Description
A hearty and comforting Beef Stew with Vegetable Ragout, featuring tender beef chuck simmered with a medley of fresh vegetables in a rich, flavorful broth. This French-inspired classic is perfect for cozy dinners and is even better the next day.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Cooking Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 bay leaf
Vegetables
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 ½ cups baby potatoes, halved
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and halved
- ½ cup frozen peas
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the beef: Season the beef cubes with salt and black pepper. Toss them with flour to coat lightly, which helps in browning and thickening the stew.
- Brown the beef: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, turning to sear all sides well. Remove the browned beef and set aside.
- Sauté aromatics: In the same pot, add chopped onion and minced garlic. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add tomato paste and deglaze: Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom to add flavor.
- Simmer beef: Stir in beef broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Return the beef to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 1 ½ hours to tenderize the meat.
- Add root vegetables: Add chopped carrots, diced celery, and halved baby potatoes to the pot. Cover and simmer for another 30 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add remaining vegetables: Stir in chopped zucchini, green beans, and frozen peas. Cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes more, until all vegetables are tender and the stew thickens slightly.
- Finish the stew: Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- This stew tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld.
- You can substitute the red wine with additional beef broth if preferred for a milder taste or to reduce alcohol content.
- Serve with crusty bread or mashed potatoes for a heartier meal.
- Use gluten-free flour to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: French-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 620 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
