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 over medium heat. Add the beef to the pan and brown.
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 some of the broth. Simmer over low heat then add the mushrooms and carrots.
Cook the stew 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!
I made this recently and we loved it. No red pepper for us but I did add about 1/2 frozen peas.
Hi Elizabeth, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it, I like the idea of adding peas. Take care!
I’m glad Google brought me here. This recipe was fantastic.It’s a perfect recipe when you’re not looking for a giant pot and need to just cook for 1 or 2 people.
Wonderful Italian-y taste. DO use crushed red pepper.
Hi Kyle, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. I do add crushed red peppers sometimes. Take care and Happy New Year!
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.