Beef Lentil Stew
Beef Lentil Stew: Rustic, packed with flavor, and so comforting. Our Beef and Lentil Stew is just the dish to fill and warm your belly this season!
Nostalgic Beef Stew
Stews remind me of my childhood… Of coming in from the blustering outdoors with ruby cheeks and a smile.
Stew reminds me of shedding my gloves and scarf at our hall tree, and then eagerly sitting around our family table for a filling meal.
Mom’s Beef Stew
Stew reminds me of my mom, always smiling, and always a wonderful cook; although she still won’t admit to it.
Mom had a way of drawing us into the kitchen.
She would make up funny stories about the origins of our food and allow us to whittle our fruits and veggies into amusing shapes. Even when life was hectic for her, she made our time together light, memorable, and full of teachable moments.
If only I can make such an impact on my babies.
Beef Lentil Stew Recipe
Today’s Beef and Lentil Stew is a true family favorite.
It’s a play-off of my mom’s classic beef stew, substituting brown lentils for potatoes to enhance its nutritional value.
Although I love the classic version and make it regularly, this lentil stew recipe offers an extra level of texture and depth of flavor.
Healthy Lentil Stew Recipe
It’s hearty and filling with a robust beefy flavor.
Yet this lentil stew is lean and packed with nutrients, for those on a clean diet, or who are just generally watching their waistlines.
Although I wouldn’t call this low-carb, it is a very well-balanced meal.
Beef and Lentil Stew is a marvelous meal to warm you up on cool evenings. It’s guilt-free, gluten-free, and fabulous as leftovers.
Beef Lentil Stew Ingredients
- Olive Oil – To saute the onions, garlic, and beef.
- Beef Chuck – A fabulous stew meat for flavor and texture.
- Onion – For depth of flavor.
- Garlic Cloves– For depth of flavor.
- Carrots – To add sweetness and color.
- Celery – To offer texture and herby essence.
- Dried Lentils – Use brown or green lentils, because they hold their shape after cooking.
- Crushed Tomatoes – For tangy flavor and thickening.
- Beef Stock – To intensify the beefy flavor. (You can use vegetable broth if that is what you have on hand)
- Red Wine – To balance the heavy ingredients.
- Bay Leaves – To offer deep herby notes.
- Thyme – You can use a few tablespoons of fresh or dried thyme.
- Cayenne Pepper – For a little kick!
- Tarragon – To offer a fresh pop of sweetness at the end.
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
How To Make Lentil Stew
Instructions…
1. Sauté. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for a few minutes, then add the beef and garlic.
2. Brown. Brown the meat, stirring regularly, until the pieces are caramelized on all sides.
3. Dump. Add the vegetables, carrots, celery, lentils, tomatoes, beef stock, wine, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper.
4. Simmer. Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer, until the lentils are tender. Then stir in the tarragon and taste for salt and pepper.
5. Serve. Ladle into bowls and garnish.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Get the Full (Printable) Beef Lentil Stew Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Tips & Variations
- For ease, you can use canned lentils! Add them once the beef is tender and simmer for about 5-10 minutes.
- The wine adds a depth of flavor that you will otherwise not get, but you can omit it if you prefer not to cook with alcohol! Replace that liquid with extra broth, instead.
- Add extra veggies like broccoli, mushrooms or leeks!
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! While lentil beef stew doesn’t take that long on the stove top, you can certainly make it in a pressure cooker if you prefer!
Simple sear the beef, sauté the veggies, and then put everything in the Instant Pot to pressure cook for 15 minutes with a natural release!
If you taste the beef stew and the beef is not as tender as you would like, let it cook on low heat a little longer. This will tenderize the beef while it simmers in all of the delicious flavors!
Store any leftover beef and lentil stew in the fridge for up to 3 days! Reheat in the microwave until it is heated through.
More Cozy Fall & Winter Recipes
- Nana’s Epic Navy Bean Soup
- Red Posole with Pork
- Japanese Clear Soup
- 5-Ingredient Cheesy Chicken Chili
- Buffalo Cauliflower Soup Recipe
- Perfect Pumpkin Chili
- Ethiopian Red Lentils (Mesir Wat)
- Everyone’s Favorite Chili
- Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage Stew
- Perfect New England Clam Chowder
- Creamy French Onion Soup
- Homemade Copycat Little Caesar’s Crazy Bread
- Roasted Red Pepper Marinara
Check the printable recipe card below of this soup recipe for the nutritional information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, saturated fat, sodium, potassium, fiber, and vitamin percentages.
Beef Lentil Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 carrots, sliced
- 3 large celery stalks, sliced
- 1 1/2 cup dried lentils, green or brown
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 6 cups beef stock
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons fresh chopped tarragon
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes, then add the beef and garlic.
- Brown the meat, stirring regularly, for 5-10 minutes. All sides of the beef chunks should be browned.
- Add the carrots, celery, lentils, tomatoes, beef stock, wine, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne pepper.
- Bring to a boil, cover, then reduce heat and simmer for about 60-75 minutes, until the lentils and beef are tender. Stir in the tarragon. Then taste for salt and pepper.
I never would have thought to put beef in a lentil stew but hey why not? Maybe I’m thinking of lentil soup and how good it is with a grilled cheese sandwich, now why does thinking about food distract me like that????
I loved the kind words you had for your mother, I hope my children think and write about me like that some day;-)
Ok, so now the challenge is, how can I sneak this in before spring hits. It looks lovely.
I know, I need to get all my winter recipes in before the asparagus shoots start to show!! Yikes! Beef stew is so hearty and delish…. except when it’s 95 degrees out :)
I don’t care if spring is on and winter is gone! This dish got to me on my menu soon! Looks soo delicious and warm
delicious stew looks healthy
Looks great! Another recipe to add to my to-do list. Love the idea of adding lentils and red wine. :)
What a good idea. I’m going to be a copy-cat. Love lentils – really what a grand idea. And there are a few more weeks of stew season – this just beckons.
I wanted to thank you for your message, that truly meant so much to me. I love how the sun is capturing the still life perfectly, I really love stews, what I love most is they are hearty, pretty healthy, and I can get so many meals out of one pot. I just ordered a bag of lentils, I can’t wait to make this.
Lovely picture of the stew, especially seeing the wine being poured in right in the pot :)
I already feel warm just looking at it :) You have a great blog…
I’m not a beef eater, but you sure can make it look good, Spicy!
You have beautiful pictures on your blog. That dish looks so good.
What a lovely variation on traditional stew. Adding lentils instead of potatoes sounds insanely good!
My husband has been begging me to do make something with lentils. This looks/sounds perfect!
I’d love a nice warm bowl of that stew right now! The best stew I ever made was on a woodstove. I let it simmer for hours and it turned out perfect.
Love the addition of lentils…looks like the perfect stew!
Yay for the last stew of the winter!! Stew reminds me of my childhood as well- mom’s chicken stew was certainly a favorite on cold nights! This one looks great, I’ll need to try it!
oh it’s mid 80’s here, but I would still devour this entire bowl of gooodness….my girls love lentils and hubby enjoys a thick soup..thank you for sharing..have a great week!!
the second pic is simply stunning , HUGS!
sweetlife
It’s still bitter cold in my neck of the woods – warm and comforting stew like this are desired and welcome! It looks wonderful! Love your twist with the lentils.