That’s a classic comfort meal ❤️ — hearty Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes.
Here’s a full, rich recipe that gives you tender beef and creamy mashed potatoes to soak up all that delicious gravy:
🥩 Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes
🕒 Total Time
About 2 hours 30 minutes (most of that is simmering)
🍲 Ingredients
For the Beef Stew
- 1½–2 lbs (700–900 g) beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into 1½-inch cubes
- Salt & black pepper — to taste
- 2 tbsp flour (for coating the beef)
- 2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth (or 1 beef bouillon cube + water)
- 1 cup red wine (optional — adds richness; can substitute with more broth)
- 3 carrots, sliced into chunks
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed (optional — you can skip if serving over mash)
- 1–2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water (optional, to thicken at the end)
- Fresh parsley — chopped, for garnish
For the Mashed Potatoes
- 2 lbs (900 g) potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet)
- 4 tbsp butter
- ½ cup milk or cream (adjust for creaminess)
- Salt & black pepper — to taste
🔪 Instructions
1. Brown the Beef
- Season beef cubes with salt and pepper, then lightly coat with flour.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat.
- Sear beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Build the Stew Base
- In the same pot, add onion and cook until softened (2–3 minutes).
- Add garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze with red wine (if using), scraping up brown bits from the bottom.
3. Simmer the Stew
- Return beef to the pot.
- Add broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, carrots, celery, and potatoes (if using).
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
- Cover and simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until beef is tender.
- If the stew is too thin, stir in the cornstarch slurry near the end and simmer for 5 more minutes.
4. Make the Mashed Potatoes
- Peel and cut potatoes into chunks.
- Boil in salted water for about 15 minutes until fork-tender.
- Drain, then mash with butter, milk, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
5. Serve
- Spoon mashed potatoes into bowls or plates.
- Ladle beef stew generously over the top.
- Garnish with parsley and a bit of black pepper.
💡 Tips:
- For deeper flavor, add a splash of balsamic vinegar or a spoon of soy sauce near the end.
- You can make the stew a day ahead — it tastes even better the next day!
Would you like me to give you a slow cooker or oven-braised version of this recipe too?
