Beef Stew Recipe: Authentic Spanish Slow-Cooked Comfort 2026

This Spanish beef stew is the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with a deep, savory aroma long before it ever reaches the table. Cubes of beef brown in olive oil, then simmer gently with onion, garlic, tomato and red wine until the meat is so tender it nearly falls apart at the touch of a fork.

The secret here is patience. Unlike a quick braise, a true estofado lets the beef cook almost in its own juices, with just enough liquid to get things going and a well-sealed pot to hold in the steam. Potatoes and carrots join in the final stretch, soaking up all that flavor.

It is simple, made with everyday ingredients, and perfect whether you are feeding the family on a weeknight or gathering everyone around the table on a Sunday. Serve it with plenty of bread to mop up the sauce, and you will see why this dish is a keeper.

Ingredients for Beef Stew

For 4 servings

• 800 g beef for stewing
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon flour (optional)
• 150 g crushed tomato
• 125 ml red wine
• 250 ml beef broth (or water)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 medium potatoes
• 3 or 4 carrots
• Fresh parsley (optional)

How to Make Beef Stew Step by Step

1. Season the beef

Start with 800 grams of beef for stewing; the best cuts are pieces like shank, chuck or flank. If it does not come already cut, dice it into roughly even cubes. Trim away any excess fat and season generously with salt and pepper.

2. Brown the beef

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a pot. When it is hot but not smoking, brown the beef. It is best to do this in batches so the pot does not lose temperature, which actually gets you finished faster than crowding it all in at once.

3. Make the onion and garlic sofrito

Once the beef is done, remove it and set aside. In the same oil, sauté 1 chopped onion. Cook it over medium heat for about 10 minutes until nicely softened. At that point, add about 4 chopped garlic cloves, stir well and cook for a couple more minutes.

4. Return the beef with flour

When the onion sofrito is ready, put the beef back into the pot along with 1 teaspoon of flour if you like, so the sauce thickens at the end. Stir everything together and cook for a couple more minutes.

5. Add the tomato

Next, add about 150 grams of crushed tomato, mix well and keep cooking until the tomato has reduced down.

6. Pour in the red wine

Then pour in about 125 ml of red wine, stir well and cook over high heat for a couple of minutes so the alcohol evaporates.

7. Cover with broth and add bay leaf

Add about 250 ml of beef broth to the pot; it is enough if the broth just covers the beef. No more than that, because as we said, we want the beef juices to become the main ingredient of the sauce. Drop in the bay leaf.

8. Simmer low and slow

Cover the beef and simmer for about 2 and a half hours in a pot that holds in the steam. Every now and then, check the stew, give it a stir and if it has gone completely dry, add a little water.

9. Prep the potatoes and carrots

While the beef cooks, peel 2 medium potatoes and 3 or 4 carrots. Cut the potato into cubes and the carrot into slices. At the 2 and a half hour mark, add the carrot and potato to the pot.

10. Finish cooking the vegetables

Stir well, season with salt and pepper, top up with a little water if needed, and keep cooking always covered over low heat for 1 more hour, until both the beef and the vegetables are tender to your liking.

11. Rest and serve

To finish, taste and adjust the salt and pepper, then let the stew rest for at least 15 minutes before serving, or leave it until the next day so the flavors intensify. You can sprinkle it with chopped parsley.

Tips for the Best Beef Stew

Choose the right cut

Cuts like shank, chuck or flank are ideal because they turn meltingly tender during a long, slow cook. Trim the excess fat but leave a little for flavor, and cut the pieces to a similar size so they cook evenly.

Keep the pot covered

A well-sealed pot is what lets the beef cook almost in its own juices, which is the heart of a good estofado. Only add liquid to just cover the meat, and check occasionally so it never goes completely dry.

Let it rest for more flavor

Resting the stew for at least 15 minutes before serving lets the flavors settle. Even better, make it a day ahead and reheat it, since the sauce deepens and tastes even richer the next day.

30 Home Recipes I Keep Coming Back To

Maybe you're the same way — you like having a reliable lineup of cozy comfort dishes, well-known global favorites, and desserts that make everyone happy.

When nothing but something rich will do, I reach for this La Viña Molten Cheesecake recipe, this refined Original French Crème Brûlée recipe, or a luxurious Chocolate Mousse Cake recipe. And on days when I want fruit-forward comfort, this timeless French Tarte Tatin recipe never disappoints.

Morning meals and lighter plates tend to look like this airy Oatmeal and Banana Pancakes recipe, a hearty Stuffed Sweet Potato recipe, or a bright Eggs Stuffed with Avocado and Salmon recipe. For a gluten-free staple to keep in the pantry, I turn to this straightforward Gluten-Free Rice Flour recipe.

Some nights I'm after tapas and Mediterranean flavors, and then I cycle through this punchy Basque Tuna with Tomato recipe, crunchy Patatas Bravas Air Fryer recipe, velvety Tirokafteri Greek Dip Sauce recipe, and a cool Burrata Salad with Tomato and Pesto recipe. For occasions that call for a bit more polish, I serve this elegant Italian Vitello Tonnato recipe with pride.

Big lunches and slow dinners usually mean this warming Meatballs in Spanish Sauce recipe, a time-honored Meatballs in Almond Sauce recipe, a deep-flavored Italian Bolognese Sauce recipe, and silky Chicken Croquettes in Thermomix recipe. If appetites run bigger, I'll bake this oven-baked Greek Pastitsio Pie recipe, a homey Potatoes and Squid Stew recipe, or the deeply cozy French Boeuf Bourguignon recipe.

For a quick lunch or a casual hangout, I'll throw together this saucy Homemade Chicken Doner Kebab recipe, golden Salchipapas recipe, a punchy Mexican Pork Carnitas recipe, or these crisp Korean Hobak Jeon recipe. These no-fuss Air Fryer Zucchini Rings recipe also make an easy starter or snack.

And when drinks and a whole spread are on the agenda, dinner often comes with this cool Original Cuban Mojito recipe, a potent Long Island Iced Tea recipe, or a jug of this sweet Bleeding Spanish Sangria recipe. To fill out the table, I like a bowl of this zesty French Remoulade Sauce recipe alongside, or this dramatic Mediterranean Black Rice with Squid recipe to finish things off.

Additional Tasty Recipes to Cook for the Family

After years of trying and tweaking dishes in my own kitchen, I've found that the ones that stick around are simple, built on dependable methods, and full of flavor.

The picks below are the ones I keep circling back to — whether it's a fast solo meal or a spread for friends and family.

On the sweet side, the rich, smooth Orange Chocolate Mousse Recipe is a go-to when I want something impressive yet effortless. Another favorite is the caramelized Trdelnik Slavic Pastry Recipe, modeled on the well-known Central European chimney cake. If baking is your thing, knowing how to make syrup for better dessert texture helps, and my Inverted Sugar Recipe walks through exactly how I do it at home.

When light and easy is what I'm after, I lean on the familiar Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a spot-on Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For fuller comfort fare, I'm quick to suggest the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the velvety Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight winner One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also big on sharing dishes from across the globe, like the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, golden Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another staple in my rotation since it saves time without sacrificing texture. My regular picks include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

For those steering clear of wheat, my crowd-pleasing Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that a classic baked pasta can still be rich, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without gluten.

Gluten free Empanada Dough Recipe 🍕 Fluffy Apple Cake Recipe 🍔 Langos Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe 🌭 Gluten Free French Brioche Recipe 🍟 Madeira British Sponge Cake Recipe 🌮 Chocolate Argentinian Cookies Alfajores Recipe 🌯 Barmbrack Irish Sweet Bread Recipe 🥙 Gluten free Cookies Recipe 🥗 Homemade cream Maruxas Galician Biscuit Recipe 🍝 Japanese Dumplings Gyoza Dough Recipe

American Gluten Free Cookies Recipe 🍜 Gluten Free King Cake Recipe 🍲 Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe 🍛 Extremadura Style Chard Recipe 🍣 Keto Sliced Sandwich Bread Recipe 🍱 Gluten Free Waffles Recipe 🍤 Low Carb Keto Pizza Recipe 🍗 Gluten Free Bread Rolls Recipe 🍖 Flourless Gluten Free Bread Buns Recipe 🥓 Protein Ice Cream Recipe 🥞 Chia Pudding Dessert with Seeds Recipe

Fluffy Cloud Bread Pan Nube Recipe 🧇 Quinoa Bread Recipe 🍞 Schiacciata Tuscan Focaccia Flat Bread Recipe 🥐 Shokupan Japanese Milk Bread Recipe 🥨 Potato Sandwich Bread Recipe 🧀 Homemade Breadsticks Recipe 🍳 Stollen German Dried Fruits Cake Recipe 🥚 French Gingerbread Spiced Cake Recipe 🍰 Gluten Free Pancakes Recipe

🥔 Potato-omelet-in-Thermomix 🍓 Smores-Sandwich-Dessert 🍰 Womens-Day-Mimosa-cake ☕ Coffee-Sorbet 🍆 Eggplant-pizza 🍋 Ciambella-Italian-Lemon-Cake 🥖 Zapiekanka-Polish-Snack 🌰 Dukkah-Egyptian-Nuts-Mix 🧆 Best-Hummus 🥑 Best-Avocado