I cook beef stew uncovered so that the broth reduces and intensifies in flavor.
Stew meat certainly has a sweet spot and can be overcooked. Make sure to use a low heat with lots of liquid to prevent it overcooking, cooking too fast or becoming dry.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
Egg Drop Soup
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Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
Red Wine Beef Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chuck, top or bottom round
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt , divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons light extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
- 14 ounces low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1/2 cup white onion , chopped
- 3/4 cup rutabaga , peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 3/4 cup carrots , julienned
- 3/4 cup parsnips , julienned
- 1/2 pound small potatoes , quartered
- 1 cup cremini mushrooms , sliced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Loaf of crusty bread , for serving
Instructions
- Trim the beef of any large fatty pieces and then cut into 1-inch cubes (bite-sized). Dab well with a paper towel.
- In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, paprika and black pepper. Mix the dry ingredients well and set aside 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture.
- Toss the cubed beef with the flour, removing beef and shaking off excess flour. Discard this flour.
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef. Turn every so often to sear and brown the outside. Cook for 4-5 minutes and remove to a paper towel lined plate to remove excess grease. Keep the heat on. Depend on the size of your pan, you might want to work in 2-3 batches. Meat browns best when it has room for air to circulate and isn't crowded.
- Deglaze the pan by adding the red wine, scraping the browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the beef broth, thyme and bay leaves.
- Bring to a low simmer before adding the cooked beef cubes. Simmer on low for 90 minutes.
- Thirty minutes before serving, add the onion, rutabaga, carrots, parsnips and potatoes. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes, then add the mushrooms.
- Ladle out 1/4 cup of the beef broth and whisk with the reserved flour-spice mixture until smooth. Add back to the to stew.
- Heat for an additional 5 minutes. Stew liquid should coat the backside of a wooden spoon, but not be thick like gravy. Vegetables should be fork tender.
- Add the red wine vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon coarse salt and season to desired taste with freshly ground pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with slices of a crusty bread to soak up the remaining liquid your spoon couldn't reach.
- If you've tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments and ratings!
I cooked this tonight as a downsized version (adjusted for 10 oz steak was perfect for two). So simple and quick. My meat was a little dry, but I cut the meat smaller than suggested so was probably me. The flavors and the sauce was great!
Hi Chuck, thanks for stopping by to let us know! Glad you enjoyed your meal. The size of the meat can certainly impact the tenderness, but also the cut- the amount of fat can vary from cut to cut, as you know.
Delicious! Easy to make and very tasty.
Love this!!! yum. yum!
I like this a lot.