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This beef stew without wine is perfect for anyone searching for an alcohol-free alternative to traditional beef stew. It was tested multiple times to guarantee a rich flavor, even without red wine. Made on the stovetop in one pot, this is a hearty and delicious recipe that will be a go-to for a cozy dinner.
A Quick Look: Stovetop Beef Stew without Wine
- Cook time: About 10-15 minutes of prep with 1 hour and 30 minutes cook time.
- Main ingredients: Boneless beef chuck roast, Yukon gold potatoes, carrots, celery, shallots, garlic, broth, and herbs.
- Cooking method: This is an easy stovetop beef stew made in one large pot or in Dutch oven.
- Dietary information: This fits the HYH diet and a Mediterranean-style diet. It’s dairy free and gluten free with substitutes.
- Why you’ll love it: A lot of people assume you can substitute broth in any recipe, but if you really want to make a great beef stew without wine, it needs to have the right amount of flavor to support it! This recipe was tested multiple times to give you edits to enhance the flavor without adding alcohol. It’s easy to make on the stovetop and perfect for meal prepping because it freezes and stores well.
Since I focus on an anti-inflammatory diet, I love to take classic recipes and rework them to have lots of flavor without alcohol, similar to my mocktail recipes. If you love this one, try the steamed clams or chicken marsala without wine next!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients can be found on the recipe card below, but here are some helpful tips on grocery shopping and good substitutes.
- Beef chuck roast – I highly recommend buying a boneless chuck roast and cutting it into bite-sized pieces yourself instead of using packaged stew meat. This is because stew meat usually involves packaged scraps of meat and can be much less tender. Chuck has enough marbling and connective tissue to become very tender with slow cooking, similar to my pot roast without wine.
- Yukon gold potatoes – These have a creamy texture and hold up well in stew. There’s also no need to peel them. If you prefer firmer potatoes, add them during the last 30-40 minutes of cooking.
- Carrots and celery – Classic stew vegetables that add flavor and texture to the broth. To make life a bit easier, I like to use pre-washed and peeled vegetables. Sometimes that means using baby carrots instead of whole.
- Shallots and garlic – I love shallots here because they provide a slightly softer flavor than traditional onions. Fresh garlic adds another layer of savory flavor.
- Flour – Helps thicken the broth into more of a thick, classic beef stew consistency. Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour, or cornstarch if needed.
- Butter or olive oil – I use a combo of butter and oil for a flavor and a higher smoke point for searing the beef. The butter adds richness, which is important without the use of wine. Graza sizzle has a higher heat point for olive oil.
- Rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves – These simple herbs give the stew its classic cozy flavor.
- Broth – Beef broth provides the richest flavor, but vegetable broth also works very well. My favorite brands are Butchers and Bonafide. Choose a low-sodium broth so you can adjust the seasoning yourself. You can also add flavor additions to the broth like tart cherry juice, coconut aminos, or soy sauce. More on that below in the FAQ.
- Kosher salt and black pepper – Essential for seasoning both the beef and the finished stew. I highly recommend using Diamond Kosher salt, which will allow for even better seasoning of the beef without it tasting overly salted.
How to Make Beef Stew without Wine
Step 1: Choose a deep and heavy pot, like a dutch oven. I used my 7 quart dutch oven for this stew. Add 2 tablespoons of butter or olive oil to the pot over medium high heat. Season the beef chuck roast pieces with kosher salt and black pepper.
Step 2: Sear the beef till brown on most sides, making sure the pieces aren’t touching. You may need to do this in 2 batches depending on the size of the pot. If you crowd the pieces, they will steam and not sear. Once finished, remove the meat and set aside.
Step 3: Don’t drain any leftover liquid. Add shallots, carrots, and celery to the pan, stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes or until softened. Add the minced garlic and stir to combine, another minute. Mix in potatoes and flour, stirring till all the vegetables are coated.
Step 4: Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits that should release from the pan. Then sprinkle in the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer over medium low heat. Cover and cook for at least 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours, until the beef is tender.
Taste and adjust any seasonings. The flavors will intensify the longer you let the beef stew sit. Often I think this recipe is best to cook the day before and serve the next day!
Recipe Tips
- Use boneless beef chuck roast over pre-packaged “stew meat”. This will give you very tender cubes of beef that melt in your mouth!
- Work in batches if needed – this will help the beef to sear properly and get that lovely golden brown outer layer that has great texture and flavor.
Storage Information
- Prep ahead – Once the beef stew has cooled, you can transfer the dutch oven or pot to the fridge and store it for the next day. This way it can be reheated easily for the next day.
- Refrigerator storage – Will keep well in the fridge for 3-5 days. Transfer leftovers to an airtight, glass container for long term storage.
- Freezer – The beef stew will keep well for up to 6 months stored in the freezer. I recommend filling a large ziplock bag and laying flat. That way you can stack bags and store them efficiently in the freezer. This is also a perfect postpartum meal for friends with a new baby, a great sick meal, or anyone who could use a homemade comfort food.
- To reheat – Defrost in the fridge overnight, or place in warm water for about 30 minutes. Then pour the stew into a large pot and reheat over medium until warm.
Serving Ideas
Here are a few ideas for pairings. A simple toasted baguette would also be wonderful with this stovetop beef stew to soak up the hearty broth.
- Side salads – This apple fennel salad would compliment the rich flavors of the chuck roast, or stick with a simple side like this bibb lettuce salad.
- Holiday sides – Pair the beef stew with these Boursin mashed potatoes, creamy ditalini pasta, or these incredible stuffing balls.
- Drinks – Pair with a mocktail like this sangria without wine!
Recipe FAQ
If you want to add more complex flavors to your stew than just regular broth, I have a few ideas. I’ve tried this stew recipe before with the same amount of vegetable broth and 1/2 cup tart cherry juice, which gives the color of red wine and some of the tanginess without the alcohol. I’ve also added 1/4 cup of coconut aminos to the broth for a little sweetness and depth. You can also use soy sauce, which does have more sodium, so be mindful when adding salt.
More Dinner Recipes without Wine
These recipes are similar to this stovetop beef stew without wine and are flavorful without the addition!
Beef
Dutch Oven Pot Roast without Wine
Seafood
Garlic Butter Steamed Clams (without Wine)
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 review in the recipe card! Don’t forget to tag me @thedizzycook on Facebook and Instagram, and follow along on Pinterest for more great recipes!
Beef Stew without Wine
Video
Ingredients
- 2¾-3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 tablespoons butter , can substitute olive oil
- 2 large shallots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1" pieces
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 cups low sodium beef or vegetable broth
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid, add 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Season beef with 1½ teaspoons kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Add the chopped beef chuck roast to the pot in batches, leaving enough space so it sears and doesn't steam. Brown on all sides, about 5-6 minutes total. It does not need to be cooked all the way through, just seared. Use tongs to remove any finished pieces and set them in a bowl to the side. Leave any drippings in the pot.
- Add 2 tablespoons butter (or olive oil) to the dutch oven along with shallots, celery, and carrots. Stir occasionally over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and stir into the vegetables. Then add the potatoes* (see notes) and beef. Stir in flour with a wood spoon until fully mixed in, coating all the beef and vegetables.
- Stir in rosemary sprigs, thyme, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and all the broth (or any other liquid additions you're using). Bring everything to a boil over high heat and reduce heat to low. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat (or enough for a low simmer) for about 1½ hours, or until the beef is tender and flavors have combined. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. Remove bay leaves and rosemary stalks before serving.
Notes
- A note on potatoes – If you don’t like very soft potatoes, add them within the last 30-40 minutes of cooking. If they are cut even smaller than 1″ pieces, they will cook very quickly and fall apart.
- It is absolutely necessary to buy boneless beef chuck roast for tender results. Do not buy stew meat or the meat can be tough.
- For beef broth, I recommend Butcher’s Bone Broth. For vegetable broth, Bonefide tends to be the most flavorful, or use the recipe from my Dizzy Cook cookbook (no onion).
- If using vegetable broth – I recommend adding 1/4 cup of coconut aminos or soy sauce for a greater depth of flavor. If using soy sauce, you may need to decrease the salt content. 1/2 cup tart cherry juice, in addition to the broth) can also be used as a “red wine” replacement with a nice color!
- Gluten free – Use all purpose GF flour or cornstarch.
- This can also be made in the oven (in a covered dutch oven) at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly 2 hours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Got raving reviews from family. Two brother-in-laws even sent me messages saying how fantastic the beef stew was! –Sandy H
Made this tonight since it’s chilly here. Used the chuck roast and the stew was very tender and flavorful! Glad to know it can be frozen so I know what I’m going with the leftovers. Thank you for another great recipe.
I only have stew meat… can i have the meat sit in some vinegar or something for a bit before i brown it? will that help make it more tender?
Unfortunately no, but go ahead and make it! It will still be delicious. Maybe just chop the pieces smaller since they’ll be more tough.
I’m new to this. I had no idea there are foods that contribute to migraines! I’m going to look into your website and try to get some helpful hints!
Welcome! I’m sure you’ll find some great tips!
I should have added the coconut aminoes and cherry juice but neglected and I bet it would have tasted even better! My beef didn’t get tender and my potatoes were a bit mushy. Im not sure what I did wrong but I usually cook this in my Instant Pot (and slow cooker before that) so this was my first time on the stove. Maybe it was the cut of meat that I used. I cooked it 1 hour and 20 minutes. But the flavor was pretty good. I had never made it with wine nor herbs before so I enjoyed that!
Hey Wendy, Next time I would suggest checking you have boneless beef chuck roast instead of “stew meat”, which I think may have been why it wasn’t tender. I explain a little bit in the post but this will definitely yield better results. If you want to wait to add the potatoes till around the last 45 min of cooking, you can. I personally like mine a little softer and don’t want to remember one more thing, but this will help them not be so soft! 🙂
Same here! I deduced that my “low” flame isn’t low enough but it was tender enough and flavor was good! Miss the potatoes they all but left the scene and has to add slurry
One of my favorite recipes besides the Boursin pasta of yours. I don’t even miss the red wine with this. So cozy for a rainy night.
Made this recipe for the first time tonight and it was definitely delicious! I was worried the meat wouldn’t be tender enough. I was wrong! The meat melted in your mouth. I agree with the others thank you again for all the delicious recipes!
Thanks so much, Tracie!!