Italian Beef Stew
PUBLISHED ON: 01.23.2011
It’s Sunday, it is cold and I am still cooking hearty and comforting dishes. I tackled a lighter version Italian style beef stew that was delicious. The house was filled with the aroma of beef stew simmering on the stove.
It is important to build a flavor foundation by combining the meat and other aromatic ingredients. The brown bits in the bottom of the pan, when scraped adds a flavorful complexity to the stew.
Adding another flavorful addition like wine to the pan helps to concentrate the flavor.
Your result: A bowl of deep flavored, healthy, hearty stew.
Italian Beef Stew
Serves 8
Recipe from Cooking Light
Ingredients:
7 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into cubes
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup dry red wine (note: don’t use wine that you would not enjoy drinking yourself)
3-3/4 cups chopped seeded peeled plum tomato (about 2 pounds)
1-1/2 cups fat-free, lower sodium beef broth
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1(8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, quartered
3/4 cup (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Directions:
1. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil to pan. Add onion and chopped carrot; saute 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; saute for 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from pan.
2. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Add half of beef to pan; saute 6 minutes, browning all sides. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure.
3. Add wine to pan, and bring to a boil, scraping pan. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about 5 minutes). return meat and the onion mixture to pan. Add tomato and next 6 ingredients; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and stir in sliced carrot. Simmer uncovered, for 1-hour or until meat is very tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, basil and parsley.
Enjoy!!!
Mister Meatball
Yes, it's cold outside. It's also early in the morning. Early enough to get my act together and make me some stew today!
Lynn
This sounds great, beautiful pics:@)
Big Dude
It looks delicious and I like having a different flavor profile than our usual beef stew.
My Little Space
Velva, this not just sounds great! It's making salivate. lol! Thanks for sharing such wonderful recipe. Hope you're having a great day.Blessings, Kristy
Julie
What a perfect dish for a cold winter day! Stew is so comforting and this one looks great.
scrambledhenfruit
This makes me want to run right out for a roast- it would be perfect on a cold day like today. I love the addition of mushrooms in this!
From the Kitchen
Looks and sounds delicious! I've only recently discovered what I consider the new Cooking Light. When I subscribed years ago, I wasn't impressed. Now I most certainly am!!Best,Bonnie
The Absence of Alternatives
I LOVE Soup and stew. I did not know beef stew can look so pretty though!
thefattyreader
yum! cremini mushrooms sound like a great addition 🙂
Anna's Table
We've reached -19ºCelsius, so I too have been leaning towards braised meats during this frigid weather. Your stew looks delicious. Perfect comfort food!
Andrea the Kitchen Witch
Yum! I want a huge bowl of that now please 🙂 Love the different flavors in this one Velva, its a keeper!
Katerina
And you found the ultimate hearty and comforting meal. This beef I am sure lived up to your expectations!
Christo Gonzales
what a nice and hearty stew you've put together here – I like anything with mushrooms but I would like this even without –
Joanne
Stews are the perfect thing given the frigid cold outside! And the fact that this is light is an added bonus.
Chris
It's hard to make a stew look gorgeous but you have done it.
Ana Powell
You make so hungry, what a fabulous dish.Loved the photos ♥
Luigi
YOU have no idea how HUNGRY I am after reading that, im practically chomping the keyboard! lol.Great recipe though, can't beat a nice stew when its cold.
That Girl
I've had lots of beef stews, but never Italian beef stew! This sounds fantastic!
Sharon Rudd
Love this Italian twist on beef stew! Stay warm, and thanks for sharing!
teresa
red wine flavors stews like this SO well. i just love this, perfect for a night like tonight!
Reeni
It's the coldest day of the winter here – downright bitter! A bowl of your hearty, flavorful stew is much needed and welcomed!
Bizzy B. Bakes
I just finished a hefty meal and looking at those photos is making me hungry.
Claudia
I think this will get made this week. The aromas will warm up my winter home. The family will be grateful!
Lorraine
This sounds incredible! Just what I really need right now. It sounds incredibly delicious. I actually made a beef stew recipe this week but felt it was just not flavorful enough. Yours sounds incredibly flavorful. I like the idea of the wine and mushrooms added.
Dana Fallentine
This looks like a healthy, hearty recipe I need to try!
T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types
Beautiful photos – I can feel the warmth, and we need it right now!
Kim
Beef stew always makes my family happy, even the picky ones like it. This looks delicious, Velva!
abbey
Your pictures are always so beautiful! And I love all kinds of beef stew, this one is making my mouth water 🙂
The JR
That looks so good. It's making my mouth water too!
The Church Cook
I made beef stew last night for my church family! I love that you put fresh basil & parsley in yours Velva! Great minds think alike!
Unknown
This looks incredible. Cannot think of anything better to keep warm than a bowl of stew (well, and the rest of the red wine)…
The Food Hunter
I'm drooling over this one.
A Canadian Foodie
Very basic and familiar flavours to all of us – but you are the Flavour Building Queen, Velva! You make a great Sunday dinner that simmers on the back of that stove and works your family into a salivating lather all day – every Sunday! What gorgeous, deep meaty flavours in the bottom of that pan.YUM!:)Valerie
Lea Ann
Another bookmarked. This looks incredible.
Miss Meat and Potatoes
Mmmmmmm…. Perfect for a night like tonight. And you're so right about those brown bits – gold nuggets for a stew. Thanks for sharing yet another gem;)
Betsy Banks Adams
Yum, Velva…. Thanks for the recipe… Looks SO good. We cook quite a bit with wine. It enhances the flavor so much… Thanks again.Hugs,Betsy
Katie@Cozydelicious
I made a similar beef stew a couple weeks ago and froze some so we're still enjoying it reheated. But I love the addition of mushrooms here, I'll have to add some next time!
Anonymous
This looks hearty and delicious!
Juliana
Velva, your beef stew looks delicious, so rich…yummie!
The Duo Dishes
Glad you put the tip in there about using a wine you'd drink. Hope everybody tosses their bottles of 'cooking wine'. That stuff is no good!
Anonymous
An excellent looking stew there, just perfect for this cold weather!
Nourhan @ Miss Anthropist's Kitchen
This looks delicious! I'll have to skip the wine, but I think it'd still taste good without it 🙂
stephchows
mmm this is perfect for the cold weather we've been having… add in some homemade bread and I'm in heaven!
Barbara
Delish, Velva. I'm going to put my mother's dumplings on top!
Red Couch Recipes
So many flavors combined to make such a rich sounding stew. Joni
Rita
What and appetizing meal! You're right it's important to scrape the bottom and collect all the best flavour. Time for me to think beef stew.
blackbookkitchendiaries
this looks really comforting:) anything with stew and soup and i am ready to dig in.. thank you for sharing this.
Unknown
Prefect dish and comforting as well. THANKS!!! for sharing!!!
Mary Bergfeld
This sounds delicious. Cooking Light has some fabulous recipes. This looks wonderful and anything that looks that good simply has to be tasty. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Chatty Crone
Boy am I glad you left me a comment and I found your blog – your food looks awesome! Sandie
Jackie at Phamfatale.com
Gorgeous food photography! Your dish is perfect during this wintry season.
Anna's Table
Thanks so much for visiting my blog, and taking the time to join as a follower. Can't wait to share recipes. Love the stew recipe….it looks so appetizing, perfect for the super cold weather we're having in Montreal.
Tanna
Stew looks delicious. Your photos are amazing and I WANT that yellow bowl. 😉
FOODESSA
It's been a very long time since I've made my Mom's beef stew…which was far from a light version!Velva, your version is much more with the times and friendlier to our over-all health. Thanks ;o)Flavourful wishes,Claudia
Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina
this is my kind of stew; I love how you blended everything and oh that juice/gravy! i'll make this so soon!
Rosa's Yummy Yums
That stew looks wonderfully comforting and so delicious! I wish I had some now… Terrific pan juices.Cheers,RosaP.S. No, I have never visited the States, unfortunately. 🙁
Erica
It is snowing here today and I would love that now!!!! Looks wonderful,Velva!