This classic Steak Stew is a perfect combination of round steak and vegetables in a rich gravy. A delicious, hearty recipe that’s a meal in a bowl, perfect for busy weeknights yet impressive enough for Sunday dinner!
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There is just something about a beef steak stew that sticks to the ribs longer than other meals. If you have a “meat and potatoes” fan in your house, it is also a great way to satisfy them while stretching a meal a bit further.
Round steak is often a more affordable cut of beef, especially if you can find it on sale. It’s lean and easy to use in recipes. (This beef stew is part of my favorite meal prepare shortcut recipes, Three Easy Round Steak Meals.)
You can prepare this early in the afternoon and let it bubble away while dealing with other life stuff, or even make it ahead on Sunday for an effortless Monday meal. Plus it only uses one pot so super easy cleanup!
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Why You’ll Love This Steak Stew Recipe
- Make-Ahead Marvel: Prepare this stew a day in advance – the flavors actually deepen overnight!
- Budget-Friendly Brilliance: Transforms inexpensive cuts of beef into melt-in-your-mouth tender bites.
- One-Pot Wonder: Less cleanup feels like a win every single time!
- Freezer-Friendly: Perfect for batch cooking and future emergency meals or for keeping on hand to take to others.
Recipe Ingredients
- Stew Beef — I really like using round steak and can often find it reasonably priced.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Vegetable Oil
- Onion — or dried minced onion
- Beef Broth or Stock — You can use a beef base like Better Than Bouillon, an easy pantry ingredient!
- Thyme
- Bay Leaves
- Stewed Tomatoes
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Frozen Peas
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Beef Stew
Step 1: In a bowl, toss the stew beef with flour, salt, and pepper until coated. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Step 2: Brown the beef cubes in batches. Do not over crowd. Set aside the beef and cook the onion until it’s soft.
Step 3: Add the beef back to the pot and pour in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to incorporate any browned bits. Bring to a soft boil. Stir in the stewed tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaves.
Step 4: Remove the pot from the stove, cover, and cook in oven for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beef is tender. Add carrots and potatoes, then simmer on the stovetop for an additional 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Toss in frozen peas just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
You sure can! Brown the flour-coated beef first, then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. Add the potatoes during the last 2-3 hours and the peas in the final 15 minutes.
If the meat is tough, it may not have cooked long enough. Slow, low-temperature cooking breaks down the tough fibers in the meat, making it tender.
For a thicker consistency, mix 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water, then stir this slurry into the simmering stew during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
While the recipe calls for stew beef cubes, chuck roast, bottom round, or shoulder cuts work wonderfully. These tougher cuts break down beautifully during slow cooking, resulting in tender, flavorful meat.
Expert Tips
- Rest and Skim: Let the stew rest for 10 minutes before serving, then skim any excess fat from the surface for a cleaner taste.
- Thicker Stew: For a thicker stew, use a slurry of flour or cornstarch mixed with water. Add it towards the end of cooking and allow the stew to simmer until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Tomato Transformation: Crush the stewed tomatoes by hand before adding for more even distribution throughout the stew.
- Make Ahead: Beef stew stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days and improves in flavor. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat gently, adding a little broth or water if the stew has thickened too much.
More Soup Recipes To Consider
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Hearty Homemade Steak Stew: Easy Round Steak Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs stew beef cubed (about 3 cups)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 onion
- 3 cups beef broth or stock
- 1 cup water or more broth
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 bay leaves or 2 teaspoons dried bay leaves
- 1 can of stewed tomatoes
- 4 carrots sliced
- 3 potatoes diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- If using precooked beef, skip to step 3.
- In a bowl, toss the stew beef with flour, salt, and pepper until coated.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cubes in batches. Remove the beef and set aside, then cook the onions until softened.
- Add the beef back to the pot and add the broth and water. Scrape the bottom of the pot to incorporate any browned bits, and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the stewed tomatoes, and thyme, and add the bay leaves.
- Remove the pot from the stovetop, cover, and cook in a preheated 350°F oven for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beef is tender. (Skip this step if using meat from the Easy Round Steak Meals recipe.)
- Remove the pot from the oven and add carrots and potatoes. Simmer on the stovetop for an additional 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
- Toss in frozen peas just before serving.
- Season with salt and pepper, garnish as desired, and enjoy!
Notes
- Brown the beef well to develop a deep, rich flavor base.
- Slow cook on low heat to tenderize the beef and meld flavors without drying out the meat.
- Add a flour or cornstarch slurry near the end to achieve your desired stew consistency.
- Serve with crusty bread, over mashed potatoes, or with a side of steamed green vegetables for a complete meal.
Ellay
Wonderful. Thank you!
Melissa Griffiths
So glad you liked it Ellay!
Ellay
Wonderful recipe!
Wendy Farkas
When and where do the dehydrated onions go?
Melissa Griffiths
You add them when you add the bullion. Thanks for asking!
Carla
I see peas in your stew and no pasta. I’m assuming the recipe is different from the picture?
Jenna Z
Super easy to make this. My family loves it. I’m definitely printing this out to make it again. Nice, clear instructions! Thank you so much:)
Barbara Schieving
Thank you Jenna for letting me know how much you liked it!
JESSICA J JIMENEZ
Hello, I’m confused. It says to take the meat out and place it in a dish. Then it says to add water to the pot, enough to cover the meat.???
Barbara Schieving
Hi Jessica – after you saute the onion and deglaze the pan with 1 cup of water, add the browned beef to the pot and the additional water. Enjoy!
Tom Roemer
I wanted to print the recipe for Beef Stew and saw the first ingredient was Beef in Gravy. It would be helpful if you included the instructions for this step with the whole recipe.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Tom – I took your suggestion and updated the recipe with directions on making the beef and gravy without making the Three Easy Round Steak Meals https://www.barbarabakes.com/three-easy-round-steak-meals/ Enjoy!
Lorraine
How much water goes in this? There must be more liquid than just a can of tomatoes and the gravy, which is really thick.
Barbara Schieving
Hi Lorraine – the recipe is one of my three meals see my Three Easy Round Steak Meals for directions to prepare the round steak and gravy https://www.barbarabakes.com/three-easy-round-steak-meals/. If you only want to cook enough beef and gravy for this stew, follow the directions for the Round Steak and Noodles recipe https://www.barbarabakes.com/round-steak-beef-and-noodles/