Readers Make This Beef Stew All Winter Long—It’s Our Most Popular Cozy Recipe

I'm fairly certain that one of the reasons I love cooking is that I'm always cold. As soon as the weather turns chilly, I warm up by turning on the stove, cranking up the oven, or both. Nothing keeps me cozier than something bubbling and steaming in a pot on a dark winter evening. 

Slow-cooked soups and stews are on repeat from now through March in my kitchen, and Simply Recipes’ most popular cozy winter recipe is one I absolutely plan to add to the roster in January. Laura Manzano’s recipe for beef stew is as classic and comforting as you could hope for. Thanks to a few smart tips and tricks, it’s also the easiest!

This Beef Stew Is Good for Weeknights (Or Any Night)

Any beef stew recipe I’ve made in the past has been more or less an all-day affair. It’s something I save for weekends and snow days. Laura’s recipe is special because it doesn’t require the better part of an afternoon and still results in deep, savory flavor. She calls for boneless chuck roast, which is beefy and inexpensive. Laura also makes the surprising move of intentionally not browning the beef. Skipping the sear means you can move through the recipe steps faster, and because all of the liquid and fat from the meat stays in the pot, you can rest assured that the stew will be just as flavorful. 

She also calls for store-bought broth to keep things accessible and easy. From experience, I know that not all canned or boxed beef broth is equal in flavor, so it’s worth choosing one you like. I prefer Pacific Foods, and Laura calls out the reliability of Campbell’s.

What To Serve With This Beef Stew

Packed with potatoes, carrots, and parsnips, this is pretty much a meal in itself, but I love serving stews like this with crusty bread or dinner rolls to soak up every last drop in the bowl. If I happen to have time, I’ll bake up a simple loaf of soda bread. Round things out with a simple green salad and maybe even quick and fudgy cocoa brownies for dessert, and suddenly winter isn’t so bad after all.