Quick and Easy Stove Top Beef Stew
Ready in just one hour and full of tender beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions in a rich and flavorful gravy, this easy beef stew is a hearty one-pot dinner that everyone will enjoy!
Servings: 4
Estimated Calories: 594
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, use one that is meant for cooking at higher temperatures (not extra-virgin)
- 1½ pounds boneless beef sirloin steak, remove excess fat and cut the meat into 1-inch cubes
- 3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes, 1-inch cubes; about 1¼ pound of potatoes (see Notes below)
- 2 cups peeled and sliced carrots, ¼ inch thick; about 4 to 5 medium carrots
- 1 cup sliced celery, ¼ inch thick; about 2 ribs of celery
- 1 cup chopped onions, ½-inch pieces; about 1 medium onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth, see Notes below
- 5 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste (I use kosher salt)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat (I use a 5-quart pot). Add half of the beef cubes to the pot and cook until browned on 2 sides, the top and bottom. Remove the meat to a plate and set aside. Repeat the browning with the remaining beef cubes, then add the first batch of beef back to the pot.The meat will not be cooked through at this point.
- Add the potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, garlic, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the pot. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits off the bottom of the pot as you do.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf and discard.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and cold water until well combined. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the simmering stew. Continue simmering, stirring occasionally, for another minute or two until the gravy has thickened. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed.
Recipe Notes
- I recommend using a waxier potato, like Yukon gold or red, because they tend to hold their shape better once cooked. Starchier potatoes like russets can be used, but they may not hold their shape as well.
- Use a broth or stock that has lots of good flavor. I like to use roasted beef base mixed with water.
- It's important to brown the beef in 2 batches. If you overcrowd the pot, the meat will steam rather than brown, and you want that brown because it adds lots of flavor to the stew.
- It's not necessary to brown the meat on all sides. In fact, that could cause the meat to end up overcooked. So I do just 2 sides of each cube for get great results.
- The amount of salt you need will depend on how salty your beef broth is. I always start with a small amount of salt before simmering and then add more later if needed. Alternately, you can skip adding any salt up front and wait until the end to see if you need to add more.
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