Hearty Beef and Mushroom Stew is an easy stew recipe that tastes like it cooked for hours, but it’s ready in about and hour.
Prep Time20minutes mins
Cook Time50minutes mins
Total Time1hour hr 10minutes mins
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.
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
Calories: 299kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 622mg | Potassium: 819mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5738IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg
