This classic hearty Beef and Tomato Stew is loaded with tender chunks of beef, melt-in-your-mouth potatoes, veggies and fresh herbs! Perfect cozy recipe for a chilly weekend at home and can easily be made in your Instant Pot, slow cooker or even right on the stove!
Oh how I LOVE a hearty stew and this is truly the BEST beef stew recipe! Packed full of fresh produce like carrots, peas, onion and celery along with fork-tender beef and fall-apart-in-your-mouth potatoes, this dish is definitely bound to be a staple recipe in your home. This homemade beef stew is more tomato based than traditional beef stew recipes, but we love tomatoes over here and this is how I grew up eating it 
I also threw in some fresh herbs like thyme and rosemary to give it earthy flavors that really brings it all together. Nothing better than curling up on chilly day with a warm bowl of this cozy beef stew!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Cozy and comforting one-pot meal on a chilly winter day.
- This easy beef stew recipe be made on the stovetop, in your Instant Pot or crock pot.
- Rich and delicious gravy with fork-tender beef, hearty potatoes and veggies make this the best stew recipe. So much flavor!
- Leftovers are even better the next day!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- cubed beef – I used beef chuck roast because it gets more tender the longer it cooks, but feel free to use any type of beef that cooks well in stew like braising steak, short ribs or beef stew meat. You just want to make sure to cut the beef into even pieces so that everything cooks evenly.
- olive oil – needed to sear the stew beef for browning to really get that delicious flavor!
- potatoes – russet, red potatoes, Yukon golds or baby potatoes will all work for this recipe.
- vegetables – I used a combination of chopped yellow onion, carrots, fresh or frozen peas (or green beans), and celery. You could also use pearl onions or other veggies.
- beef stock – I prefer the flavor of beef stock in this stew (and I always use low sodium stock), but you could also use beef broth or even vegetable or chicken broth.
- tomatoes – you’ll need both a can of stewed tomatoes and a can of tomato paste, which thickens the sauce. You could also use diced tomatoes or even fire roasted tomatoes for more great flavor.
- worcestershire sauce – adds delicious depth of flavor! You could also use full-bodied red wine or a little balsamic vinegar.
- fresh herbs – I used fresh thyme and rosemary, but you could use dried herbs as well.
- seasonings – a combination of garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper and bay leaves.
Ways to Make Beef Stew
This hearty beef stew can easily be made in your crock pot, Instant Pot or right on the stove! My preferred method is letting it simmer in a large pot on the stove, but see below for the different variations.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Even when making this stew in the crock pot, I still like to sear the meat to really get that delicious depth of flavor! In a large skillet over medium-high heat, drizzle olive oil and heat until the oil is hot and glistening. Add the cubed beef and sear meat on all sides, about 5 minutes. Once the meat is browned, add it to the bowl of your crock pot, along with the rest of ingredients, cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Alternatively, you could absolutely skip the browning step and just add the raw beef to the crock pot. The result will still be fall-apart-in-your-mouth beef chunks, but browning just adds lots of flavor in my opinion. I highly recommend it.
Instant Pot Beef Stew
To easily make this flavorful beef stew right in your Instant Pot, drizzle olive oil in the bowl of your Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function. Wait until the oil is nice and heated, then add the cubed beef, browning on all sides. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up those delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pot and add in the rest of your ingredients. Seal the Instant Pot and select the meat/stew setting, and set the timer for 35 minutes of cooking. Once complete, let the Instant Pot sit for about 12 mins, then release the steam by placing the valve to the venting position. Serve and enjoy!
Stove Top Beef Stew
You can also make this stew right on your stove top! Drizzle olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot on medium heat, until oil is hot and glistening. Add cubed beef and sear meat on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up those delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan and add in the rest of your ingredients. Bring everything to a boil. Cover and gentle simmer for about 2 to 3 hours, until meat and veggies are tender and all those savory flavors have marinated. Serve and enjoy!
How to Serve Beef Stew
This beef and tomato stew is so hearty and filling all on its own, but to make this more of a complete meal, there are several easy ways to serve this up!
- Bread or crackers – this would be delicious with some crusty bread or crackers for dipping
- Salad – soup and salad just go so perfect together! My spinach salad, kale and quinoa salad or fall salad would all taste great with this stew.
- Mashed cauliflower – growing up my family always served beef stew over mashed potatoes, but serving over my mashed cauliflower tastes just as delicious, adds a creamy element and sneaks in another veggie!
- Pasta – serve over some egg noodles or macaroni noodles for a more filling meal that the whole family will enjoy.
How to Thicken Beef Stew
This beef and tomato stew will naturally thicken thanks to those starchy potatoes, but here are a few other ways you can easily thicken up the sauce if you prefer a thicker stew.
- Sprinkle about 2 or 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour over top of the beef after it has browned, mixing until all the flour has dissolved, then add in the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix together 1 tablespoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon of cold water until you have a cornstarch slurry, then mix it into the simmering hot stew a few minutes before serving.
Prepping and Storage
To Store: Let the stew cool completely then store leftovers in a sealed, airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. When ready to serve, either reheat the stew on the stove top on low heat (watching carefully so it doesn’t burn) or re-heat in the microwave, stirring every 60 seconds until heated through.
To Freeze: We love to freeze this stew! Again, let the stew cool completely then transfer to a sealed, airtight container or freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the stew thaw completely in the fridge before reheating.
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More Cozy Soup Recipes
- Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Sausage and Spinach Tortellini Soup
- Crock Pot White Chicken Quinoa Chili
Hope you all enjoy this Classic Beef Stew recipe and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Classic Beef and Tomato Stew
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 lbs cubed beef, I used chuck roast
- 1 (15 oz) can stewed tomatoes
- 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 large carrots, sliced
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 lb baby potatoes, sliced in half
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
To make on your Stove Top:
- Drizzle olive oil in a large dutch oven or pot on medium high heat until oil is hot and glistening. Add cubed beef and sear meat on all sides, about 5 minutes.
- Add in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 2 to 3 hours, until meat and veggies are tender. Serve and enjoy!
To make in your Instant Pot:
- Drizzle olive oil in the bowl of your instant pot and turn on the sauté function. Wait until it’s nice and heated then add meat, browning on all sides.
- Add the rest of your ingredients, seal the instant pot and select the meat/stew setting (about 35 minutes).
- Once cooking is complete, let the instant pot sit for about 12 minutes then release the steam by placing the valve to the venting position. Serve and enjoy!
To make in your Crock Pot:
- Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat until oil is hot and glistening. Add cubed beef and sear meat on all sides, about 5 minutes. (You could also skip the browning step and just add the raw meat to your crock pot, but browning the meat adds more depth of flavor!)
- Once the meat is browned, add it to your crock pot along with the rest of ingredients, cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This stew is fantastic! I made it in my slow cooker and it couldn’t have been easier. I did not add the Worcestershire sauce or the bay leaf ( I thought I had some at home and found out I did not). I used 1 lb of baby carrots instead of chopping full size ones. We had it for dinner and then for lunch the next day. Even better the second time around!
You can use turn ups instead of potatoes and they taste just as good if not better very very low in carbs
Great idea!
Amazing recipe!
I substituted the peas for green beans and cooked this in a slow cooker – turned out absolutely delicious!
Perfect comforting stew for a cold winters night. Thank you! 🙏🏼
My daughter won the cook-off! Thanks for the great recipe guideline!
Killed the heat 6 hrs 45 mins into cooking stovetop. I let it sit on the stove one hour before storing it in the fridge. We’ll see how it goes! Fingers crossed for my daughter!
So, my 15 year old special needs daughter came home Monday and said she wanted to enter a beef stew contest at school. We chose your recipe because my mother and grandmother also always used tomato base for beef stew. Sadly, my mother died suddenly a little over a year ago, and I don’t have her exact recipe. This was as close as I could find. We chose to do stovetop. I just prefer it the way my betters did! I have an instant pot and a crock, but something like this needs love and attention! I chose to buy a chick roast and cube by hand. Trimming the fat (but not all) as needed. I followed your recipe exactly, except for a few minor adjustments. I doubled the worschestesrhire sauce, used beef bullion paste instead of ready made. My daughter suggested “adding some love” with a couple dashes of tobasco pepper sauce. We also added about 1/4 cup Apple cider vinegar, a 1/2 tsp sugar and a pinch of cayenne. It’s still on the stove right now. We had it done and going about 5:15 pm and it’s almost midnight. I’ve been simmering and checking every hour while binge watching Netflix! I can say, it truly is a fantastic recipe! Thank you so very much for this recipe! It reminds me so much of my late mother. And beef stew was my favorite dish she ever made for me growing up. It’s what I wanted when it was cold, or I was sick… Or just homesick! And I’m proud to pass this fantastic recipe with minor alterations on to my daughter. Thank you again. I hope everyone gives it a try. I’ll try to post an update soon!
Aww I LOVE this story and thank you so much for sharing! I saw that your daughter won the contest which is so exciting!! I’m sorry to hear about the passing of your mother, this recipe was actually inspired by my Grandma’s recipe she used to cook all the time for us so it definitely feels like “home” anytime I make it 🙂 Glad you all enjoyed this! xo
@JAY ROBINSON’s post for JANUARY 4, 2019 AT 8:56 AM
As I have a pressure cooker, I wanted to help out some and make sure you did CLOSE the steam valve of your pressure cooker. Mine (Power Quick Pot) automatically does it when you put the lid on. If you don’t have the valve closed, the food doesn’t pressurize.
Also. Did you change the cooking setting from saute to pressure cooking? That could also do it.
I hope you figure out what the cause was. Good luck. Happy Cooking!
I am making this, based loosely off of your recipe. I have plain canned tomatoes, not stewed tomatoes. As I don’t have tomato paste… and instead of a roux, I will use a packet of beef gravy mix as the thickener. Instead of baby potatoes, I will cube large potatoes, and instead of large carrots, I will use baby carrots. LOL. I don’t know how I messed THAT one up… Oh well. <3 Instead of Garlic Powder, minced garlic will be used. 🙂 Basically your Grandma's recipe, which is quite similar to my grandma's recipe that she'd make for her restaurant… I just don't have the desire to make 50 servings worth of her beef stew… So I went searching for a recipe for Beef Stew with Tomatoes, that looked similar to Gram's as I didn't want to take the time to calculate out all the changes to cut it down to size. LOL!!!!
So… Thank you for the no-leg-work-needed recipe!!!
How did it go with the canned tomatoes?
Made it tonight. Still cooking but tastes just great.
Finally! 7 years! I’ve been searching for a beef stew recipe that my husband actaully likes for 7 years! This one was perfect, husband declared it was sooo delicious and my 3yo and 1yo actually ate it too. Making it in an instant pot was easy and fast. A++ recipe — Thanks so much!
Will this fit in my 6 quart instant pot? I got concerned so I halved the recipe.