• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Sweet Cayenne
  • ABOUT
    • Work With Me
    • Privacy Policy
  • RECIPES
    • All Recipes
    • RECIPES BY CATEGORY
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Desserts
    • Main Entree
    • Sides
    • Snacks
    • Cooking Tips
    • How-To Guides
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ABOUT
  • RECIPES
  • NEWSLETTER
  • CONTACT
  • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ABOUT
    • RECIPES
    • NEWSLETTER
    • CONTACT
    • PHOTOGRAPHY
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home > Recipes > Soups

    Beef and Root Vegetable Stew

    Published: Feb 19, 2019 · Modified: Sep 25, 2020 by Whitney Reist · This post may contain affiliate links |

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    If you were to ask me which recipe I make most often from this blog, it would hands-down be this beef and root vegetable stew. It's my go-to comfort food for fall and winter and I couldn't love it more!

    This recipe is Gluten-Free and Low-Carb and can be made on the stovetop, in an Instant Pot, or a slow cooker. Any leftovers you may have are freezer-friendly as well.

    A red cast iron braised filled with beef stew and a cutting board with cornbread on the side.

    Valentine's Day Memories

    Saturday seemed like a stew kind of day. From the looks of my social media feeds, you all celebrated Valentine's Day with a visit to a favorite restaurant or a nice dinner at home - steak dinners and Shrimp Alfredo seemed to be popular choices. But I was craving stew. It just made sense, as the weather temp was in the teens and I knew our plans would center around a weekend nuzzled under blankets in the apartment. If you're thinking we haven't adapted to the Nebraska winter yet, you guessed correctly!

    A bowl of beef stew on a white marble counter with a board of cornbread on the side.

    Making stew on Valentine's Day also made sense because it marked the 4th birthday of my beloved goldenrod-hued Dutch oven from Le Creuset. It's my favorite kitchen item; hands-down, and I'm in love with it's story. Two months in to my first dating relationship, I celebrated Valentine's Day with my first romantic Valentine {who happens to now be my husband!}. I was 23 at the time; and had zero expectations for what a Valentine's celebration with a boyfriend should be like {for those of you that know me well, you'll remember I had been very anti-romance until Ryan came along and swept me off my feet!}.

    Even though we'd only known each other for a few months, Ryan was well aware of my love for cooking and had been educated thoroughly on the pros and cons of my tiny apartment kitchen, what my dream kitchen would one day look like, and what kinds of dishes I wanted to learn to make in the future. One of those dishes was braised beef short ribs.

    An Instant Pot filled with beef stew.

    A few days before our first Valentine's, I was heading towards his car to climb in for an outing. I opened the door and much to my surprise and sheer delight sat a shiny new Le Creuset Dutch oven. Ryan had a nervous look on his face and asked hopefully with raised eyebrows "is this what you need to make the short ribs?" Of course I assured him that this was, indeed, the pot that was needed to make the best short ribs {according to Bon Appetit magazine} and we chattered on for a long time about the details of Ryan's journey to find the perfect Valentine's gift.

    A close up shot of beef stew inside of a pot.

    A few days later, we celebrated our first Valentine's Day together over a succulently braised pot of beef short ribs. My Dutch oven has seen the likes of many hearty stews and braises over the last 4 years, and it's proven its worth to me with each recipe attempt. The enameled cast iron perfectly sears and caramelizes any protein or vegetable that touches its surface, and it heats evenly all the way up to the top of the sides. It's without a doubt on the top of my list for kitchen essentials, and is the kind of piece that you'll use for a lifetime and then pass on to future generations!

    The beef stew I chose to make for my Dutch oven's 4th birthday is a rich, hearty concoction of slow-cooked stew meat and colorful root vegetables. It's made with fresh herbs, red wine, and the best beef stock that I can purchase off a grocery store shelf {Kitchen Basics brand}, and will warm you from the inside out. Please make it and promise me you'll serve it with the crustiest of bread you can find or a batch of fresh cornbread! This is really the most reliable way to ensure that every drop of the velvety stew broth gets transferred from your bowl to your belly!

    Beef Stew in a cast iron braiser with a wooden spoon.

    Top Tips

    As written, this recipe is gluten-free, low carb, and can easily be adapted for the stovetop, slow cooker, or Instant Pot, allowing it to fit into a wide variety of nutrition needs and lifestyles. 

    • Brown the beef - for the deepest flavor and richest texture in your stew, brown your meet regardless of how you plan to cook the stew. The caramelization that forms on the meat as it has contact with direct heat produces an irrestible flavor base that will make your stew irresistable!
    • On the stovetop - this is my favorite way to cook beef stew, because the low, slow simmer in my enameled cast iron Dutch oven produces a rich, silky texture that just can't be replicated in the Instant Pot or slow cooker. While both of those methods produce a delicious stew, the stovetop method is the best, and will take 2 hours of cooking time.
    • Instant Pot - clocking in at only an hour of cook time, the Instant Pot is the fastest way to cook beef stew and yields great results. I finish the stew in the oven at really high heat for about 10-15 minutes to brown the tops of the beef and vegetables, which gives the stew the taste/texutre as if it were simmered for a long time.
    • Slow cooker - if you need to set it and forget it over the course of a work day, the slow cooker is a great option for making a beef stew. You can leave the meat and liquid in the slow cooker for 7-8 hours, adding the vegetables during the last hour of cooking.
    • Beef substitutions - I love to substitute venison stew meat in this recipe whenever I have it available. The wine, herbs, and flavor additions take away any hint of gaminess in the meat. You could also subsitute elk or bison just as easily!
    • Veggie substitutions - I typically use a combo of butternut squash, carrots, and turnips in this stew but have played around with the use potatoes and parsnips too. The butternut squash and turnips are very low in carbohydrate, and are a great option in lieu of potatoes for diabetics. Feel free to use whatever combo of root vegetables that you like!

    Check out  my whole grain buttermilk cornbread recipe as a side for the stew - it's a perfect pairing!

    Squares of cornbread on an olive wood cutting board.

    Are you ready to make this beef and root vegetable stew? I’m so excited for you to try this recipe! Once you get the chance to make it, please let me know how it turns out for you!

    Leave a comment and rate the recipe below. This will help me with the creation of future recipes!

    I’d also love to feature your creation in my weekly newsletter, so you can upload a photo to Instagram with the tag @sweetcayenne5 to be featured! Quick and easy recipe videos are available on my YouTube channel, and lots of menu inspiration on my Pinterest boards.

    A red cast iron braised filled with beef stew and a cutting board with cornbread on the side.

    Beef and Root Vegetable Stew

    Beef and Root Vegetable Stew highlights the bounty of winter produce in a rich and warming one-dish meal that's perfect for a cold winter's night. Make extra for the freezer and enjoy it all winter long! Serve with my favorite whole grain buttermilk cornbread. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @sweetcayenne5 or tag #sweetcayenne!
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 2 hours
    Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
    Servings: 16 servings

    Ingredients

    • 2 pound chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cut into 1'' pieces
    • Coarse ground Kosher salt
    • Freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 tablespoon butter
    • 1 medium medium shallot, diced
    • 3 cloves of garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
    • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
    • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
    • 1 cup red wine (recommend Cab Sav, Chianti, something robust)
    • 1 bunch fresh thyme, about 6 sprigs about 6 sprigs
    • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
    • 4-7 cups Kitchen Basics Unsalted Beef Stock, divided, with 1 cup reserved for thickening (amount depends on cooking method)
    • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (Lea and Perrins brand for gluten-free)
    • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
    • 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)
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

    Instructions

    For the stovetop:

    • Allow beef pieces to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you cut the vegetables. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture, and season liberally with salt and pepper.
    • Heat a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once a drop of water sizzles on the bottom of the pot, add the butter and olive oil. Working in 2 batches, brown the stew meat pieces until caramelized, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to plate and set aside.
    • Measure out 1 cup of beef stock and place it in the fridge to chill while the stew cooks. 
    • Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the shallots. Saute until soft and translucent, Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add the tomato paste and Dijon mustard to pan. Stir for about a minute before adding the wine. Add the wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the brown bits from the bottom of your pot.
    • Return the meat to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Add in the whole thyme and rosemary sprigs, 6 cups of beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, until the meat is fork-tender, 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add the butternut squash, turnips, carrots and additional stock if needed to cover the veggies. Simmer for an additional 45 minutes until the veggies are tender.
    • Whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the reserved chilled cup of beef stock. Increase heat on stove to bring stew to a low boil. Whisk in the cornstarch-stock mixture and boil for 2 minutes. Remove the thyme and rosemary sprigs and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve hot. 

    For the Instant Pot:

    • Saute the beef in the Instant Pot with the olive oil and butter on "saute" mode for 4-5 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, wine, 3 cups of beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, root vegetables, and the herbs. Cook on manual high pressure for 40 minutes, allowing for a 10 minute natural pressure release. Place 1 cup of stock in the fridge to chill while the stew cooks. 
      During the pressure release, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Carefully ladle/pour the hot stew into a large baking dish or cast iron pot or braiser (see photos). 
      Whisk the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the chillled cup of beef stock. Whisk this mixture into the beef stew. Place in the oven for 15 minutes to thicken the stew and brown the top. Carefully remove from oven and serve hot. 

    For the Slow Cooker:

    • Allow beef pieces to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you cut the vegetables. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture, and season liberally with salt and pepper.
      Heat a heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once a drop of water sizzles on the bottom of the pot, add the butter and olive oil. Working in 2 batches, brown the stew meat pieces until caramelized, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer beef to slow cooker. 
      Add the shallots, garlic, tomato paste, Dijon mustard, wine, 6 cups of beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and the herbs. Cook on low heat for 7-8 hours. Place 1 cup of stock in the fridge to chill while the stew cooks. 
      During the last hour of cooking, increase heat to "high" and add the root vegetables. Cook for an additional hour. 
      During the last 10 minutes of cooking, whisk the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into the chillled cup of beef stock. Whisk this mixture into the beef stew and cook for 10 minutes to thicken before serving. Serve hot!

    Notes

    This stew tastes even better the longer it sits, so chill in the fridge and enjoy the leftovers for up to 5 days after cooking. Freeze leftovers for up to 6 months. 
    Serving: 1cups | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.6g | Protein: 19.4g | Fat: 17.4g | Saturated Fat: 6.7g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 997mg | Potassium: 570mg | Fiber: 2.6g | Sugar: 6.7g | Calcium: 630mg

    Pin this, pretty please!

    A red braised pot full of beef stew with a cutting board of corn bread on the side.

    Don't miss these recipes!

    • Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach
    • Easy Potato Leek Soup
    • Instant Pot + Slow Cooker Ribolita (Italian Bread Soup)
    • Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

    Want more?

    Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get exclusive content (like menus, cooking downloads, and more!), blog recaps, and a chance to connect or be featured!

    Affiliate Disclosure

    Many of the links in my posts are affiliate links, which means I can get a small commission for any click or purchases made through the links. I am also an Amazon Associate and I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Hannah Graham says

      October 12, 2015 at 2:51 pm

      Whitney, this recipe looks delicious! Any tips on adapting it for the crockpot?

      Reply
      • Whitney Reist says

        October 14, 2015 at 4:31 pm

        Hi Hannah! Yes you can absolutely make this in the crockpot! Here are a few tips:
        1. Follow the recipe through step 3 where you have added the wine and scraped the brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add everything in your pot along with the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the crockpot. Add the stock, seasonings, and root vegetables. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
        2. To avoid the veggies being mushy when finished cooking in the crockpot, cut them to chunks of 1-2 inches. Ideally the carrots should be 1'' pieces, and the butternut squash and turnips should be 2'' pieces. This will ensure that they maintain some texture as they cook!
        Hope that helps! Enjoy!

    2. Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says

      February 16, 2015 at 9:11 pm

      What a perfect meal for a cold winter day. Love the tomato paste and Dijon mustard for extra depth of flavor.

      Reply
    3. Rebecca @BeTrulyNourished says

      February 16, 2015 at 9:23 am

      Cute story! Love Le Creuset so so much!

      Reply
      • Whitney Reist says

        February 16, 2015 at 1:03 pm

        Me too, Rebecca! It's my dream to one day have a kitchen full of it!

    Trackbacks

    1. 20 Fall Soups to Make Ahead and Freeze says:
      September 20, 2016 at 8:45 am

      […] Beef and Root Vegetable Stew by Sweet […]

      Reply
    2. Healthy Eating Made Easy: Stock Your Freezer with Soup (+ 50 Healthy Soup Recipes) | Thriving Home says:
      January 17, 2016 at 7:40 am

      […] Beef and Root Vegetable Stew by Sweet Cayenne […]

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hello there!

    I'm Whitney, the chef, photographer, dietitian, and blogger-extraordinaire behind Sweet Cayenne. Welcome to my online kitchen!

    About Whitney & Sweet Cayenne

    What's In Season

    • St. Patrick's Day Grazing Board
    • Easy Potato Leek Soup
    • Small Batch Strawberry Jam
    • Fresh Strawberry Balsamic Pie
    • Strawberry Pretzel Chicken Wraps
    • Simple Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

    Free cookbook and menu planners!

    Subscribe to my weekly newsletter & receive a free e-cookbook of my 25 best recipes along with menu planning sheets!

    Privacy Policy

    The Latest & Greatest:

    A wire rack with a sheet of parchment paper on top and cinnamon biscuits.

    Cinnamon Biscuits with Vanilla Icing (Bojangles Copycat)

    A white bowl filled with pizza pasta salad garnished with fresh basil leaves.

    Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad

    A pink bowl on a cutting board filled with sweet potato lentil curry and rice.

    Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Coconut and Spinach

    A St. Patrick's day themed snack board with corned beef, sauerkraut, soda bread, and other charcuterie items.

    St. Patrick's Day Grazing Board

    A white bowl of potato leek soup topped with croutons, bacon, cheese, and scallions.

    Easy Potato Leek Soup

    Square-red-velvet-cheesecake-bars

    Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars

    Travel Here Next:

    • Nashville Finds: Lemon Laine Oil Bar
    • Positano, Italy: Budget-Friendly Travel Guide
    • The Best Tuscan Road Trip Itinerary + Tips on Driving in Italy
    • A Foodie's Guide to Emilia-Romagna, Italy

    Cooking Guides

    • Cookbook Club: Super Simple Cookbook Review
    • Sweet Cayenne Cookbook Club | Tips for Planning and Hosting
    • 5 Ways to Become a Better Cook
    • Facts About Food: Where to Go for Answers & Guidance

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Photography Services

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 SweetCayenne