Beef and Bean Stew

Wholesome and hearty, this homemade beef and bean stew is sure to warm your body and soul! Easy to make in one pot, this stew is loaded with fresh veggies and tender beef for a filling family dinner that’s full of flavor and goodness.

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

When it comes to comfort food, you can’t beat a good stew. Wonderfully hearty and chunky, this beef and bean stew is perfectly flavorful and so easy to make.

Great for meal prep and freezer meals, this recipe is loaded with protein whilst remaining pretty low in calories and fats, plus you get lots of healthy vitamins and minerals from the fresh veggies.

Easy to make from scratch, this budget friendly stew is all cooked in one pot on the stovetop so even the clean up is a breeze! The stew beef is slow cooked and wonderfully tender and delicious. This is sure to become a favorite with the whole family!

Be sure to try my Brunswick Stew and Brown Stew Chicken too!

How to make beef and bean stew

• Gather your ingredients.

• Heat the oil in dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the beef to the pot and brown on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Make sure not to overcrowd the pot. Cook in batches if necessary.

• Once the beef is done browning, remove it from the pot. Add the onions and carrots and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.

• Then add in the garlic, thyme, and dried sage. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, beef broth, and pinto beans. Add the beef back to the pot. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of simmering.

Can you make it ahead of time?

I love making stews as they are great for leftovers and freezer meals – cook them once and enjoy twice! Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and up to 6 months when frozen.

Let the stew cool fully before storing. Frozen stew should be thawed in the fridge overnight and it can be reheated in a pot on the stovetop.

What’s the best beef to use?

Traditionally, stews are a budget friendly meal. Because the beef is slow cooked, you can use cheaper and tougher cuts of beef so it’s much kinder on your wallet! For best results, use beef stew meat, you can buy it already cut into cubes in some places which cuts down on your prep time. Don’t use expensive cuts of steak in this recipe as they won’t stand up well to the long cook time.

What do you serve it with?

This beef and bean stew is delicious just by itself, serve it in a bowl like a soup and it will leave you feeling satisfied! For a larger meal, you can easily serve it with some of these favorite sides:

• Air Fryer Dinner Rolls
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Buttery Instant Pot Green Beans and Potatoes

Is it healthy?

This homemade stew is a great option for a well balanced diet. Thanks to the beef and beans it’s high in protein, and the veggies add a lot of nutrients and fiber. One serving is just under 400 calories and it’s pretty low in fats too. This is one stew you can feel great about!

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Feel free to add in extra veggies if you like! Mushrooms and bell peppers are both great choices!
• I like to use a Dutch oven to make this stew as it heats evenly so you don’t get hotspots that can scorch the bottom. You can use a large pot if you don’t have a Dutch oven.
• Brown the beef well, it should be pretty dark brown when you remove it from the pan. This is how you get the flavor.
• If making ahead of time, let the stew cool fully before refrigerating or freezing.

More Beef Recipes

• Boneless Roast Beef
• Air Fryer Beef Tenderloin
• Shredded Italian Beef Sandwiches
• Quick and Easy Mongolian Beef

Print Pin SaveSaved!

4.72 from 21 votes

Beef and Bean Stew

Wholesome and hearty, this homemade beef and bean stew is sure to warm your body and soul! Easy to make in one pot, this stew is loaded with fresh veggies and tender beef for a filling family dinner that's full of flavor and goodness.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword beef stew with pinto beans, healthy beef stew, stovetop beef stew

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 397kcal

Author Tanya

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
• 2 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 large carrots sliced
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
• ½ teaspoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups beef broth
• 2 15oz cans pinto beans

Instructions

• Heat the oil in dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the beef to the pot and brown on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Make sure not to overcrowd the pot. Cook in batches if necessary.
• Once the beef is done browning, remove it from the pot. Add the onions and carrots and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.
• Then add in the garlic, thyme, and dried sage. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, beef broth and pinto beans. Add the beef back to the pot. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of simmering.

Notes

• Feel free to add in extra veggies if you like! Mushrooms and bell peppers are both great choices!
• I like to use a Dutch oven to make this stew as it heats evenly so you don’t get hotspots that can scorch the bottom. You can use a large pot if you don’t have a Dutch oven.
• Brown the beef well, it should be pretty dark brown when you remove it from the pan. This is how you get the flavor.
• If making ahead of time, let the stew cool fully before refrigerating or freezing.

Nutrition

Calories: 397kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1314mg | Potassium: 1076mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3417IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 6mg

My Southern Air Fryer ECookbookFind all my Top Southern Air Fryer recipes in one place! My Southern Air Fryer ECookbook!

Subscribe to my YouTubeSubscribe to my YouTube Channel for full length recipe videos. Click the bell icon to be notified when I upload a new video.

Tried this recipe? Share on InstagramMention @Myforkinglife or tag #myforkinglife!

Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.