red wine beef stew
This Easy Red Wine Homemade Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food—rich, hearty, and packed with tender beef and veggies. It’s the perfect cozy dinner to warm you up, and the best part? It all comes together with simple ingredients you probably already have!
This Red Wine Homemade Beef Stew has been a go-to in my kitchen for years—it’s one of those cozy, throw-everything-in-the-pot meals that never lets me down. I love making it on Sunday afternoons, especially when I have a little red wine left from the weekend because it adds so much depth and flavor to the broth. It’s the kind of recipe that fills your whole house with amazing smells and makes you excited for dinner.
If you’ve tried my Creamy Toscana Soup or Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, you already know I’m a big fan of easy, comforting soups and stews that feel special but don’t require a ton of work. This stew is exactly that—it’s hearty, flavorful, and perfect for using up simple ingredients you already have on hand. Serve it with crusty bread for dipping and you’ve got the ultimate cozy meal.
Ingredients needed to make beef stew
Chuck Roast – This is my go-to cut for stew because it gets fall-apart tender, but you could also use stew meat or even short ribs if that’s what you have.
Salt & Pepper – Don’t be shy! Generously season the beef before browning—it makes a huge difference. I personally love using Maldon flakey sea salt for this!
All-Purpose Flour – Helps create a golden crust on the beef and thickens the broth. You can swap for gluten-free flour if needed.
Oil – For searing the meat. I usually grab olive oil, but avocado oil works too.
Yellow Onion – Adds that deep, savory flavor to the base of the stew, but white onion works just as well.
Tomato Paste – Adds richness and a little sweetness to the broth.
Red Wine – My favorite part! It gives the broth so much depth and is the perfect excuse to use up that half bottle leftover from the weekend. If you’d rather skip the wine, just add a splash of balsamic vinegar or extra broth for acidity.
Worcestershire Sauce – Adds umami and a punch of flavor to round out the broth.
Fresh Rosemary & Thyme – The herby goodness that makes this stew smell and taste incredible. You can swap for dried herbs if needed—just reduce the amount.
Water + Beef Concentrate – This combo gives you a super flavorful broth, but you can skip the concentrate and just use beef broth instead.
Potatoes – Use Yukon gold or baby potatoes because they hold their shape well. If you only have russet, that’s fine too—just peel them first.
Garlic – Lots of it because…always garlic.
Carrots – Adds sweetness and a little pop of color.
Frozen Peas – Tossed in at the end for that bright pop of green and a little extra veg.
How to make this beef stew recipe
Prep the Beef and Sear: Cut the chuck roast into cubes, season generously with salt and pepper, then toss with flour to coat. Heat oil in a large pot and sear the beef in batches until golden on all sides—don’t overcrowd the pan! Set aside.
Build the Base: In the same pot, cook onion and garlic, then stir in tomato paste and a bit more flour.
Deglaze: Pour in red wine, scraping up all those flavorful bits from the bottom.
Add Veggies & Beef: Toss in carrots, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and the browned beef. Add fresh rosemary and thyme.
Simmer: Pour in beef broth (or water + beef concentrate), cover, and let simmer on low for about 2.5 hours. Stir in peas, cover, and cook for another 30 minutes. Remove the herb sprigs and serve with rice or crusty bread.
How to Serve & Store Cozy Beef Stew
Serve: Ladle the stew into bowls and serve it on its own or over a scoop of rice for extra comfort. Don’t forget a side of crusty bread to soak up all that rich, flavorful broth—it’s a must.
Store: Let leftovers cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes really well—just portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or water if needed.
How to Make This Beef Stew in a Crock Pot Instead
I get it, sometimes you just want to set it and forget it all day. Or make this in the morning and have it ready when you get home from work. It’s super easy to adapt:
- Sear the beef first — this step is still important for flavor, so quickly brown the flour-coated beef in a skillet before adding it to the crock pot.
- In the crock pot, add the onions, garlic, tomato paste, carrots, potatoes, rosemary, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, broth (or water + concentrate), and the seared beef.
- Skip the wine deglazing step if you want to keep it extra simple, or you can still deglaze your pan with wine and pour all those yummy bits into the crock pot for added flavor.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is tender and the veggies are soft.
- About 30 minutes before serving, stir in the peas, cover again, and let them warm through.
Helpful Tips and Tricks
- Generously season the beef. Don’t hold back on the salt and pepper—this is where the flavor starts!
- Sear in batches. Overcrowding the pan will steam the beef instead of giving it that gorgeous golden crust.
- Scrape up every bit. When you deglaze with the wine, make sure you’re scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom of the pot—that’s where the magic lives.
- Use fresh herbs if you can. Fresh rosemary and thyme give the stew so much flavor and aroma, but dried works if that’s what you’ve got—just use less.
- Low and slow is key. Let the stew simmer gently to give the beef time to get fall-apart tender and let all the flavors meld together.
If you make my Beef Stew Recipe, I would really appreciate a comment and rating down below the recipe card. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me over on Instagram, TikTok, or Pinterest!
Red Wine Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1.5-2 pounds of chuck roast
- Season generously with salt and pepper (I prefer Maldon Flakey Sea Salt)
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour (divided)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 tbsp worceshtershrie sauce
- 2 sprigs of fresh Rosemary
- 2 springs of fresh Thyme
- 4.5 cups of water
- 1 tbsp beef concentrate (or just sub 4.5 cups of beef broth)
- 2 cups of potatoes (quartered)
- 7 cloves of garlic
- 2 cups of carrots (sliced)
- 2 cups frozen peas
Instructions
- Start by cutting the chuck roast into cubes and placing them in a bowl. Generously season with salt and a bit of pepper, then toss with flour until each piece is well coated.
- Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add a drizzle of oil. Working in batches (so you don’t overcrowd the pan), sear the beef on all sides until golden brown. The beef doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this stage—just a nice crust. Remove from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, add a little more oil and the diced onion. Sauté for a few minutes until softened, then add in the minced garlic and tomato paste, stirring until everything is well combined. Sprinkle in the rest of the flour and stir to coat.
- Next, deglaze the pot by pouring in the red wine, scraping up all those browned bits from the bottom (that’s where the flavor lives!). Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, carrots, and potatoes, then nestle the seared beef back into the pot along with the fresh rosemary and thyme.
- Pour in the beef stock (or water + beef concentrate), give everything a good stir, and season with a little more salt and pepper. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let the stew simmer for 2.5 hours.
- After that, remove the lid, stir in the frozen peas, cover again, and cook for another 30 minutes until everything is tender and the flavors have melded beautifully.
- Before serving, remove the rosemary and thyme sprigs. Serve your beef stew over rice or with crusty bread for dipping—either way, it’s cozy perfection.
Notes
- Take the time to sear the beef properly. That golden crust adds so much flavor to the final stew—don’t rush it!
- Wine swap: If you don’t have red wine (or prefer to skip it), you can use extra broth with a splash of balsamic vinegar for a similar depth of flavor.
- This stew gets even better the next day. The flavors deepen and the broth gets extra rich, so it’s a great make-ahead meal for busy weeks.
- Store: Let leftovers cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It also freezes really well—just portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or water if needed.
