A Classic French Stew with Melt-In-Your-Mouth Beef, Red Wine, and Vegetables
Beef Bourguignon, also known as Boeuf Bourguignon, is a hearty and elegant French stew made with tender chunks of beef, slow-cooked in red wine, along with bacon, mushrooms, carrots, onions, and garlic. This soul-warming dish is perfect for cozy nights, Sunday dinners, or anytime you want to impress with comfort food that feels luxurious.
The secret? Time. The slow braise allows the flavors to deepen and the meat to become fork-tender. Serve it over creamy mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or a thick slice of crusty bread to soak up the rich, wine-infused sauce.
📝 Ingredients
Serves 6
For the Stew:
- 3 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 oz bacon or pancetta, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups dry red wine (like Pinot Noir or Burgundy)
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
For the Mushrooms & Pearl Onions:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup pearl onions (frozen or fresh, peeled)
- 2 cups cremini or button mushrooms, halved
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Sear the Beef
Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high. Sear beef in batches until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Cook the Bacon & Veggies
Add diced bacon and cook until crisp. Add onions and carrots, sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste. Sprinkle with flour and stir for 2 minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
3. Deglaze with Wine
Pour in the red wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add Broth & Herbs
Return beef to the pot. Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer.
5. Braise Low and Slow
Cover and cook in a preheated oven at 325°F (160°C) for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until beef is tender.
6. Sauté Mushrooms & Onions
In a skillet, heat butter and olive oil. Sauté pearl onions and mushrooms until golden. Add to the stew in the final 30 minutes of cooking.
7. Serve
Remove bay leaf and thyme stems. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, noodles, or crusty bread.
🧠 Nutrition Facts (Per Serving – Approx.)
- Calories: ~490
- Protein: ~36g
- Fat: ~22g
- Carbohydrates: ~20g
- Fiber: ~3g
- Sugar: ~5g
Values will vary depending on cut of beef, wine, and sides used.
💡 Tips & Tricks
- For even more flavor, marinate the beef in red wine overnight before cooking.
- Use good quality dry red wine — the better the wine, the richer the stew.
- Want to thicken the sauce more? Simmer uncovered on the stovetop for 10–15 minutes after cooking.
- This dish tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for meal prep or make-ahead dinners.
- Not a fan of mushrooms? Simply leave them out or replace with more carrots or parsnips.
✨ For Your Website
This Beef Bourguignon article is perfect for your site's "comfort food" or "classic recipes" categories. It's ideal for content that appeals to foodies, holiday cooking planners, and anyone who wants to master the art of French cooking at home. Include rich, moody images of the beef stew in cast iron with rustic bread and herbs — it'll perform well on Pinterest and Instagram.
Also great for content clusters like:
- “Sunday Dinner Recipes”
- “Slow Cooked Favorites”
- “Holiday Mains”
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