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.

Reading: When to add mushrooms to beef stew

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.

Table of Contents

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.