Wholesome and hearty, this homemade beef and bean stew is sure to warm your body and soul! Easy to make in one pot, this stew is loaded with fresh veggies and tender beef for a filling family dinner that's full of flavor and goodness.

Overhead shot of a bowl of beef and bean stew.

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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

When it comes to comfort food, you can't beat a good stew. Wonderfully hearty and chunky, this beef and bean stew is perfectly flavorful and so easy to make.

Great for meal prep and freezer meals, this recipe is loaded with protein whilst remaining pretty low in calories and fats, plus you get lots of healthy vitamins and minerals from the fresh veggies.

Easy to make from scratch, this budget friendly stew is all cooked in one pot on the stovetop so even the clean up is a breeze! The stew beef is slow cooked and wonderfully tender and delicious. This is sure to become a favorite with the whole family!

Be sure to try my Brunswick Stew and Brown Stew Chicken too!

Close up of the beef and bean stew garnished with fresh parsley.

How to make beef and bean stew

Gather your ingredients.

Heat the oil in dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the beef to the pot and brown on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Make sure not to overcrowd the pot. Cook in batches if necessary.

Once the beef is done browning, remove it from the pot. Add the onions and carrots and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.

Then add in the garlic, thyme, and dried sage. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, beef broth, and pinto beans. Add the beef back to the pot. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of simmering.

Broth and beans added to the pot and stirred with a wooden spoon.

Can you make it ahead of time?

I love making stews as they are great for leftovers and freezer meals - cook them once and enjoy twice! Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, and up to 6 months when frozen.

Let the stew cool fully before storing. Frozen stew should be thawed in the fridge overnight and it can be reheated in a pot on the stovetop.

What's the best beef to use?

Traditionally, stews are a budget friendly meal. Because the beef is slow cooked, you can use cheaper and tougher cuts of beef so it's much kinder on your wallet! For best results, use beef stew meat, you can buy it already cut into cubes in some places which cuts down on your prep time. Don't use expensive cuts of steak in this recipe as they won't stand up well to the long cook time.

What do you serve it with?

This beef and bean stew is delicious just by itself, serve it in a bowl like a soup and it will leave you feeling satisfied! For a larger meal, you can easily serve it with some of these favorite sides:

Is it healthy?

This homemade stew is a great option for a well balanced diet. Thanks to the beef and beans it's high in protein, and the veggies add a lot of nutrients and fiber. One serving is just under 400 calories and it's pretty low in fats too. This is one stew you can feel great about!

Beef and bean stew served in a white bowl.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Feel free to add in extra veggies if you like! Mushrooms and bell peppers are both great choices!
I like to use a Dutch oven to make this stew as it heats evenly so you don't get hotspots that can scorch the bottom. You can use a large pot if you don't have a Dutch oven.
Brown the beef well, it should be pretty dark brown when you remove it from the pan. This is how you get the flavor.
If making ahead of time, let the stew cool fully before refrigerating or freezing.

More Beef Recipes

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4.70 from 23 votes

Beef and Bean Stew

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword beef stew with pinto beans, healthy beef stew, stovetop beef stew

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 2 10

Total Time 2 20

Servings servings

Calories 397kcal

Author Tanya

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil
2 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion chopped
2 large carrots sliced
4 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
½ teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaves
3 cups beef broth
2 15oz cans pinto beans

Instructions

Heat the oil in dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the beef to the pot and brown on all sides, about 1-2 minutes per side. Make sure not to overcrowd the pot. Cook in batches if necessary.
Once the beef is done browning, remove it from the pot. Add the onions and carrots and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.
Then add in the garlic, thyme, and dried sage. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, beef broth and pinto beans. Add the beef back to the pot. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for about 2 hours or until the beef is tender. Remove the lid for the last 30 minutes of simmering.

Notes

Feel free to add in extra veggies if you like! Mushrooms and bell peppers are both great choices!
I like to use a Dutch oven to make this stew as it heats evenly so you don't get hotspots that can scorch the bottom. You can use a large pot if you don't have a Dutch oven.
Brown the beef well, it should be pretty dark brown when you remove it from the pan. This is how you get the flavor.
If making ahead of time, let the stew cool fully before refrigerating or freezing.

Nutrition

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Although myforkinglife.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Under no circumstances will myforkinglife.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.