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If you love stew, try something a little different and make this delicious Irish Beef Stew Recipe. The tomato broth is tangy and the bacon gives it the best flavor. The beef is so tender and the entire dish is the best comfort food.

Irish Beef Stew in a bowl with a bottle of Guinness beer on the side
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One pot meals are the best and we love them for busy weeknight dinners. You have less mess to clean and all that you need for dinner is in the pot. This makes dinner a breeze.

Plus, this stew is AMAZING! It is thick and hearty with vegetables, beef and the best broth you have ever had. Seriously! You will want to lick the bowl because the broth is the best. I can’t wait for you to try this. This is an Easy St Patrick’s Day Recipe to serve. Prefer the crock pot? Try Crock Pot Irish Beef Stew Recipe.

Why This Recipe Works

This is one of our favorite comfort food dishes. I love that you can make this on the stove top or use the slow cooker. This Irish beef stew recipe is so delicious.

Once you cover and simmer, the flavors really start to blend for a great recipe. It is absolutely delicious.

We love it year round but it is especially fun to make this for St. Patrick’s Day too. Another delicious recipe to try is Crock Pot Sweet Potato Stew. It is so good!

Ingredients

Ingredients - stew meat, olive oil, garlic, onion, bacon, flour, butter, Guinness, tomato paste, beef stock, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, potatoes, Worcestershire Sauce
  • Stew Meat – You can use a beef chuck roast cut up
  • Olive Oil – Use oil of your choice
  • Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
  • Bacon – Feel free to use leftover cooked Air Fryer Bacon
  • Beef Stock – You may use chicken broth or beef broth in place of beef. The chicken broth will mask the taste of the Guinness beer more.
  • Carrots – You can also use baby carrots. Add in slice mushrooms for a delicious addition.
  • Potatoes – Use potatoes of your choice
  • Worcestershire Sauce – See The Best Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes if you are out

Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.

How to Make Irish Beef Stew

Cooking chopped bacon in a large pot with a wooden spoon

Step 1 – In a dutch oven, cook bacon over a medium high heat until desired crispness, remove and set aside.

Cooked beef stew in a large pot with a wooden spoon

Step 2 – Season beef with salt and pepper. Next, add olive oil to dutch oven and brown the beef, remove and set aside. Add butter and onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes.

Adding flour to large pot with cooked onions

Step 3 – Add in flour and whisk to make a roux, cook for 1 minute. Pour in Guinness and whisk until there are no more lumps.

Adding broth, celery, carrots, potatoes, seasoning and tomato paste to large pot with wooden spoon

Step 4 – Add tomato paste, chicken stock, carrots or parsnips, Worcestershire sauce, celery, bay leaves and thyme, stir to combine.

Step 5 – Return beef, potatoes and bacon to the pot.

Step 6 – Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for up to 2 hours, or until sauce has thickened to a loose gravy and vegetables are fork tender.

Step 7 – Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed, remove bay leaves and enjoy

Expert Tips

  • Chopping Veggies – This recipe calls for diced onion. One of my favorite time saving tip is to use a small food chopper or food processor to quickly and easily chop onions and peppers.
  • Thicker Consistency – If you prefer you beef stew to have a thicker consistency make a cornstarch slurry.
Irish beef stew in a large pot with a silver spoon

Serving Suggestions

This stew is amazing with crusty bread so you can dip into that yummy broth. Pick up a loaf of French bread from the bakery or make these easy homemade dinner rolls. So good!

Just use whatever your family likes! We have even made this easy homemade cornbread and served the stew with that. You can also try Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Recipe for a little extra kick.

Whatever you choose will be delicious. You definitely need some type of bread though to dip into the soup to get every last drop!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Difference Between Beef Stew and Irish Stew?

Beef stew and Irish Stew is very similar but a traditional Irish Stew is made with lamb meat.

Do You Need to Sear Beef before Cooking Stew?

Yes, we like to cook the beef stew meat before adding in the stew ingredients. It adds flavor to the beef and gives the beef the perfect amount of texture.

What Kind Of Beer to Add to Stew?

We add a Guinness Beer to the Stew which adds a delicious flavor but you can not taste the beer as it cooks down with the other ingredients.

How to Store Leftover Irish Stew

Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Store for up to 4-5 days.

Large pot of Irish Beef Stew with a silver spoon

More Easy Stew Recipes

If you make this Irish Beef Stew Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review. We love hearing from you.

Irish Beef Stew Recipe

5 from 8 votes
If you love stew, try something different and make this Irish beef stew. The tomato broth is tangy and the beef is so tender.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine Irish
Course Soup, stew
Calories 497

Ingredients

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Instructions

  • In a dutch oven cook bacon over a medium high heat until desired crispness, remove and set aside.
  • Season beef with salt and pepper.
  • Add olive oil to dutch oven and brown the beef, remove and set aside.
  • Add butter and onions, cook until onions are soft and translucent, 2-3 minutes.
  • Add in flour and whisk to make a roux, cook for 1 minute.
  • Pour in Guinness and whisk until there are no more lumps.
  • Add tomato paste, beef stock, carrots or parsnips, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, celery, bay leaves and thyme, stir to combine.
  • Return beef and bacon to the pot.
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce to low, cover and simmer for up to 2 hours, or until sauce has thickened to a loose gravy and vegetables are fork tender.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper as needed, remove bay leaves and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

You may use chicken broth in place of beef. The chicken broth will mask the taste of the Guinness more.
Refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  

Nutrition Facts

Calories 497kcal, Carbohydrates 28g, Protein 42g, Fat 23g, Saturated Fat 8g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 25mg, Sodium 634mg, Potassium 911mg, Fiber 3g, Sugar 5g, Vitamin A 5410IU, Vitamin C 10mg, Calcium 67mg, Iron 2mg

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

5 from 8 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Carrie says:

    Yes, you can definitely can make in in the crock pot. I would add all the ingredients to the crock pot at the beginning. Whisk the flour into the beef broth before adding this into the crock pot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours until the beef is tender.

  2. Jill Hetherington says:

    Carrie, could this be made using a crock pot? When would l add the guineas and the ingredients?

  3. Judith Phillips says:

    5 stars
    I made this recipe and it is delicious shared it with a friend and they have been using it also I gave it a 5-star rating because it’s delicious and easy to make