Cozy Beef Stew

This Cozy Beef Stew is the perfect thing on a cold, chilly night. It has a rich, savory flavor that will warm you right up!

I’m shocked to say that I think this might be one of the only stews on this entire blog. When I realized this, I was shook! I grew up eating stews of all kinds because my mother believed in the power of warm food on a cold day. It can turn your mood completely around. This cozy beef stew is the jam!

In film school I was known—and yes, I say this braggingly–to always have the best food on my sets. I would approach local restaurants and ask for a donation, i.e., meals. And they would happily cater our shoots because we were poor college students of the arts and they loved what we created. Panera was one of those places that donated. And on one of the coldest days in October, we had their broccoli and cheddar soup with sandwiches and bread and salads; it transformed everyone’s mood. It was magical to see what the power of a good meal could do for people working hard.

I admittedly don’t eat an enormous amount of meat. I love vegetables (and cake) but when I do eat meat, I try and eat responsibly-raised meat. It’s not always easy for everyone due to access and budget, I totally understand this.

I went to my meat counter, and purchased some antibiotic free, organic beef stew meat. This cut is famously economical, but boy is it tough if you just sear it and eat it. Braising is definitely the move. I brought out my new love (The Instant Pot) but have included some directions for a Dutch oven, too.

Marinade for Beef Stew!

I borrowed some flavors from my favorite dish growing up, lomo saltado. The soy sauce, beef broth, spices and tomato paste, gives this beef stew a really savory, delicious flavor.  And the cubes of delicata squash add such a nice sweetness to the dish. I served it over the creamiest cauliflower puree that kept the dish feeling light and delicious.

How to Make this Cozy Beef Stew!

1. Sprinkle the cubes of beef with flour. This helps with giving it a bit of a crust.
2. Sauté the cubes of beef with oil.

Let me know if you make this Cozy Beef  Stew and let me know via Instagram!

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5 from 7 votes

Print Recipe

Cozy Beef Stew Recipe

Author: Adrianna Adarme

Cozy Beef Autumnal Stew is the perfect thing for a cold day. This beef stew borrows flavors from lomo saltado and is on a bed of cauliflower mash.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef stew, best beef stew, best beef stew recipe, instant pot beef stew

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients

Cozy Beef Stew:

• 1 1/2 pounds cubed beef stew meat 
• Kosher salt 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (you could also use gluten-free flour is you like)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoon ground sweet paprika 
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 garlic cloves peeled and minced 
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth 
• 1 delicata squash cut in half lengthwise, seeds scooped out and sliced into moon shape-slices (about 1-inch thick) 
• 1 pound of small baby potatoes

Creamy Cauliflower Puree:

• 1 head of cauliflower florets removed
• 2 tablespoons unsated butter
• Kosher salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Micro greens or minced Italian parsley as garnish

Instructions

For Instant Pot instructions: 

• Sprinkle the cubed up stew meat with salt on both sides. Next, add a bit of flour to a shallow plate and dip each piece of meat into the flour, dusting off any excess.
• Add a few tablespoons of oil to the bottom of the pan. Turn to the sauté function. When hot, add the pieces of meat, in batches, until browned on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and repeat until you’ve worked through the meat. This took me about 15 minutes. 
• Add an additional teaspoon or two of oil, if needed. Next, add the onion, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, coriander, dried oregano and a few pinches of salt. Mix together until onions are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Mix in the garlic and then pour in the soy sauce and using a spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan, getting up any bits. 
• Pour in the beef broth and add the reserved cubes of stew meat. Cover the Instant Pot with its lid. Use the manual setting and put to 15 minutes. Allow to come to pressure and cook for 15 minutes. When it’s done, use the quick release for pressure and carefully remove the lid. Give the broth a taste (be careful it’ll be hot!) and add any salt if needed. I added about 1/2 teaspoon. Add the delicata squash and potatoes. Place the lid on top and set Instant Pot to 10 minutes. When done, use quick release and serve over cauliflower mash. 

For Pot Instructions: 

• Sprinkle the cubed up stew meat with salt on both sides. Next, add a bit of flour to a shallow plate and dip each piece of meat into the flour, dusting off any excess. 
• Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the bottom of the pan. When hot, add the pieces of meat, in batches, until browned on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and repeat until you’ve worked through the meat. This took me about 15 minutes. 
• Add an additional teaspoon or two of oil, if needed. Next, add the onion, tomato paste, cumin, paprika, coriander, dried oregano and a few pinches of salt. Mix together until onions are slightly softened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the garlic and then pour in the soy sauce and using a spoon, scrape the bottom of the pan, getting up any bits. 
• Pour in the beef broth and add the meat back to the pot. Bring the pot to a gentle boil and then immediately bring the heat down to medium-low. Cover the pot and simmer for about 2 to 3 hours, adding a bit more broth if needed. At the 2 hour mark, add the delicata squash and potatoes and cook for an additional 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender. Give the sauce a taste (it'll be hot) and add any additional salt, if needed. Serve over cauliflower mash.

To Make the Creamy Cauliflower Mash:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the cauliflower florets and cook until very tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and run the cauliflower under cold water. To a high-powered blender (such as a Vitamix), add the ghee and then top with the cauliflower. Pulse until mostly smooth, about 1 minute, stopping and scraping down the sides as needed. Pulse on high for about 2 minutes, until silky smooth, adding a teaspoon or two of ghee, if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste and blend once more until combined.
• When the pot roast is ready, pour the cauliflower in a pot and warm over low heat. Divide between bowls and top with a spoonful of the stew. Garnish with microgreens or minced Italian parsley.

Notes

Equipment: 

Dutch Oven Pot | Instant Pot | Tongs | Cutting Board | Chef's Knife | 

Equipment

1 Instant Pot or 4-quart Dutch oven

Nutrition

Calories: 152kcal (8%) | Carbohydrates: 19g (6%) | Protein: 4g (8%) | Fat: 8g (12%) | Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) | Sodium: 882mg (38%) | Potassium: 587mg (17%) | Fiber: 3g (13%) | Sugar: 5g (6%) | Vitamin A: 1689IU (34%) | Vitamin C: 19mg (23%) | Calcium: 67mg (7%) | Iron: 3mg (17%)

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Looking for more Instant Pot and Cozy recipes? Here are some of my favorites:

• Pozole Verde con Pollo
• Chipotle Lamb Shanks 
• Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
• Easy Vegan Chili