Rustic Beef Stew with Parmesan

This beef stew is rich, deeply flavorful, and surprisingly easy to make. A Parmesan rind and a bundle of fresh herbs slowly infuse the stew as it simmers, creating incredible depth of flavor with very little effort. While the stew cooks low and slow, you'll only spend about 20 minutes actively preparing it, making it the perfect cozy dinner for weekends or busy days at home.

Author: Jule’s Menu

Meal Type: Milk Free

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: HARD

Prep. Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings: 4 Servings

Calories: 578 kcal per serving

Ingredients

10 ounces - carrots
4 stalks - celery
2 - onions
2 cloves - garlic
2 - bay leaves
3 sprig - fresh herbs
1 tbsp - olive oil
1 ½ pounds - stew meat or chuck rost
salt and pepper
3 tablespoons - tomato paste
1 tbsp - all-purpose flour
2 ⅓ cups - vegetable or beef broth
1 piece - Parmesan rind
1 can - white beans
1 tsp - balsamic vinegar

Instructions

Wash the carrots and celery well (or peel them, if preferred), then cut them into ½-inch (0.5 cm) slices. Peel and finely dice the onions and garlic. Tie the herbs and bay leaves together with kitchen twine to create a small herb bundle.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the beef, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides but still raw in the center.
Transfer the beef to a plate. Add the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic to the pot along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, the onions are translucent, and everything has developed light golden-brown edges. Stir in the tomato paste and flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Gradually pour in the broth, adding just a little at a time and stirring constantly until smooth before adding more. Once all the broth has been incorporated, return the beef to the pot. Add the herb bundle and Parmesan rind, cover, and simmer gently over low heat for 1½ hours, or preferably 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Optional: About 20 minutes before serving, drain and rinse the beans, then stir them into the stew.
Remove the herb bundle and Parmesan rind. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

Nutrition