Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce is a classic, slow-cooked dish that brings rich flavor and comforting warmth to any table. Inspired by French cuisine—particularly the famous Boeuf Bourguignon—this stew transforms simple ingredients into a deeply satisfying meal, perfect for chilly days or weekend gatherings.
The foundation of this dish is well-marbled beef, typically chuck or stewing beef, which becomes incredibly tender after slow simmering. The beef is first browned in a bit of oil to lock in flavor and create a caramelized base. Onions, carrots, and garlic are added next, along with herbs like thyme, bay leaves, and rosemary, building layers of aroma and depth.
The star of the sauce is a generous pour of dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Merlot. The wine not only tenderizes the beef as it cooks but also adds a rich, velvety body to the stew. A bit of tomato paste and beef stock round out the sauce, giving it just the right balance of acidity and umami.
Simmered low and slow—either on the stovetop or in the oven—the stew becomes thick and luscious, with the wine reducing into a flavorful gravy that coats each bite of meat and vegetables. Some variations include mushrooms or pearl onions for added texture and earthiness.
Serve this hearty beef stew over mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or crusty bread to soak up every last drop of sauce. It also pairs wonderfully with a glass of the same red wine used in cooking.
Beef Stew in Red Wine Sauce is a timeless recipe that never goes out of style. It’s the kind of dish that feels like a warm hug—simple, soulful, and unforgettable with every spoonful.
Leftover stew tastes even better the next day, as the flavors continue to deepen and develop overnight.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg beef chuck cut into chunks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups red wine preferably dry
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 pieces carrots sliced
- 2 pieces potatoes cut into chunks
- 1 pieces onion diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef chunks and brown them on all sides. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
- In the same pot, add garlic and onion. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
- Pour in the red wine and beef broth, then stir in the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
- Return the beef to the pot. Cover and cook on low heat for about 2 hours.
- Add carrots and potatoes to the pot, and continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve hot.
Nutrition
I don’t know… maybe I did something wrong, but mine turned out a bit bland.
Maybe try adding more spices? I always toss in some paprika and bay leaves for extra flavor!
Meh, I expected better. Just tasted like any regular beef stew to me.
Yum!!!! So hearty and filling, this is my new favorite meal! 🥘
Quick question: Do you really need red wine? I don’t drink and was hoping to skip it.
Beef stew? More like beef chew! Didn’t love the texture.
This stew is amazing! The red wine gives it such depth. My family loved it!
So glad to hear that! I’ve been looking for a good stew recipe. Gonna try it this weekend!
Not sure if I should use beef broth or chicken broth? Help!
I used white wine instead by accident. It was different, but not bad!
5 stars! So comforting and perfect for a cold day. This recipe is a keeper!
I totally agree! This stew is like a warm hug in a bowl. Perfect for chilly nights!
Great recipe! My family gobbled it up! Will definitely make again. Thx for sharing!!
I’m so glad to hear that! Beef stew is the best, especially in winter. I made it last week and my kids didn’t leave a crumb! 👌
This recipe looks good, but how many servings does it make? Also, I don’t think red wine is necessary… just use water or something. 🤔
I don’t understand why you’d put wine in stew? Isn’t that just for getting drunk? Not for cooking.
I only had white wine. Still turned out good, but I’m not sure if it tastes as good as yours. 🤷♂️
YUMMMM!!!
I can’t wait to try this! Looks delicious!
Yea but red wine in beef stew? Sounds weird tho.
Could you get less complicated? Ain’t nobody got time for all these steps. I’m sticking to my canned stew.
I get it, sometimes it feels like too much! But this stew is worth the effort, trust me!
This stew is absolutely delicious! The red wine really adds a richness that I loved.
Followed the recipe almost exactly, but forgot the rosemary. Still turned out pretty good! What’s the big deal about herbs anyway? 😂
Herbs bring a lot of flavor! Rosemary would have added a nice touch. But glad it still turned out good for you! 🌟
I added some mushrooms because I like them. Turned out good! But my husband said he preferred it without. 🤔
I followed it pretty closely, but my stew was a little thin after 2 hours. Next time I’ll either reduce the sauce more or maybe add a touch of flour/cornstarch. Still tasty though!
Nice! I’ve had that happen too—mine thinned out before the potatoes really finished. Reducing the sauce is probably the way to go.
So much beef! Are we really suppose to eat all this? I just made half the recipe.
Delicious comfort food! Made it after a long day, perfect with bread.
Tasty dish, but 1.5 kg of meat is too much for just my husband and me. Next time I will halve the recipe!
Solid stew. I used a sweet-ish red wine by accident (oops) and it came out a tiny bit sweet, but with salt it balanced. Family still went back for seconds.
Good, but too salty! Next time, I’ll skip the added salt. Cooking is hard!
This stew was amazing! The red wine really brought out the flavors. My family loved it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! The red wine really does make a difference, doesn’t it? What other recipes have you tried?
Made this last weekend and it turned out super rich. The red wine really deepened the flavor—didn’t even need extra seasoning at the end.
Who puts wine in stew? Sounds weird. Stick to water or broth, people!
I followed it pretty closely, but next time I’ll cut the carrots a bit smaller. Still, the flavors blended well and the thyme/rosemary combo is great.
How long can I leave it on the stove? I forgot about pot on the stove last time.
You should really keep an eye on it! Leaving it too long can burn the meat and ruin the stew. Maybe set a timer next time?
I tried it and my beef was still chewy after 2 hours 😩. Might’ve been the cut or my heat was too high? Flavor was awesome, just texture failed.
Stew without bay leaf? Eh. I tried it and it was edible but I probably won’t make again. Not bad, just not my vibe.
Fair point—bay leaf does add a little depth. If it wasn’t your vibe, that’s totally reasonable. I usually still keep thyme/rosemary heavy, so maybe it needs a bit more time or salt to “round it out.”
Without a bay leaf?? That’s like stew without a hat 😅. It might still work, but I’d try adding it next time (or a tiny pinch of thyme extra) and see if it feels more “stewy.”
Beef stew? Sounds boring. I prefer chicken. But my mom used to make this all the time, so I guess it’s a classic.
I’m skeptical about using only 2 tbsp tomato paste for 1.5 kg beef. It tasted fine, but I wanted more tomato body. Otherwise good instructions.
I tried making this but the beef came out tough. Maybe I cooked it too long? Not sure what I did wrong.
It sounds like you might have cooked it a bit too long. Beef stew should be tender, so try reducing the cooking time next time or searing the beef at a higher temperature. Good luck!
Not bad, but mine turned out a little too thin. I think I needed to simmer uncovered longer to reduce the sauce. Also, 2 hours maybe depends on the chuck—mine took closer to 2.5.
Yum!!
This stew is incredible! The flavors are spot on, and the red wine really gives it a rich depth. My family loved it! 😍
Made this tonight—so cozy. Browning the beef really mattered, and the red wine made the sauce taste “restaurant-y.” I added a bay leaf too and it was perfect.
This is basically the same thing my grandma did except she didn’t use red wine. I’m a convert now though. The depth is real.
I didn’t have red wine, so I used white… not sure if that’s okay. It tasted a bit off but still edible. Maybe I’ll try it again with the right wine.
2 hours on low seems long? I simmered mine about 60-75 minutes and it was okay, but not quite as tender as I expected. Could’ve been the cut of beef. Recipe is solid.
Idk, mine was kinda tough too 😅 I used the cheap stewing beef, maybe it was smaller pieces? 2 hours still felt long but it never got super tender. Might be the cut like you said. The flavor was good though!
I’ve found 2 hours on low is pretty forgiving for chuck, but only if it’s actually simmering—not just “barely warm.” If the heat is too low, the collagen won’t break down as well. Next time, try a gentle simmer and check tenderness around 75-90 min.
The rosemary totally overpowered my stew at first. I used dried but probably heavy-handed. Once I reduced it and added extra potatoes, it mellowed out.
Totally agree—rosemary can be a bully in stew. I always start with like 1/2 tsp dried, and by the time it cooks down it’s perfect.
Huh, I’m surprised it needed extra potatoes to mellow it. I usually just add more broth/wine so the flavor balances out, not starchy stuff.
Quick question: is “1 pieces onion” really just one onion? I used one medium and it was okay, but I felt like the onion flavor disappeared. Could be my cook time.
Not sure about the rosemary + thyme amount—mine tasted kinda “piney” for a stew. Also, I accidentally used half-sweet wine and it kinda threw everything off. Maybe use dry wine like it says 😅
Ohhh that makes sense—rosemary + thyme can get super “piney” fast if the amounts are heavy for your specific herbs. Dry wine definitely helps too; sweet wine will skew the whole flavor toward sugary.