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Hearty Beef Root Vegetable Stew Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 121 reviews

This Hearty Beef Root Vegetable Stew is a comforting and flavorful dish featuring tender chuck roast simmered with a medley of root vegetables like butternut squash, turnips, and carrots. Enhanced with rich tomato paste, robust red wine, and aromatic herbs, this stew offers deep, layered flavors perfect for a cozy meal. Multiple cooking methods including stovetop, Instant Pot, oven baking, and slow cooking accommodate any kitchen preference while ensuring a melt-in-your-mouth texture and luscious gravy.

Ingredients

Scale

Beef and Seasonings

  • 2 pounds chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1” pieces
  • Coarse ground Kosher salt, to taste
  • Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Cooking Fats and Aromatics

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 medium shallot, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

Flavor Base

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, or another robust wine recommended)
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme (about 6 sprigs)
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins brand for gluten-free)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Stock and Thickening

  • 4–7 cups Kitchen Basics Unsalted Beef Stock, divided (1 cup reserved for thickening)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Vegetables

  • 3 cups ½” diced butternut squash (1″ dice for Instant Pot) (about 1 pound)
  • 2 cups ½” diced turnip (1″ dice for Instant Pot) (about 2 medium turnips)
  • 1 cup ¼” diced carrot (about 2 medium carrots)

Instructions

  1. Prepare and Season Beef: Allow beef pieces to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while cutting the vegetables. Pat the beef dry with a paper towel to remove moisture, then season liberally with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
  2. Brown the Beef: Heat a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When a drop of water sizzles, add butter and olive oil. Brown the beef pieces in two batches for about 4 minutes per batch until caramelized. Transfer beef to a plate and set aside.
  3. Reserve Stock for Thickening: Measure out 1 cup of beef stock and place it in the fridge to chill; this will be used later for thickening the stew.
  4. Sauté Aromatics and Build Base: Reduce heat to medium-low. Add diced shallots and sauté until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and Dijon mustard, cooking for about 1 minute. Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift browned bits.
  5. Simmer Beef with Herbs and Stock: Return the browned beef along with any accumulated juices to the pot. Add thyme and rosemary sprigs, 6 cups beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and partially cover. Cook until meat is fork-tender, approximately 1 hour 15 minutes.
  6. Add Vegetables and Continue Cooking: Stir in butternut squash, turnips, carrots, and more stock if necessary to cover the vegetables. Simmer for an additional 45 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  7. Thicken the Stew: Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch into the chilled reserved 1 cup beef stock until smooth. Increase heat to bring stew to a low boil, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Boil for 2 minutes until thickened. Remove thyme and rosemary sprigs, then season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve hot.
  8. Instant Pot Method – Brown Beef: On ‘Sauté’ mode, heat olive oil and butter in the Instant Pot. Brown the beef for 4-5 minutes.
  9. Instant Pot Method – Combine and Pressure Cook: Add shallots, garlic, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, red wine, 3 cups beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, root vegetables, and herbs. Seal the lid and cook on high manual pressure for 40 minutes, followed by a 10-minute natural pressure release.
  10. Instant Pot Method – Thicken and Bake: Place 1 cup reserved beef stock in the fridge to chill while stew cooks. After pressure releases, preheat oven to 450°F. Transfer hot stew carefully into a large baking dish, cast iron pot, or braiser. Whisk cornstarch into chilled stock and stir into stew. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes to thicken and brown the top. Remove carefully and serve hot.
  11. Slow Cooker Method – Initial Cooking: After browning beef as described earlier, transfer beef to slow cooker. Add shallots, garlic, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, red wine, 6 cups beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and herbs. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.
  12. Slow Cooker Method – Add Vegetables: About one hour before serving, increase the slow cooker heat to high and add root vegetables. Cook an additional hour until vegetables are tender.
  13. Slow Cooker Method – Thicken Before Serving: Whisk cornstarch into chilled reserved stock. Stir into stew during the last 10 minutes of cooking and allow to thicken before serving. Serve hot.

Notes

  • This stew tastes even better the longer it sits; refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days.
  • Leftovers freeze well for up to 6 months.
  • Use a robust red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Chianti for the best flavor.
  • Adjust salt and pepper to taste at the end of cooking.
  • For Instant Pot method, dice vegetables slightly larger to avoid overcooking.
  • Make sure to brown the beef well to develop deep flavor.

Keywords: beef stew, root vegetable stew, chuck roast recipe, hearty stew recipe, beef and vegetable stew, comfort food, slow cooker beef stew, Instant Pot beef stew

Find it online: https://busyrecipe.com/hearty-beef-root-vegetable-stew-recipe/