Classic Beef Stew with Red Wine and Fresh Herbs

This classic beef stew is loaded with tender beef, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and fresh herbs in a rich red wine broth. It simmers low and slow until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are perfectly cooked.

Make a big pot for Sunday dinner and you’ll have plenty for leftovers. The flavor gets even better after a night in the refrigerator.

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This recipe is especially good when you can get your hands on fresh herbs and vegetables from your own garden or a local farmers’ market. That said, it’s forgiving enough to work beautifully with whatever you have on hand.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE:

• Feeds a crowd — serves 8, or gives you glorious leftovers all week
• One pan — everything comes together in a single high-sided skillet
• Fresh herbs make it special — thyme, oregano, and rosemary take this from good to exceptional
• Red wine broth — adds depth and richness you just can’t fake
• Even better the next day — the flavors deepen overnight and leftovers are absolutely worth fighting over

Greta

Classic Beef Stew with Red Wine and Fresh Herbs

Tender beef, hearty vegetables, and fresh herbs simmer in a rich red wine broth until everything is deeply flavorful, cozy, and fall-apart tender.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Servings: 8

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 cloves fresh garlic minced
• 8 oz. white mushrooms sliced
• 2 lbs. beef stew meat cut into 1″ cubes
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 3-4 cups organic beef stock divided*
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 3 large carrots chopped
• 2 large stalks celery finely diced
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 2 lbs. Russet potatoes chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves rinsed
• 2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves rinsed
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves chopped

Equipment

• dutch oven 5-6 qt preferably.

Method

 

1. Prep the vegetables and pat them dry. Peel the carrots and potatoes if desired, or leave the potato skins on for extra texture.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large 5–6 quart Dutch oven or high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef with salt and black pepper. Working in batches so you don’t crowd the pan, brown the beef on all sides. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. Add the mushrooms, onion, and celery to the same pan. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and the mushrooms start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
4. Add 1 cup of beef stock and the red wine. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, then simmer until the liquid has reduced by about half.
5. Return the beef to the pan. Add 2 cups of beef stock and the bay leaf. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 1–1½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender.
6. Add the carrots, potatoes, thyme, oregano, and rosemary. Stir to combine, adding additional beef stock as needed to reach your preferred consistency.
7. Simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender but still hold their shape.
8. Remove the bay leaf and taste for seasoning. Add additional salt and black pepper as needed, then serve hot.

Notes

Add more or less beef stock to achieve desired consistency. 

TIPS & VARIATIONS:

• Brown the beef in batches — crowding the pan steams the meat instead of browning it, and you’ll lose all that gorgeous crust and flavor
• Don’t skip the deglazing step — those brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan are pure flavor. The wine and stock lift them right up into the broth
• Fresh herbs are worth it here — dried herbs work in a pinch but fresh thyme, oregano, and rosemary make a noticeable difference in a recipe this simple
• Leave the potato skins on — they hold up better during the long simmer and add a little extra texture
• Add a cornstarch slurry to thicken — if you want a thicker stew, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir it in during the last 10 minutes of cooking
• Swap the wine — not a wine cooker? Use an extra cup of beef stock instead, or add a splash of Worcestershire sauce for depth
• Make it in a slow cooker — brown the beef and deglaze on the stovetop, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours

Shop This Recipe

• Worth the Splurge: Enameled Cast-Iron Dutch Oven — heavy, steady heat makes it excellent for browning beef and long, slow simmering. If you cook a lot of soups, stews, braises, and roasts, this is one of those pieces you’ll use for years. You may even pass it on to your kids.
• Great for Less: 5.5 Quart Dutch Oven — you absolutely don’t need to spend hundreds to make great beef stew. A solid, heavy Dutch oven with enough room to brown the beef and hold plenty of broth will do the job beautifully. This one comes in lovely colors and is under $100.
• Chef’s Knife — there’s a fair amount of chopping in this recipe, and a sharp, comfortable knife makes prep much quicker.
• Wooden Spoon — perfect for scraping up all those browned bits when you deglaze the pot without scratching the cookware.
• Deep Soup Bowls — roomy bowls are especially nice for serving a chunky stew with plenty of broth and a piece of crusty bread alongside.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

• Serve hot in deep bowls with crusty bread for soaking up the broth
• Pair with a simple green salad for a more well-rounded meal
• Serve over egg noodles or mashed potatoes for an extra hearty version
• Leftovers make an incredible pot pie filling — just top with puff pastry and bake at 400°F until golden

STORAGE

• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
• Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of beef stock if needed to loosen
• Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating

Frequently Asked Questions

What cut of beef is best for stew? Chuck roast is the gold standard. It has enough fat and connective tissue to become incredibly tender during the long simmer. Pre-cut stew meat works too but quality varies, so look for pieces with good marbling.

Can I make this in a slow cooker? Absolutely. Brown the beef and deglaze on the stovetop first for maximum flavor, then transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Can I make this ahead of time? Yes, and you should. This stew is genuinely better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld. Make it a day ahead and reheat gently before serving.

Do I have to use red wine? No. Substitute with an equal amount of beef stock, or add a splash of Worcestershire sauce for a similar depth of flavor without the wine.

Can I add other vegetables? Absolutely. Parsnips, turnips, or sweet potatoes all work well. Add them at the same time as the other vegetables in step 6.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

• Browning the beef first — builds a crust that locks in flavor and creates the fond on the bottom of the pan that becomes the backbone of the broth
• Deglazing with red wine and stock — lifts all that fond into the liquid and adds a layer of complexity you can’t get any other way
• Low and slow simmering — breaks down the tough connective tissue in the beef until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender
• Adding vegetables late — prevents them from turning to mush during the long braise and keeps everything at the right texture
• Fresh herbs at the end — preserves their brightness and keeps the stew tasting fresh rather than heavy

Other Hearty Meals You Might Like

• Instant Pot Traditional Pot Roast All the comfort of a Sunday pot roast in a fraction of the time. Tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich broth that tastes like it simmered all day.
• Rustic Chicken White Bean Stew – Cozy, hearty, and packed with protein. This one-pot chicken and white bean stew is the kind of weeknight dinner that feels like a warm hug.
• Hearty Beef and Mushroom Chili – Bold, beefy, and loaded with mushrooms for extra depth. This no-bean chili is a serious crowd pleaser that gets better the longer it sits.
• Pork Scallopini with Mushroom Gravy (pictured) – Tender pork in a rich mushroom gravy, ready in 30 minutes. Same cozy skillet energy as this stew but on a weeknight timeline.