Hearty Dutch Oven Beef Stew

A rustic and hearty Dutch Oven Beef Stew that will warm your home and family. The stew comes together quickly, then bakes in oven until thick and bubbly. Serve with a crusty bread for the perfect fall or winter meal.

Whether you live where it’s cold or hot, when fall arrives soups and stews become irresistible. One of our favorites is Hearty Oven Beef Stew, and it’s seriously the best beef stew I’ve ever had. It’s thick with chunks of meat and vegetables, with a rich, delicious flavor. It’s a simple, rustic stew that doesn’t disappoint.

Oven Beef Stew Recipe

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Soups and stews are at the top of my menu list throughout the fall and winter, including our favorite Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup and Easy Taco Soup. This beef stew is also a tried and true favorite. It only takes a few minutes in the morning to cut the veggies and put it in the oven.

Oven Beef Stew is a one pot meal that’s SO easy to put together–a classic comfort dish perfect for cold and chilly days. It roasts all day in the oven, creating the most decadent aroma and flavor. It’s so simple, and can easily be done in the morning before you head out the door.


Easy Oven Beef Stew Recipe

Key Ingredients

  • Stew beef
  • Potatoes
  • Onions
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • V8 Tomato Juice
  • Minute Tapioca
  • Slice of bread
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt, Pepper, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Onion Salt, Parsley, Sugar

We don’t regularly buy V8, and since the recipe calls for only 1 cup, I try and find the smallest container. If I know I’m going to make it twice within the time period it will stay good in the fridge, I’ll get the larger container. Generic brand is just fine–I usually buy the Wegman’s brand, which is our local grocery store.

Equipment

One of my favorite things about this recipe is how quickly I can get it in the oven. The ingredients all go into one large dutch oven pot, then mixed together before cooking for 4.5-5 hours.

Start with your favorite 6 to 7 quart dutch oven pot. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend getting one! I use mine all the time, both on the stove and in the oven. They come at different price points, depending on what you need. You can find a great option for around $60 (this is similar to the one I use) and on the higher end, Le Creuset is around $350.

How to make

Preparations

Chop your veggies into chunks–potatoes, celery, onion and carrots. Baby carrots work well too. If you like smaller pieces of vegetables, you can certainly tailor I always add more potatoes, because my kids love them, and it makes the stew go farther. You can also chop your fresh herbs if you plan to use them.

You can do the same with any of the veggies–if you like extra of any of them, go ahead and add them in. Be mindful of the size of pot you are using, and you may need to go with a larger size depending on how much you add.

Cooking instructions

Start with about 1/4 cup of olive oil on the bottom of the pot. I usually eyeball it, but you want enough to be able to coat everything well. If you add more veggies, you’ll want a little more oil as well.

Add veggies to the pot, and toss with the olive oil. After those are in, add the pieces of stew beef and mix everything together. Break up the bread into small pieces, and add to the pot, along with the V8 juice and tapioca. You can also put the beef first, which I sometimes do–and switch them around. It all gets tossed together in the end!

Salt and pepper generously, then add your other seasonings: rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, onion salt, and a bit of sugar. I haven’t measured these seasonings–just done them to taste. If you’re not sure, then start with less—you can always add a bit more if you need to do so when it’s in the last few minutes of cooking.

Lastly, once everything is thoroughly mixed, I like to add another drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle with parsley. Cover the pot, and then bake in a 250 degree oven for 4.5-5 hours, or until potatoes are tender and meat is cooked.

If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use a large glass baking dish. You follow the same directions, then cover with foil and bake accordingly.

How to serve

I love serving beef stew with crusty bread or soft rolls. They’re perfect for dipping in the thick broth. It’s already full of veggies and meat, so you don’t need anything else on the side!

You can also serve it over rice if you have some leftover. It also extends the meal if you need it to. Stew meat can be so expensive, so this is a budget option to stretch resources.

Freezing and storage

You can freeze beef stew, and it’s a great for making large batches ahead and saving for future meals. I like to make double batches, so I can put away an extra meal each time. It’s so nice to pull out it out of the freezer on those busy days! I will say that potatoes aren’t the best for freezing–and they won’t be like they are coming out of the oven. Sometimes they’ll be a little mushier. But it’s not enough to dissuade me from freezing, because I like having it on hand.

You’ll need airtight, freezer safe containers, or gallon-size freezer bags. I like the bags to save room in my freezer–just make sure to lay them flat until frozen. If not, you’ll end up with bags that in contorted shapes that won’t fit as well. (Ask me how I know!) Label the containers or bags with the contents and date.

To thaw, place the bag or container in the fridge. The flavor and consistency can change a bit after freezing.

TIP: After beef stew is thawed after freezing, add more fresh herbs for extra flavor. Heat it in the oven, back in the dutch oven if possible.

FAQ

Can I make this in a crockpot? Yes, you can. Personally I think it tastes better when it’s slow cooked in the oven versus a crockpot, but it will work. The oven just adds extra flavor, and a bit of crispiness on the edges of the meat and veggies that is so lovely. But certainly if the crockpot will work better for you, you can use it instead. You can also use a glass baking dish in the oven, if you don’t have a dutch oven.

Do I need to use fresh herbs? No, if you don’t have them on hand, you can definitely use dried herbs instead. I prefer fresh, and they add so much more flavor, but I’ve used dried in a pinch as well. The rule of thumb is to use 3 times more fresh herbs than dried.

More soup recipes

Crockpot Mexican Chicken Soup | Easy Taco Soup | Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup


Oven Beef Stew Recipe

Hearty Oven Beef Stew

5 from 1 vote
Kierste Wade | Old Salt Farm
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 people
PIN RECIPE PRINT RECIPE
A rustic and hearty Oven Beef Stew that will warm your home and family. The stew comes together quickly, then bakes in oven until thick and bubbly. Serve with a crusty bread for the perfect fall or winter meal.

Ingredients
 

  • 2 lb. stewing beef or chuck roast cut into pieces
  • 1 c. celery, chopped about 1 inch
  • 3 medium onions, cut into 3/4 inch slices
  • 6 carrots, quartered (or baby carrots)
  • 6 potatoes, cut into large pieces
  • 1 c. V-8, or tomato juice
  • 1 slice bread, broken into pieces
  • 3 T. Minute Tapioca
  • Salt & Pepper, generous
  • 1 T. sugar
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Parsley
  • Sage
  • Onion salt

Instructions

  • Start with about 1/4 cup of olive oil on the bottom of the pot. It may be a little more than that, since I estimate when pouring it in! I chop my veggies up first–potatoes, celery, onion–then add baby carrots. I usually add more potatoes, since my kids love them, and it makes it go farther. You can do the same with any of the veggies. You'll need to add extra seasoning to taste if doing so.
  • Toss with the olive oil. Next add the pieces of stew beef and mix everything together. Break up the bread into small pieces, and add to the pot, along with the V8 juice and tapioca. Mix well again, making sure ingredients are pretty uniformly distributed throughout the pot.
  • Salt and pepper generously, then add your other seasonings: rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley, onion salt, and a bit of sugar. I'll say that this is done to your taste–I know some love extra seasoning, and others like less. If you're not sure, then start with less—you can always taste it later and add a bit more if you need to do so.
  • Once everything is thoroughly mixed, I like to add another drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle with parsley. Put on the lid, and pop it into a 250 degree oven for 4.5-5 hours, or until potatoes are tender and meat is cooked.

Notes

  1. If you don’t have a dutch oven, you can use a large glass baking dish. Follow the same directions, then cover with foil and bake accordingly.
  2. P.S. You can also make this in the crockpot, but the oven method tastes better.
Serving: 8people | Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1008mg | Potassium: 1373mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 7840IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 4mg
Course :Soup/Stew
Cuisine :Soup, Stew
Keyword :Easy Fall Recipes, Fall Soups, Stew
PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER! @oldsaltfarm or tag #oldsaltfarm!

*Originally posted October 2014. Updated September 2022.

 

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11 Comments

  1. Yum! I could use this as my lunch right now. I would love it if you joined and contribute your awesome posts at my link party at City of Creative Dreams, starts on Fridays :D Hope to see you there at City of Creative Dreams Link Party.

  2. Hi Kierste!!!

    Making this for the missionaries tonight. Am I putting the lid on my oven proof pot?

    1. Hi, Therese! I’m so sorry it took me so long to get back to you! I’ve been without internet, and couldn’t answer until now. Yes, it does need to be covered. I hope it turned out okay! I’m going to update the recipe now–I don’t know how I left that out! xoxo

  3. Does the stew need to be covered when it is baking in the oven? I have a batch in the oven right now for dinner! It smells heavenly. Thank you for yet another wonderful recipe!

    1. Hi, there! Yes, it does need to be covered while it’s baking. Enjoy–I can’t wait to hear how you like it!!! xoxo

    1. Hi, Tammy! This serves my family of 8, with leftovers. My kids are mostly little, but do have good appetites. Hope that helps! xoxo

  4. Is there a good substitute for the tapioca? I’d like to make this for supper, but don’t have time to run to the store today… :-)

    1. Hi, Julane–I’m just seeing this! I’ve never tried anything in place of the tapioca. It’s used as a thickener, so perhaps a different thickener? If you try something and it works, let me know!! xo

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