This budget-friendly beef and vegetable stew is a great low-cost dinner that the whole family will love. Easy to make, the stew is slow-cooked for maximum flavor and tenderness, and it's all cooked in one pot.
You don't need fancy ingredients to prepare a tasty beef stew. Get the least tender cuts of meat, and by stewing it, it will turn succulent and juicy.
The rich sauce is just so perfect for scooping it up with some crusty bread.
In some parts of Europe, including my homeland Bosnia, using a piece of bread as the main tool to mop up any deliciousness on your plate is viewed as a compliment to the hostess.
If you are looking for more hearty stews, be sure to check out my Okra Stew and Instant Pot Beef Stew with Mushrooms.
📃 Why it Works
- Budget-friendly: Because this stew is cooked slow, you don't need to splash out on an expensive bit of steak to ensure tender and flavorful meat. Then you need a few veggies and herbs, and you are good to go!
- One-pot: I'm always a fan of a one-pot meal; clean up is a breeze, and this recipe requires very little prep.
- Make ahead: This yummy stew with beef and vegetables will easily feed a family of four, but if you can't get through it, all the leftovers taste amazing! It's also easily doubled if you want to meal prep.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
- Beef: Use stew beef for ease and convenience; you can also use beef chuck and cut it into cubes. Tough pieces of beef are full of flavor and will get perfectly tender during cooking.
- Vegetables: Onions, garlic, carrot.
- Seasonings: Smoked paprika, salt, pepper.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato paste adds a great rich flavor to the sauce.
🔪 Instructions
- In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown the meat, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add bay leaves, onions, garlic, and carrots; season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika. Cook until vegetables are softened and just starting to brown. Sprinkle in the flour and cook until the raw flavor has cooked off.
- Pour in the water and tomato paste, cover, and simmer for about 1 ½ - 2 hrs.
- Cook the stew in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. The heavy bottom will distribute the heat more evenly so that the stew won't stick to the bottom.
- Searing cubes of meat is key to creating rich, caramelized flavors that make stews irresistibly good. Don't skip this step!
- Make this hearty stew gluten-free by using a 1:1 GF flour in place of the all-purpose.
- Feel free to add in other vegetables that you have in your fridge. Mushrooms and red bell peppers both work well.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
This dish is best served with something starchy. It's great with boiled or mashed potatoes or over egg noodles. Of course, you can serve it just as it is in a bowl with some crusty bread and a spoon!
Yes, it is possible to overcook this stew. The beef can actually dry out if you do, and the vegetables will be too soft and mushy. Cook the stew for a maximum of 2 hours and check it after about 90 minutes for doneness.
Absolutely! Replace flour with gluten-free flour or cornstarch (potato starch).
This one-pot Bosnian-style beef goulash is a great dish for make-ahead dinners and meal prep. It also freezes really well!
The cooled stew can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months before defrosting in the fridge overnight and reheating.
The stew is best reheated on low heat on the stovetop. Stir occasionally until it is heated through.
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- Rouladen - German Beef Roll-Ups
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Bosnian Beef and Vegetable Stew
EQUIPMENT
- Dutch oven or a heavy-bottomed nonstick pan
Ingredients
- 2 pounds stew beef, or beef chuck cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 1 large carrot, sliced (optional)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large nonstick pot over medium-high heat. Add meat to the pot and cook, occasionally stirring, until browned all over, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add bay leaves, onions, garlic, and carrots. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and just starting to brown, about five minutes.
- Sprinkle in the flour and cook until the raw flavor has cooked off, about two minutes. Pour in the water and tomato paste, scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, and increase the heat to bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is knife-tender, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaves before serving.
Notes
- Cook the stew in a heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven. The heavy bottom will distribute the heat more evenly so that the stew won't stick to the bottom.
- Searing meat cubes is key to creating rich, caramelized flavors that make stews irresistibly good. Don't skip this step!
- Make this stew gluten-free by using a 1:1 GF flour in place of the all-purpose.
- Feel free to add in other vegetables that you have in your fridge. Mushrooms and red bell peppers both work well.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, noodles, or with crusty bread.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used and serving size.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in February 2015 and updated in November of 2020 with new photos and recipe tips.
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