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Beef & Mushroom Stew

15 minutes (1+ hour cooking time)

easy

4 servings

When you are craving a hearty & comforting dinner, this Beef & Mushroom Stew is sure to hit the spot. Amongst the many homemade dishes around Serbia, a warm and comforting bowl of stew can be found just about anywhere. Made completely vegetarian, or with meat – they all taste delicious. This stew is made with simple ingredients using onions, a leek, carrots, some parsnips, lots of mushrooms and beef. It makes a delicious homemade meal. You can use as little or as much meat as you like. Season with some warming paprika, bay leaves, vegeta and salt to taste. I love a stew served over mashed potatoes, but you can serve it with anything you desire. This is a great dinner for colder nights, it tastes absolutely delicious.

About this recipe

Growing up, we ate a ton of traditional stew based meals, soups, meat & veggie roasts. Stews have always been my favourite because they can be made completely vegetarian, or meat-based if you wish. The great thing about stews is that you get a lot of volume of food, which makes great for left overs. If you are a home cook, this makes your life a lot easier! I know of people who love a different meal every single night. However, since my mother cooked in bulk, we always had leftovers the next day – so I am very use to this way of cooking. The trick with leftovers is that you can always add a side dish and make the meal taste a little different. Maybe a salad, side of potatoes, rice or vegetables. Whatever you come up with really.

Recently we have been getting a lot of mushrooms from our veggie orders and I thought paired with beef, cooked into a stew, this would be the perfect thing! A delicious Beef & Mushroom Stew is just what we needed on these last remaining colder winter days. I am so ready for some warmer weather and lots of sunshine! Made with lots of onions (we Serbians love our onions), root veggies, canned tomatoes and seasonings and cooked slowly – this dish is just pure hearty comfort. The key is to let it cook slowly, so that the meat tenderizes beautifully!

Beef & Mushroom Stew

Making this recipe

Start with the onions. You can sauté the beef with oil first, then remove the beef, however I love to soften the onions and then add the beef. Sauté the onions and leek until soft, then add the beef and cook until the meat starts to brown. Stews, are in general, a practical way to cook tougher cuts of meat, slowly simmering them to achieve tenderness. So this recipe does just that – cooks the meat until soft and tender.

But, anyway … next add the chopped carrots and parsnip, stir and cook for a further 3 -5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, veggie stock and bring to a boil (for about 15 minutes). Now we want to gently turn the heat down, add the paprika, bay leaves, vegeta, salt & pepper. Stir everything together, loosely cover with a lid and cook for 45 minutes or up until 1 hour. Lastly, we add the mushrooms, and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until they have completely cooked. Allow the stew to rest for a little while. When I have time, I let it sit, covered with a lid for roughly 20 minutes. However you can let it sit for as little as 5 or 10 minutes. Serve warm over a bed of mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or rice, if that’s your jam.

Beef & Mushroom Stew

How you should serve this stew

I think it is safe to say that a lot of stews are served with potatoes or rice. I personally looove serving stew with buttery, mashed potatoes. Especially if you find yourself in mid-winter or on a super cold night, mashed potatoes are the perfect thing. The best way is to spoon the stew over the top of the mashed potatoes – this way some of the juices from the stew sink into the potatoes. Yumm! I would also recommend using boiled, salted potatoes cut into small chunks if you are in rush for time. You can also serve with rice or quinoa. These are my two least favourite options, but for some this could be the perfect thing! For a lighter option, go for a delicious home-made salad. Growing up we often had salads as a side to a stew and we loved it. You can try a Beetroot Salad / Salata od Cvekle or any other salad of your choice. Additionally, grate some cheese over the entire dish if you are looking for more comfort and flavour!

Homemade Beef & Mushroom Stew

Looking for more?

If you are looking for more ideas, try one of the recipes below:

Mac & Cheese / Makarone sa Sirom

Serbian Beef Goulash / Goveđi Gulaš

Roasted & Cajun Spiced Pumpkin Soup

This Beef & Mushroom Stew is a timeless comfort food. Made with simple yet flavorful ingredients, this dish is easily a staple in our household. I hope that you enjoy making it! Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! If you have questions, you can find me over on Instagram or tag me with your photo. You can also find me over on TikTok.

Reviews

Ingredients:

Adjust Servings
2tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped
1 leek, chopped
400g diced beef
4medium carrots, chopped
3medium parsnips, chopped
200g mushrooms, peeled & halved
400g diced tomatoes (1 can)
300ml veggie stock
2tsp dried paprika
1tsp Vegeta (or all purpose seasoning)
4 bay leaves
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1.
Sauté
In a large pot, heat olive oil. Once warm, add the chopped yellow onions and leek, add 1 tsp of salt, mix, and cook until softened (stirring often). Once soft, add the chopped beef and cook until browned.
To the pot, add the chopped carrots and parsnips. Mix and cook for a further 3-5 minutes. Stir often so that nothing sticks to the bottom.
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2.
Cook
Next, add the can of chopped tomatoes and veggie stock. The meat and vegetables should be covered with liquid. If you need to, add more water, just until everything is submerged. Bring to a boil and cook for 10-15 minutes. Then, turn the heat down to low-medium, add the paprika, bay leaves, vegeta (or any all purpose seasoning), salt & pepper to taste. Mix and cook on a gentle heat for 45 minutes, up to 1 hour, stirring often.
The stew will reduce in fluid volume, this is what you want, but it should not become completely dry. Some liquid should remain. Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 15 minutes on low heat or until the mushrooms are fully cooked.
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3.
Serve
Turn the heat off. Cover the dish with a lid and let it sit a while. I usually let mine sit for 20 minutes. Serve warm over mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes or rice. Enjoy.
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Notes
If you can, use good quality meat. Meat from the butcher can be best. This can add great flavour to your dish.
Your stew should be covered with liquid at the start of cooking but should reduce while it slow cooks.
Some moisture should remain in your stew at the end, it should not be completely dry.
Make sure to remove the bay leaves from the pot before serving.

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