Summer is easy to love with its barefoot breezy days and spectacular produce. But loving winter — with its bone-chilling wind and sometimes sad root vegetables — can require a bit more effort. While warm socks and good boots can help, you should also have an excellent recipe for beef stew at the ready. Below are 15 of our readers’ favorites, all of which will help make the chilly season a bit less dreary and a lot more delicious.
Credit…Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
“I’ve been making this since it first ran in The Times. It’s delicious! For the heck of it, I might add herbes de Provence and some tomato paste, for depth, but it is very, very nice on its own. A standard.”
First published in 1994, this classic beef stew from Molly O’Neill is one of our all-time most popular recipes. It is great as-is, but feel free to customize it with herbs, a dash of Worcestershire sauce or a spoonful of mustard.
Recipe: Old-Fashioned Beef Stew
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“Holy cow! This is one of the best things I have ever cooked. 6 stars!”
David Tanis’s variation of the traditional Vietnamese beef stew manages to straddle the line between comforting and bright. Fish sauce and shallots lend savoriness, Chinese five-spice powder and cinnamon provide earthiness, and fresh ginger, lemongrass and herbs add freshness. Serve with rice, rice noodles or a freshly baked baguette.
Recipe: Bo Kho (Vietnamese Braised Beef Stew)
Credit…Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
“This is utterly spectacular. Having made many Bourguignon over the years, we thought this one the most delicious of them all.”
If you’re in the mood for something a bit more elegant, give Melissa Clark’s beef Bourguignon a whirl. Use a good red wine, but no need to splurge; something you’d also like to sip while stirring.
Recipe: Beef Bourguignon
Credit…Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
“Absolutely delicious. All four of us were dumbstruck by the depth of flavor in this stew. Not spicy at all, just deep earthiness and a touch of acidity from the chiles and tomatillos.”
Mexico is home to several beef stews — puchero, birria, puntas al albañil — but Pati Jinich thinks mole de olla is the most universal. In her recipe, chunks of beef are simmered in water, to which a blended sauce of chiles, toasted sesame seeds and roasted tomatillos are added. Finally, corn, zucchini, chayote squash and green beans are tossed in for a hearty, yet fresh-tasting, stew.
Recipe: Mole de Olla (Beef Stew With Chiles)
Credit…Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
“This gets lots of yums. I served it for New Year’s dinner to friends, and there was little in the way of leftovers.”
Don’t be put off by the generous amount of mustard called for in this recipe from Regina Schrambling (½ cup Dijon, plus four tablespoons whole-grain mustard). It is tangy and savory and absolutely perfect.
Recipe: Dijon and Cognac Beef Stew
Credit…Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.
“This recipe is truly delicious. I will be making this recipe often. Reminds me of being back in Budapest. Don’t skip the fresh dill, it really adds some freshness to the dish.”
Not to be confused with American-style goulash, gulyásleves is a traditional Hungarian stew of beef, peppers, vegetables and loads of paprika characterized by a deep orange-red broth. Sarah Copeland’s version calls for a nontraditional step of searing the meat first before finishing it in the oven, which yields deep flavor and particularly tender meat.
Recipe: Gulyásleves (Beef and Potato Soup With Paprika)
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“Ms. Diaz, You nailed it. My family made it this way, but the recipe got lost along the way. You have come to my rescue. Thank you.”
Sanchoco is a use-what-you’ve-got stew eaten across the Caribbean, typically packed with a varying combination of proteins and vegetables. One person might make it with beef, corn and noodles; another with chicken breasts, lean pork and sweet plantains. This Puerto Rican version from Von Diaz is based on observation, taste memory and what she likes. Make it yours.
Recipe: Sancocho
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“We are surviving in a sick house and this restorative delicious soup gave us a reason to live.”
OK, so Melissa Clark calls this a soup because of its high broth-to-barley ratio, but with all of those gloriously tender chunks of meat, potatoes and carrots, we think this veers into stew territory. Spinach and lemon add a fresh brightness, while coriander, cumin and paprika add a fragrant warmth.
Recipe: Beef Barley Soup With Lemon
Credit…Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
“Lots and lots of work. But really good!”
Burgoo, a cousin of Brunswick stew and Minnesota booya, is a Kentucky staple made with meat and vegetables in a tomato-based broth, but there are as many ways to make it as there are ingredients. Kia Damon’s version calls for beef, chicken and pork, but you can, of course, adjust it as you like. This recipe serves 10, so make it in the morning, then invite the neighborhood crew over after sledding.
Recipe: Burgoo
Credit…Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
“Just wow. This recipe can only be described as a hug for your insides. Much like the loveliness of chili on a cold day sans the indigestion from tomatoes.”
In Nargisse Benkabbou’s tagine, beef is simmered in a mixture of onions, garlic, turmeric, ginger and saffron until it begins to collapse, then briny olives, tangy preserved lemons and snappy green beans are added for freshness and color.
Recipe: Beef Tagine With Green Beans and Olives
Credit…Mark Weinberg for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Michelle Gatton.
“Wow, this was incredible! I did it on the stove and the smells in my house were amazing all night. It’s a multisensory meal for sure with the texture, the smells and most importantly the depth of flavor.”
A stick-to-your-ribs stew in the best way, Zainab Shah’s haleem is packed with beef, dal, barley and loads of peppercorns, fresh ginger, cumin and garam masala. The traditional version is simmered on the stovetop, but this version comes together in an Instant Pot in about an hour. (If you have more time, or no pressure cooker, stovetop instructions are at the bottom of the recipe.)
Recipe: Haleem (Spiced Beef, Lentil and Barley Stew)
Credit…Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Susan Spungen.
“My mom’s boyfriend, who eats like a baby bird, ate two helpings of this stew. The gravy is unlike any stew I’ve ever made, which married very well with all the root vegetables. The meat is fall apart tender. It equals my bœuf Bourguignon.”
I prep Sarah DiGregorio’s slow cooker beef stew every St. Patrick’s Day morning and throw it into the slow cooker, so by the time we return from the parade, the house smells great and dinner is ready. The broth — which really becomes a thick, drinkable sauce — gets its complexity from a little espresso powder, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. (There are also pressure cooker and oven versions.)
Recipe: Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew With Horseradish Cream
Credit…Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
“This was so worth the trip to my local West Indian grocery store to find some cassareep!”
This stewed meat dish, popular in Guyana and the Caribbean, is traditionally served at Christmas, but you can make Millie Peartree’s version any time the festive mood strikes. It does require cassareep, a dark syrup made from boiled-down cassava root juice that you can find online or at a West Indian grocery store, so plan ahead. You’ll be thrilled that you did.
Recipe: Pepperpot
Credit…Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
“I’ve been eating beef stew my entire life. This was, hands down, the best ever.”
High praise indeed for this simple to make, but complex in flavor stew from Sarah DiGregorio. Maple syrup, stout beer and balsamic vinegar give it depth and interest.
Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef Stew
Credit…David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Hadas Smirnoff.
“My husband & I thought this was delicious & I’ll def make it again! Deep flavors!”
Zainab Shah’s deeply nuanced coconut beef curry takes a bit over two hours to make, but it’s well worth the reward: a “velvety, robust and soulful” stew laden with spices like pepper, cumin, fennel, cardamom, cloves, star anise, chiles and fresh curry leaves. Serve it with paratha, rice or roti.
Recipe: Coconut Beef Curry
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