Sweet Potato Beef Stew - Back to Her Roots (2024)

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Growing up, on the rare occasion that my parents went out for the evening, my brother and I would always eat canned beef stew for dinner. We rarely had those kinds of processed foods growing up, so opening up a can of beef stew for dinner felt very novel. I remember thinking it was pretty much the tastiest thing on the planet.

It’s weird how the grass is always greener on the other side. As a kid, I was obsessed with processed food—because it was something I never had. So whenever I’d go over to a friend’s house and they’d have pizza rolls or chips or whatever other food that never made an appearancein my parents’ kitchen, I’d be all over it. Then, I moved away to college, and all I really ate was processed food, and all the novelty quickly wore off. I started to desperately miss the home cooking I grew up with. I think I even tried a can of stewin college and took one bite before throwing it in the trash—it definitely wasn’t the tasty treat I remembered from my childhood.

The first time I made beef stew at home as a newlywed, I realized, “Oh hey! This is what beef stew is supposed to taste like!” And I haven’t bought the canned stuffsince. Beef stew sounds like one of those foods that would be complicated and difficult to make, but it’s actually incredibly easy. The key is slow-cooking—either in the actual slow-cooker or on the stovetop. Low and slow cooking gives the stew a roasted flavor and makes sure the meat and veggies are fall-apart tender. And it cooks the gravy up into a thick and smooth sauce that is what dreams are made of. Beefy, gravy dreams.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 pounds beef stew meat
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 medium onions, chopped into bite-sized chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dry red wine
2 cups beef broth
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bite-sized chunks
4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into coins
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Dredge the stew meat in the flour. Brown the stew meat, working in three batches, for just a few minutes until the sides of the meat are brown and crisp. Remove meat from pot and set aside.
Add in the onions and garlic, and cook until just fragrant and tender, about five minutes.
Add in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. If cooking in a slow cooker, transfer the wine, beef, and all remaining ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 on low. If cooking on the stove, add in the beef and all remaining ingredients to the Dutch oven, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 90 minutes to 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and the gravy is thick and smooth.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6Serving Size: 1 serving
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 474Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 160mgSodium: 515mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 52g

At Wholefully, we believe that good nutrition is about much more than just the numbers on the nutrition facts panel. Please use the above information as only a small part of what helps you decide what foods are nourishing for you.

Cassie Johnston

Cassie is a holistic nutritionist, cookbook author, and all-around food lover. She grew up cooking dinner with her parents every evening, and her passion for home cooking has been strong ever since. Cassie is the author of two published cookbooks (Cooking with Greek Yogurt and Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My!) and dozens of recipes published in major magazines and newspapers. Cassie has been sharing her award-winning recipes on Wholefully since 2010. She loves dark chocolate, homegrown tomatoes, motorsports, and anything that sparkles. She lives in Indiana with her family on a small homestead.

Sweet Potato Beef Stew - Back to Her Roots (2024)

FAQs

How to fix sweet beef stew? ›

If your dish is too sweet, you can add acidity (lemon juice or vinegar) or a pinch of salt. These will help round out those sweet flavors.

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Will potatoes thicken beef stew? ›

Add a Starch

One common way to add starch to a dish like beef stew is by adding uncooked potatoes or rice part way through cooking, allowing them to fully cook in the stew. This has the added benefit of turning your stew into a complete meal in itself.

When should celery be added to stew? ›

Once the meat is tender - but not falling apart, add the potatoes, celery, carrots and butternut squash. Pour over another 2 cups of beef broth and enough water to cover the vegetables. Raise heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes - until the vegetables are tender.

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When to add onions to stew? ›

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cover and cook, skimming broth from time to time, until the beef is tender, about 1½ hours. Add the onions and carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more.