Irish Stew Recipe

Irish stew in a bowl with carrots, beef, potatoes, and thyme with a spoon sticking out of the top.

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Irish stew is the perfect dish for a cool fall day or any day of the year. Warm up with a hearty bowl of filling Irish stew!

Course Soup

Cuisine Irish

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 50

Servings

Calories 461kcal

Author Alexandria Drzazgowski

Equipment

Ingredients

4 tbsp Canola Oil
2 lb beef stew meat
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 yellow onion peeled and diced
2 carrots peeled and diced
½ leek cleaned and diced
1 parsnip peeled and diced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
½ tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper to Taste (Use code FF20 for 20% off)
3 Russet potatoes peeled and diced
2 quarts warm beef stock

Instructions

In a large dutch oven, warm 3 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the 2 lb beef and sear until the outsides have browned. Remove to a plate and set aside.
Add 1 tbsp oil into the pot and add the 2 cloves garlic and the diced onion. Cook until translucent and aromatic.
Add the 2 carrots, ½ leek, and parsnip and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until softened.
Add the sprigs of thyme, 2 bay leaves, and ½ tsp black pepper. Cook again for about 5 minutes.
Add the 3 potatoes and the seared meat into the pot along with the warm stock.
Cover the dutch oven with a lid, and bring the stew to a boil. Reduce the stew to a simmer and allow it to simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
After an hour, check if the meat is tender. If it is not, cook for another 20 minutes. When the meat is tender, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Beef Stew Meat: Mutton is more traditional in this recipe, but you can keep things easy by using pre-cut beef stew meat. You could use lamb stew meat or you could purchase a beef chuck roast and cut it into smaller pieces.
Vegetables: You can add just about any root vegetables you like but for this recipe I added yellow onion, carrots, leeks, and parsnips. No stew would be complete without potatoes as well. I like to use russet potatoes.
Herbs: Fresh thyme and a bay leaf is all you need to add flavor to this dish, but you could also add some fresh parsley
Beef Stock: You can also use chicken stock if necessary
Some chefs like to replace some of the stock with red wine or Guinness beer (this is called Guinness Stew). Feel free to give it a try if you like!
Cabbage is a great addition to this stew. I recommend adding about 1 cup of young cabbage leaves into the stew about 10 minutes before serving.
This dish is delicious when served over mashed potatoes. I also like sprinkling a little cheese on top for a non-traditional but delicious finish.
Cooking the stew slowly over low heat will create the best flavor. Don’t rush it! You can simmer the stew for hours if you have the time and want a really tender meat.
It’s okay to cut your vegetables into slightly larger bite-sized pieces. They will be cooked well during the long cooking time and if diced too small they may fall apart completely.
You can use just about any kind of potato for this recipe. Russet potatoes will break down more and make your stew thick and hearty. Less starchy potatoes like red potatoes or fingerlings will hold their shape better but won’t contribute as much to the texture of your stew. Which variation you use is up to you.

Nutrition