Beef Stew with Potatoes

4.93 from 66 votes

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This Beef Stew is a classic comforting dinner that is essential in the cooler months! Tender beef simmered in beef broth with carrots, onion, garlic and warm spices, cooked on the stovetop. Serve over mashed potatoes with EASY Homemade Bread. Want to make this in the crockpot? Give my Beef Stew Crockpot Recipe a try!

blue spoon serving beef stew over mashed potatoes on plate

This is the Best Ever Beef Stew

This Irish Beef Stew with mashed potatoes is truly exceptional. While the stew is stellar on its own with super tender meat, gravy (aka liquid gold) and sweet carrots & peas, but totally life changing when paired with mashed potatoes. Who doesn’t love a creamy spud? Trust me, one bite and you won’t regret serving it this way.

beef stew ingredients

Beef Stew Meat Recipe Ingredients

  • olive oil
  • stew meat
  • carrots 
  • onion
  • garlic
  • seasonings and herbs: salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf
  • beef broth
  • butter + flour – to make a roux
  • frozen peas
  • mashed potatoes for serving
irish beef stew with mashed potatoes on tablescape

Beef Stew Meat Recipe Variations

Although my recipe uses beef stew meat, you can use whatever you happen to have on hand. This includes:

  • chuck roast
  • short rib
  • bottom round roast
  • top round roast
  • arm roast
  • oxtail
  • cheek
irish beef stew with mashed potatoes on plate

How to make the Best Beef Stew

1. Brown Stew Meat

Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. In a large pot or deep skillet, brown stew meat in olive oil until browned on all sides.

beef stew meat in pan with oil
beef stew meat cooking in pan with oil

2. Add Onions, Carrots, Garlic + Spices

Add in onions, carrots, garlic, and spices, including Bay Leaf. Cook another 5 minutes or so.

beef stew ingredients cooking in pan

Deglaze pan with beef broth. Cover and simmer 2-4 hours or until meat is very tender.

beef stew ingredients cooking in pan of broth

3. Thicken Stew + Serve

Once meat is tender and internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, remove bay leaf.

In a small bowl, stir softened butter and flour together until smooth and incorporated. Add butter mixture into the stew with the frozen peas. Stir to combine. Once the gravy thickens slightly, it’s done. Serve hot and over mashed potatoes (optional).

woman's hand adding a roux to a pan of beef stew
beef stew in pot with wooden spoon stirring

Serving Suggestions for the Best Stew Recipe

While this is completely optional, adding a heaping scoop of stew poured over mashed potatoes is amazing! Make sure your mashed potatoes are extra creamy, buttery and tangy! Find out my secret ingredient here.

Beef Stew with Potatoes storage

Allow stew to cool completely. Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge. Beef Stew will be good for 4-5 days.

Freezing this Beef Stew Recipe

Place stew in a freezer safe container, or freezer ziploc bags. Using quart size bags would allow you to freeze single size serving portions to heat up for lunch!

Reheating this Best Ever Beef Stew

Reheat leftover beef stew either on the stovetop in a small saucepan for a few minutes or in the microwave for 2 minutes, stirring periodically.

spooning out irish beef stew with mashed potatoes

Love Hearty Soups? Give These Recipes a Try!

I hope you love this classic dinner beef stew! It feeds a small crowd and is so comforting. The printable recipe card is below. Be sure to save, print, bookmark and share this recipe to keep it handy! Have a great week, friends!

irish beef stew with mashed potatoes on plate
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4.93 from 66 votes

Irish Stew with Mashed Potatoes

This Irish Beef Stew is a classic dinner that is essential in the cooler months! Warm, comforting, super tasty and perfect for dinner. Tender beef simmered in beef broth and served over mashed potatoes.
servings 4 servings
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb stew meat
  • 4 large carrots peeled & chopped
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp thyme
  • 1/4 tsp rosemary
  • 1 large bay leaf or 2 small
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup frozen peas
  • mashed potatoes

Instructions

  • Season beef with salt & pepper. In a large pot or deep skillet, brown stew meat in olive oil until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Pour in onions, carrots, garlic, and spices. Cook another 5 minutes. Deglaze pan with beef broth. Cover and simmer 2-4 hours or until meat is very tender.
  • When you are ready to serve, remove bay leaf. In a small bowl, stir softened butter and flour together until smooth and incorporated. Stir butter mixture into the stew with the frozen peas. Once the gravy thickens slightly, it’s done. Serve hot over mashed potatoes.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 604mg | Potassium: 716mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 10460IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 3.1mg
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beef Stew, Beef Stew Recipe, How to Make Beef Stew, Stew Recipe

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Recipe Rating




158 Responses
  1. Sarah

    5 stars
    This stew is AMAZING! Like so good I could cry 😉 I added a little sage to it since I didnt have any rosemary-yummy! Thanks for this recipe! I plan to use it again and again! 🙂

  2. Bridget @ Mama Says Dance In The Rain

    5 stars
    Just wanted to share that I made the Irish Beef Stew and mashed potatoes.It was awesome. I blogged about it on http://www.mamasaysdanceintherain.blogspot.com

    Thanks for an awesome recipe!

  3. Kathleen

    5 stars
    This is the best recipe for beef stew I have found!! And I have searched everywhere, including Grandma and Great Grandma’s secret recipe boxes! (Both Irish!) It is so soooooo easy too! I don’t really care for potatoes boil in stews or roasted with a pot roast and the mashed potatoes are the perfect solution. My family loves it and I thank you for sharing it!

  4. SallyN

    5 stars
    Wow! This is delish! I couldn’t stand stew growing up! This recipe is simple, makes the house smell amazing and tastes even better. Even my picky teens love it! I do add the beer for a depth of flavor. It’s one of our favorite dinners now!!! Thank you! Love your recipes!!!

  5. Haley

    5 stars
    I made this tonight and my husband said it was the best beef stew he’s ever had! I loved it as well! Thanks for the delicious recipe.

  6. michelle

    5 stars
    I made this tonight in the crockpot, will be dinner tomorrow. It is sooo tasty. I added chopped potatoes to the stew rather than serving it over mashed and it still turned out great. I’m just wondering what kind of fry pan you use. I need a new one and would like a recommendation for something other than non-stick.

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  8. Kathy

    5 stars
    Wonderful stew…my family loved it! The flour/butter concoction did make the best gravy ever. I will be using this method more often to thicken stew. Thanks for sharing!

  9. Jamie

    5 stars
    This is absolutely the BEST stew I have ever eaten in my life!!!
    I had a great recipe but I have been told by my family that THIS is my new recipe!
    Thanks so much!

  10. Christine

    Hi I was wondering now long do you put it in the crockpot for? Do you cook it on high or low?

    Thanks I am making this today and am trying to figure out when to start cooking!

  11. Lindsay

    5 stars
    Made this the other night and it was DELICIOUS!! My husband LOVED it! Thank you for such an easy recipe! Will become a family staple for sure : )

  12. Melinda

    I found your recipe for “Irish” Stew on Pintrest and I love your blog. I haven’t quite figured out how to follow a blog so would you please let me know how so I can follow yours. I have not laughed in a while but you put a smile on my face. Thanks!
    And I can’t wait to try your recipes.

  13. Irish Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes | kitchenpsychology

    […] more delicious Irish food.  This is my first attempt at making some myself!  This recipe is from Lauren’s Latest, and it is FANTASTIC.  It takes a while to make, but is not too hard at […]

  14. Debra

    I am making this for dinner tonight. I hope mine turns out like yours. I’ve never made stew this way before. The potatoes sound delicious, can’t wait to try the cream cheese in them. Just found your blog a couple of days ago via Pinterest. So glad I did.

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  16. Chris @ The Keenan Cookbook

    I’ve never done mashed potatoes with stew, but this looks delish. And hey, everyone is Irish on St Patricks Day 🙂

  17. katie

    this looks and sounds amazing… i love making a stew and serving it over mashed potatoes! it was so nice meeting you this past weekend at Food Blog Forum!

  18. Jillian @ Newlybread

    I love stew over mashed potatoes so much! For sure going to give this a try! Thanks for posting, love your blog!

  19. Paige

    5 stars
    Found this recipe through Pinterest. We made it tonight and it was DELICIOUS! My hubby requested that it go into our regular rotation. 🙂

  20. Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca)

    Mmmmmmmmm, Irish stew is sooooooo good, but I have never thought to put it over mashed potatoes! That just ups the goodness factor by about 1000% percent!

  21. Natalie @ Cooking for My Kids

    This looks truly delicious. I am strongly thinking about making this tomorrow. 🙂 Have a great weekend!

  22. Ellen @ The Baking Bluenoser

    Yum this looks incredible! I saw the picture on twitter last night but I couldn’t figure out what it was. Can’t wait to try this recipe!

  23. Mary-Michael

    I love that your recipes don’t involve ingredients I have to run all over town to find! Thanks for all the great food!

  24. Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray

    This looks fabulous. I’ve been looking for a good beef stew recipe, and this one is simple and classic. I can’t wait to try it! (Yes, I will be the girl eating stew in 70-degree weather and I will be PROUD of it!)

  25. Sally @ Spontaneous Hausfrau

    That butter and flour trick is really cool – I think I’ll have to try that for any stews I make, starting with this. Goodness, how good does that look spooned all over those creamy, dreamy mashed potatoes?!

  26. baker in disguise

    How delish!! I have to make some Irish soda bread for the Tuesdays with dorie group..well now u know what I’ll be pairing it up with..!! the soda bread will be perfect for mopping up the stew gravy!!

  27. Suzanne

    I have always used flour mixed with water to thicken a stew but your way with butter sounds so much more sumptious. I am of Irish extraction though I live in New Zealand and I used to make Irish stew for my father when he came over to eat with us. Sadly he is no longer with us and I no longer make it. Great memories though.

  28. Schmidty

    That is a beautiful stew! ….Butter and flour? ….wow, I have to try it….I’ve been cooking for 40 years and have never heard of this!

      1. Sheila

        5 stars
        OMG I made this last night, it was The Bomb…I only put in mushrooms and we had it with toasted english muffins…I can tell you this will be a weekly event!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!n My hub ate 3 bowls..ha

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