Beef roast, potatoes, carrots, and more are simmered to tender PERFECTION in a rich and savory broth for the best beef stew that’s easy to make! Cheesy dumplings on top are the final comfort food touch making this a classic family favorite recipe especially when the weather is chilly!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time2 hourshrs
Total Time2 hourshrs15 minutesmins
Course: Entrees
Cuisine: American
Keyword: beef stew with Bisquick dumplings, beef stew with dumplings, beef stew with dumplings recipe, drop dumplings for stew, dumplings for beef stew, dumplings for stew, dumplings on beef stew, stew with dumplings
Servings: 8
Calories: 576kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
Beef Stew
2tablespoonsolive oil
2poundsChuck roast OR beef stew meatcubed into bite-sized pieces
1white or yellow oniondiced small
3 to 5clovesgarlicpeeled and finely minced
3large carrotspeeled and diced into 1/2-inch slices
3medium to large Yukon gold potatoesOR 1 pound baby Yukon gold OR baby red potatoes, peeled if desired and diced into 1-inch chunks
1 ½cupsBisquick mixor similar product OR canned biscuit dough OR your favorite scratch dumplings/biscuit recipe
¾cupshredded cheddar cheese
½cupwhole or 2% milk
Instructions
Beef Stew - To a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the olive oil, beef, and cook over medium-high heat to sear and brown the beef. Stir and flip intermittently as the beef cooks to ensure even cooking. Cook for about 5 minutes. Beef does not need to be fully cooked through, just browned on the outside.
Add the onions, garlic, and cook for 2 minutes; stir nearly constantly.
Add the carrots, potatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, and stir or whisk to encourage the tomato paste to dissolve.
After it has dissolved, add all the remaining ingredients (in the stew portion of the recipe), and simmer over medium-low heat, uncovered, for about 1 hour. Stir only very occasionally.
If the stew is low on broth, add some now. Tips - After the dumplings are added and while they cook, they will thicken the stew, so add more broth now if you think it needs it. I also recommend reduced sodium beef broth so that as it evaporates and concentrates while it cooks, and naturally become saltier, that your finished stew isn’t too salty. You can always add more salt, but can’t take it out. Now is a good time to taste and check for seasoning balance and add more salt or pepper, if desired.
Dumplings - To a medium bowl, add the Bisquick mix, cheese, milk (OR bake Grands Biscuits or similar according to package directions to save time OR make scratch dumpling dough).
Drop the dumpling dough mixture by rounded tablespoons evenly over the top surface of the stew.
Cover and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes, or until dumplings are fully set. Use a toothpick or break one open to test for doneness. If you baked Grands biscuits separately, halve them and place on the top of each individual bowl of stew before serving. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprig before serving.
Notes
* Red Wine – I recommend a dry red wine such as:
Cabernet sauvignon
Merlot
Syrah
Pinot Noir
As I mentioned in a previous section, alternatively you can:
Use 1/2 cup dark beer instead of red wine
Use 1/2 cup extra beef broth instead of any alcohol
Storage: Stew will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days. And you can freeze it for up to 4 months. Note - The dumplings will get soggy and potentially disintegrate a bit into the stew itself so don’t be surprised if your leftovers are even thicker. Tip - If you know you’re going to store this and are making it so you have planned leftovers, I suggest baking canned biscuit dough biscuits separately and then topping each bowl of stew with warm, oven-fresh biscuits before serving.