Description
This hearty Beef Stew with Pumpkin combines tender beef chuck slowly simmered with aromatic herbs, garlic, and tomato paste, finished with sweet, tender pumpkin cubes for a comforting and flavorful meal perfect for cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef Stew Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (from 1 large)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups cubed pumpkin (acorn or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes)
Instructions
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and cook another 1 minute until fragrant.
- Brown the Beef: Add beef chuck cubes and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is browned on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add Tomato Paste: Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen the flavor.
- Simmer Stew: Pour in beef broth and red wine, then add dried oregano, fresh thyme sprig, and bay leaf. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Let it cook gently until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Add Pumpkin and Continue Cooking: Stir in the cubed pumpkin, cover again, and cook an additional 30 to 35 minutes until the pumpkin is tender but holding its shape.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Remove bay leaf from the stew, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, ideally with crusty bread to soak up the delicious juices.
Notes
- This stew cooks low and slow on the stovetop to tenderize the beef and meld flavors together.
- Use either acorn or butternut squash as a sweet, hearty pumpkin substitute.
- Serve with crusty bread for a satisfying meal.
- For a thicker stew, you can mash some pumpkin pieces into the broth.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups
- Calories: 600 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 448 mg
- Fat: 39 g
- Saturated Fat: 15.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 23.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 16 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 46 g
- Cholesterol: 154 mg
