This Hearty One-Pot Dutch Oven Beef Vegetable Soup includes tender fall-apart beef, mixed with delicious vegetables, and served in a thick beefy sauce.
This is one of my favorite meals during Fall and Winter. After braising in the oven for a few hours tough budget-friendly chuck roast becomes meltingly tender.
As the weather turns colder we begin to crave comfort food. All I want to eat is warm chili, soups, and stews. I especially love these soup recipes Pork Black Bean and Pumpkin Stew, Braised Winter Pork Stew, and Roasted Cauliflower Soup.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This hearty beef stew is a one-pot meal that feeds a crowd.
- It also uses a cheap cut of beef which is great for your budget. But since the beef is cooked low and slow it becomes fall-apart tender.
- While the cooking time is long most of it is hands-off.
- This stew tastes even better the next day. The flavor improves the longer it sits.
How do You Make Beef Stew Meat Tender?
We are a family on a budget and beef can be very expensive. This is why I love recipes that utilize one of the cheaper cuts of beef that you can purchase from the grocery store.
The trick for turning cheap tough chewy chuck roast into tender delicious stew meat is to braise it or cook it low and slow.
Chuck roast is usually well-marbled with fat and connective tissue. As the chuck roast cooks the collagen in the connective tissue melts into gelatin, turning tough and chewy beef into moist and tender beef.
That gelatin will also seep into the stewing liquids, giving it a creamy rich body.
You may notice packages of beef at the store labeled stew meat. This generally isn't the best choice for beef stew.
Stew meat is usually trimmings from various cuts of beef making their quality inconsistent. Some pieces may be super lean while others are full of gristle.
The best choice is to buy a whole chuck roast and cut it into smaller pieces yourself.
Ingredients
Boneless Beef Chuck Roast: Look for a chuck roast that is well-marbled. Meaning there are thin lines of white fat running throughout the meat. This fat will provide flavor and moistness.
For more tips about selecting the best cut for beef stew, check out this article from Serious Eats.
Salt and Black Pepper: To maximize flavor, salt and pepper the meat about 30 minutes before cooking. This will allow the salt to permeate into the meat flavoring it throughout. It will also help dry out the surface of the meat ensuring a great sear.
Olive Oil: Don't worry about using fancy olive oil. Basic olive oil will work just fine for searing the meat.
Aromatics (yellow onion, celery, carrots, and garlic): The combination of onion, celery, and carrots is known in French cooking as a mirepoix. As the aromatics are slowly sauteed, they will caramelize adding additional flavor to the beef stew.
Chopping the garlic isn't necessary because it will melt into the stew as it braises. Simply smash it with the side of your knife and the heel of your hand and peel the skin off. Watch the video below from The Kitchy Kitchen.
Acid (balsamic vinegar and tomato paste): Acid is a key component of any dish. It helps to balance the salty and sweet flavors and brighten the dish.
Beef Broth: Liquid is an important ingredient when braising. You could braise in something as simple as water but why not use a more flavorful liquid such as beef broth? You could also substitute chicken or vegetable broth.
Seasoning (Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and paprika)
Vegetables (Yukon potatoes, mushrooms, and peas): When chopping the vegetables, try to keep the sizes consistent and small. This will help them to cook evenly and ensure a variety of flavors in every bite.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to throw the beef and all of the vegetables in all at once. The beef needs hours to slowly braise and become tender. If you add the vegetables in at the same time they will turn to mush by the time the meat is done.
Garnish (fresh parsley): I love topping a bowl of beef stew with fresh parsley. The bright green herb adds great color contrast along with a bright fresh flavor.
View the recipe card below for exact quantities.
Equipment
The only piece of special equipment you need is a cast iron dutch oven. This is a one-pot meal after all. Dutch ovens are made from cast iron which makes them great at retaining and evenly distributing heat.
Many people love the dutch ovens made by Le Creuset. They are beautiful, durable, and well-made. Unfortunately, their price sticker is a little high for me.
This is why I love my dutch oven from Lodge. It is well made, cooks evenly, and comes in my favorite color at ⅓ of the cost.
A wooden spoon is also great to have to avoid scratching the dutch oven's enamel coating. My favorite is this wooden spoon from OXO. Its shape is great for scraping along the edge of the pan.
Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F and move the oven rack to the lower-middle position.
Pat the meat dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. In a large dutch oven heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
Brown the meat on all sides in three batches adding additional oil for each batch. This will take about five minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer the meat to a large plate using a slotted spoon and set it aside.
Note: Crowding the pan by trying to brown all of the meat at once will cause it to steam instead of sear. Preventing the meat from browning and developing a lovely caramelized flavor.
Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Season with salt and saute for 20 minutes until lightly browned and softened.
Add the garlic and saute for an additional 5 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar using a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.
Add the beef and any juices on the plate back into the pan and sprinkle with all purpose flour. Stir until the flour is dissolved.
Add the beef broth, Worcestershire, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, and paprika. Bring to a boil scraping any additional brown bits from the bottom of the pan, cover, and place in the oven to braise for 2 hours.
Remove the pot from the oven and add the potatoes. Cover and place back in the oven for thirty more minutes.
Remove the pot from the oven again and add the mushrooms and peas. Cook for an additional thirty minutes or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender.
Adding the vegetables at different times may seem fussy but it is important to ensure the more delicate vegetables don't overcook and become mushy.
Discard the bay leaf before serving. Salt and pepper to taste.
Variations
This easy dutch oven beef stew is versatile and can easily be customized to suit your tastes.
Try substituting sweet potatoes for white potatoes. Or you could leave out the potatoes and serve it over egg noodles. Don't like peas? Try substituting green beans.
Sides for Beef Stew
My favorite side dish for classic beef stew is bread. A flaky biscuit, crusty bread, or a soft roll is great for soaking up every last bit of the delicious gravy. If you have some sourdough starter my favorite rolls are these from Buttered Side Up.
I also usually serve a simple side salad along with this beef stew.
Storing Leftovers
Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the leftovers in a pot on the stovetop and cook over medium heat until warm.
Beef stew also freezes really well. Place in an airtight container or freezer bag, label with the contents and date, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Allow the beef stew to thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Once thawed, place the leftovers in a pot on the stovetop and cook over medium heat until warm.
Need tips on the best way to freeze beef stew?
Tips
- Browning the beef before braising it caramelizes the exterior and intensifies its flavor. Plus all of the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan will deglaze when the broth is added and enhance the flavor of the dish. Do not skip this step.
- Brown the beef in batches. Crowding the pan by trying to brown all of the meat at once will cause it to steam instead of sear.
- Bring the stew to a simmer before placing it in the oven. This helps to keep the temperature of the stew consistent resulting in an evenly cooked stew.
- Adding the ingredients in stages makes sure they are all perfectly cooked without becoming mushy.
- If your dutch oven does not have a tight seal, place a piece of foil over the top of the pot before adding the lid.
- If you prefer a thinner stew, stir additional beef broth into the stew when you remove the dutch oven from the oven for the final time.
📖 Recipe
Hearty One-Pot Dutch Oven Beef Vegetable Soup
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless beef chuck well-marbled, fat trimmed and cut into 1-½-inch pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks on a diagonal
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 8 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 12 oz Yukon potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
- 8 oz sliced mushrooms
- ½ cup frozen peas
- fresh chopped parsley for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and move the oven rack to the lower-middle position.
- Pat the 1 pound boneless beef chuck dry and season with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- In a large dutch oven heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides in three batches adding additional oil for each batch. This will take about five minutes per batch. Do not crowd the pan. Transfer the meat to a large plate and set aside.
- Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the 1 medium yellow onion, 3 medium carrots, and 2 stalks celery. Saute for 20 minutes until lightly browned and softened.
- Add the 8 cloves garlic and saute for an additional 5 minutes.
- Stir in the 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for a minute more.
- Add the beef and any juices on the plate back into the pan and sprinkle with ¼ cup all-purpose flour. Stir until the flour is dissolved.
- Add the 4 cups beef broth, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, and 1 teaspoon paprika. Bring to a boil scraping any additional brown bits from the bottom of the pan, cover, and place in the oven to braise for 2 hours.
- Remove the pot from the oven and add the 12 oz Yukon potatoes. Cover and place back in the oven for thirty more minutes.
- Remove the pot from the oven again and add the 8 oz sliced mushrooms and ½ cup frozen peas. Cook for an additional thirty minutes or until the vegetables are cooked, the broth is thickened, and the meat is tender.
- Salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaf and top with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
Storing Leftovers
Place leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the leftovers in a pot on the stove-top and cook over medium heat until warm. Beef stew also freezes really well. Place in an airtight container, label with the contents and date, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the beef stew to thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Once thawed, place the leftovers in a pot on the stove-top and cook over medium heat until warm.Nutrition
Looking for more delicious fall/winter dinners? Try:
- Slow Cooker Chili
- Four Cheese Lasagna
- Homemade Meatballs with Easy Homemade Pasta Sauce
- Smoked Meatloaf
- Frozen Pork Chops
- Kielbasa, Pierogies, and Sauerkraut
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Long says
Hello! I plan on making this tonight, however, I have no balsamic vinegar. Can I omit these? Thanks!
Erica @ Raspberries and Kohlrabi says
Do you have another vinegar you could use or perhaps some lemon juice? A little acid in the dish helps to balance flavors.
Micah says
Hi! I’m confused. Do we add the carrots in with the potatoes? Or do we leave them in after they have been sautéed? Excited to try this recipe!
Erica @ Raspberries and Kohlrabi says
Sorry, that was a typo. I have updated the recipe instructions. The carrots are left in after they have been sauteed. I hope you like the recipe and can't wait to hear your thoughts.