Classic Beef Stew

• servings: 6 servings
• active time: 15 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat (cut into 1-inch cubes)

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large yellow onion (cut into chunks)

4 garlic cloves (minced)

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder, cornstarch or other flour

1 cup red wine

4 cups low-sodium beef broth

½ teaspoon dried thyme

2 bay leaves

1 pound baby white potatoes (halved or quartered)

4 medium carrots (peeled and sliced on a diagonal)

3 celery ribs (chopped)

Optional: fresh thyme for garnish

Directions

Season beef

Season the beef. Pat the beef dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.

Sear beef

Sear the beef. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, place the beef in the pot and sear on all sides until golden, 2 to 3 minutes per side, then remove to a plate.

Saute onion

Saute the onion. Add the onion and garlic to the pot and pour in the vinegar (which will help to loosen browned bits from the bottom of the pot) and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add the tomato paste and cook for a minute more.

Cook beef

Return the beef to the pot. Add the seared beef back to the pot and sprinkle the flour on top. Stir everything together, until the flour is fully dissolved.

Add liquid

Add the liquids and aromatics. Add the wine, broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Use a large spoon or spatula to stir everything together. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer partially covered for 1 hour.

Add veggies

Add the veggies. Add the potatoes, carrots, and celery. Cook for an additional 20 to 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender.

Serve. Remove the bay leaves, and if you'd like, garnish with fresh thyme before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 398 kcal
• Total Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 3 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 94 mg
• Sodium: 1032 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 24 g
• Dietary Fiber: 4 g
• Total Sugars: 4 g
• Protein: 39 g