Beef and Mushroom Stew
Hearty and comforting Beef and Mushroom Stew with vegetables, herbs, and wine is an easy stew recipe that tastes like it cooked for hours, but it only takes just over an hour to make. Tender chunks of beef and mushrooms in a rich gravy-like sauce make the perfect stew for a chilly day.
I’ve seen many stew recipes that take hours to make and so I thought I should share this easy beef stew recipe. You don’t need to block off an entire day to make stew, this one is ready after about an hour but it tastes like it simmered all day. The flavor is very rich and it’s the perfect hearty meal with some bread on the side.
The combination of beef, mushrooms, and wine give this stew great flavor. I often make it with white wine but you can make this beef stew with red wine, too. The mushrooms add an earthy flavor and the beef is so tender. It’s the best combination.
It’s even better the day after you make it once the flavors have had a chance to fully develop. I often make a batch during the weekend and warm it up for easy meals for the week.
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- Minced garlic
- Diced celery
- Finely chopped onion
- Boneless beef chuck steak cut into pieces
- Chopped pancetta
- Wine – white or red wine will work
- Low-salt vegetable broth
- Tomato paste
- Salt
- Black pepper or hot pepper flakes
- Oregano
- Minced Italian parsley
- Sliced carrots
- Sliced mushrooms
How to make homemade broth
For this recipe, I like to use a vegetable broth although a beef broth works well, too. Of course, if you prefer you can use store-bought.
If you want to make your own it’s really not hard, it just adds a few more steps and time to the recipe. You can make the broth ahead of time so you have it on hand when you want to make this stew.
In a large pot add a carrot and an onion peeled and cut in half, a celery stalk cut in two, a bay leaf, 2-3 pepper corns, 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of salt and 12 cups of water. Bring it to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for about three hours. Stir occasionally and remove any foam that appears on the top of the broth. Pour the broth through a sieve, and let the liquid cool before using.
Any unused broth can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days. It can also be frozen in freezer-safe containers and will keep for up to 6 months.
How to make the stew
Slice the carrots and the mushrooms.
Cook the garlic, celery, and onion in the oil in a large pan. Cook them for one to two minutes over medium heat. Add the beef to the pan and brown it for two to three minutes.
Add the pancetta and wine. Adjust the heat to high and simmer the wine until it evaporates. This should only take a couple of minutes. Add the tomato paste and spices and then add 1/2 cup of the broth. Simmer over low heat for about 20 minutes and then add the mushrooms and carrots.
Cook the stew for 30 minutes or until it’s thickened. Stir it occasionally. You can thin it with more broth, but it’s best with less sauce and not too soupy. Before you serve it, taste the stew and add more salt if you think it needs it.
More Soup and Stew Recipes
This stew is cozy and comforting and best for a cold day when you want to warm up. The best part is that you don’t have to wait all day for that first taste – it’s easy and quicker to make than other recipes. Enjoy!
Beef and Mushroom Stew
Ingredients
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- ½-1 medium onion finely chopped
- ½ pound boneless beef chuck steak cut into pieces
- ½ cup pancetta chopped
- ¼ cup wine (dry white)*
- ½-1 cup vegetable broth (low salt)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ¼-½ teaspoon salt**
- 1-2 dashes black pepper or hot pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon Italian parsley minced
- 1 cup carrots (sliced) (approximately 2 medium carrots)
- 3½ cups sliced mushrooms
*If you prefer you can use red wine.
**Depending on how salty your broth is you may want to salt the dish when it is almost cooked, taste the sauce and salt if necessary.
Instructions
- In a large frying pan add the olive oil, garlic, celery and onion, cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat. Add the beef and brown 2-3 minutes. Add the pancetta and wine, raise the heat to high and cook until the fumes evaporate, approximately 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, broth (start with ½ cup) and spices gently stir to combine. Cook on low heat for approximately 20 minutes then add the sliced carrots and mushrooms, cook approximately 30 minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally. If needed add more broth, you want a little sauce not too much. Taste for salt. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Tips
Whether you use storebought broth or make your own, you will want to be careful with the salt in this dish. Different brands of broth will be saltier than others. Because of this, I always opt for a low-salt broth when I use store-bought. One advantage of making your own broth is that you can control how salty it is. The best thing to do is not to add too much salt when you first make the stew. It’s better to let it simmer and cook and then taste it at the end. If it needs more salt you can add it before serving. It’s always easier to add to than take away. I think beef and mushroom stew is best with a thick sauce. Start with just ½ cup of the broth and let it simmer until it’s reduced and thickened. If you add too much broth you will have to cook the stew longer to thicken it and your vegetables will end up mushy. You can always thin the stew at the end of the cooking time if it’s too thick. This stew will keep well for several days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for up to two to three months. Once it’s chilled, you may need to thin it with a little broth since it will thicken up when it’s cold.How to store the Beef and Mushroom Stew
Any leftover stew will keep well for several days in the refrigerator, store it in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for up to two to three months, store it in a freezer safe container. Once it’s chilled, you may need to thin it with a little broth since it will thicken up when it’s cold.Nutrition
Today is also Taste Creations Week! Please check out these other delicious Mother’s Day Recipes from my Food Blogger Friends.
- Terri from Our Good Life – Stovetop Frittata with Mushrooms
- Nikki from Tikkido – Mushrooms on Toast
- Lauren from Mom Home Guide – Beer Braised Chicken & Mushrooms
Rosemary, You are my holy grail! Thanks for yet another recipe that is easy to follow and tastes delicious!
Hi LorrieL, thanks so much that’s so kind, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care!
Hi, Rosemary I thought this was great as many of your recipes are I go on line and get lots of recipes and if I get one that I’m not crazy about I just tweak it a little bit and I love it your desserts are great also. Thank Tou Char
Hi Charmaine, thanks so much, so glad you enjoy the recipes and tweak ones you want to. Take care!
Made it exactly as described. Not wild about the flavors and would not make it again.
Could you double or triple this recipe and cook in a Dutch oven instead of in a pan?
Hi Gina, sure you could double it and cook it in a dutch oven. Take care!
hello! this looks sooo good. I don’t eat beef, could i use chicken breast here instead of beef? thank you
Hi Debbie, sure that would work. I hope you enjoy it. Take care!
How much does a half-cup of pancetta weigh? I’ve never seen a recipe that called for any kind of meat by volume.
Hi Steve, if you click on metric in the recipe card it converts everything to weight. So 1/2 cup pancetta weighs 120 grams. 🙂
Lots of pancetta in this recipe is heavenly!
Hi Lorri, I agree thanks and take care.
What an amazing, hearty, perfect fall stew! I can’t wait for the weather to cool down and try this.