Updated Sunday, November 1, 2026The latest 50, picked by our editorsAll recipes · Archive
Top50Recipes
This edition: fifty dishes our editors picked, with our own easy recipe for each
Latest / Soups / All recipes / No. 16 in the edition of October 15, 2026
Classic Beef Stew
16EDITION OF OCT 15
Photo: Flickr · credit
Soups · Slow Cooker

Classic Beef Stew

Tender beef, potatoes and carrots in a rich, thick gravy. It simmers on the stove or in a slow cooker while you do other things.

Prep25 min
Cook2 hr 30 min
Total2 hr 55 min
Serves6

What you'll need

Enameled cast-iron Dutch ovenFor soups, stews and braises
AmazonWalmart
8-inch chef's knifeFor all the chopping
Amazon
7-quart slow cookerFor low-and-slow cooking
AmazonWalmart

Store links go to the same item at each retailer, checked November 1, 2026. Want to compare? See the Top 50 Kitchen gear rankings.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 lb beef chuck, cut in 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves and 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 1/2 lb potatoes, cubed
  • 4 carrots, sliced thick
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Steps

  1. Toss the beef with salt, pepper and flour.
  2. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown the beef in two batches, about 6 minutes each. Set aside.
  3. Cook the onion 5 minutes, then the garlic and tomato paste for 1 minute. Add the broth and Worcestershire and scrape the bottom.
  4. Return the beef with the bay leaves and thyme. Cover and simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours (or slow cook on low 7 hours).
  5. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook 40 minutes more, until everything is tender. Stir in the peas for the last 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaves.

TipMake it a day ahead. The flavor gets better overnight.