Description
Delicious Beef Stew and Dumplings: A warm, hearty comfort classic perfect for chilly evenings. Slow-simmered beef with tender vegetables in a rich gravy, topped with fluffy dumplings for cozy, family-friendly dinner. This easy stovetop recipe delivers big flavor and comforting textures in every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (optional, for thickening)
- For the dumplings:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
- Season beef with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides.
- Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic; cook 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1½–2 hours until beef is tender.
- In the last 20 minutes, mix cornstarch slurry into the stew if you want it thicker.
- Make the dumplings: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in butter, then add milk until a soft dough forms.
- Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough on top of the simmering stew. Cover with a lid and cook 15 minutes, until dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.
- Remove bay leaves, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve warm.
Notes
- Optional: increase the cornstarch slurry to thicken the stew to your liking.
- For a lighter version, skim fat from the surface before adding dumplings.
- Other vegetables like parsnips or peas can be added in the last 10 minutes.
- Leftovers refrigerate well for up to 3 days; reheat gently on the stovetop.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop simmer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (1/4 of recipe)
- Calories: 700 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 170 mg
Keywords: Delicious Beef Stew and Dumplings, beef stew recipe, dumplings, comfort food, cozy dinner, hearty stew, slow simmered beef, family dinner