If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food that takes nearly no time to prep you’ve come to the right place! Our Easy Baked Beef Stew is a take on classic beef stew that will have everyone’s mouths watering. We guarantee everyone will be reaching their bowls out for a second helping of this beefy goodness!
Table of Contents
What is Easy Baked Stew?
It’s no secret that we love easy recipes and that we’re also big fans of beef, so it’s no surprise that we’d marry the two together! This dish is our hot take on beef stew — except it’s pretty hands-off and chock-full of even more flavor.
We put together a recipe that embodies classic beef stew with its chunky mounds of beef and rich tomato flavor and kicked up a notch with spicy jalapenos and crushed red pepper, warm coriander, and subtly sweet bell peppers. But? Instead of standing over the stovetop stirring and waiting for it to come together, we bake it in the oven.
The result is a thick, rich version of the traditional stew that has amplified flavor thanks to the baking (we’re talking a whole lot of Maillard reaction goodness, here). If your family is a fan of beef stew, this recipe is going to knock their socks off.
Ingredients You Need
For the stew:
- Gold Yukon potatoes – These spuds are like little nuggets of gold, adding hearty texture and flavor to our beef bake.
- Large carrots, sliced thick – Carrots bring a burst of color and natural sweetness, making every bite of our beef bake a vibrant delight!
- Onion, quartered – Onions add a savory punch and subtle sweetness, ensuring our beef bake is bursting with flavor from every angle!
- Red pepper, quartered – Red peppers are like edible confetti, sprinkling our beef bake with a pop of color and a hint of sweet tanginess.
- Green pepper, quartered – Green peppers add a fresh crunch and a touch of bitterness, giving our beef bake a lively and balanced flavor profile.
- Large tomatoes, quartered – Tomatoes bring juicy goodness and a hint of acidity, creating a mouthwatering base.
- Jalapeños – Jalapeños bring the heat and a hint of smokiness, adding a fiery kick that takes this dish to the next level.
- Garlic cloves, sliced – Garlic cloves infuse the bake with aromatic depth and irresistible savoriness!
- Stew meat (such as chuck roast or sirloin) – Stew meat is the star of the show, with its tender juiciness and rich beefy flavor making this a true comfort food classic.
- Olive oil – Olive oil is the culinary MVP, lending a luxurious richness and golden crispness to the beef bake!
- Salt – Salt enhances all of the other ingredients and ensures each bite is perfectly seasoned and utterly delicious!
- Pepper – Pepper adds a zesty kick and a cozy hint of warmth.
- Crushed red pepper – Crushed red pepper brings the heat with a fiery intensity, turning up the temperature in the best way.
- Garlic powder – Garlic powder brings all the flavor without the fuss of mincing or grating.
- Onion powder – Onion powder infuses our beef bake with all the savory goodness of onions in a convenient, sprinkle-able form!
- Cardamom – Cardamom adds a touch of warmth to our beef bake, basically elevating it to gourmet status.
- Oregano – Oregano’s earthy aroma and robust flavor add Mediterranean flair.
- Bay leaf – Bay leaf infuses this bake with a subtle herbal complexity and just a whisper of floral notes.
For the Sauce:
- Tomato paste – Tomato paste is the thick, rich base that ties the dish together, providing a deep tomato flavor and luxurious texture that coats every bite.
- Tomato sauce – Tomato sauce is the smooth and tangy partner in crime, adding a burst of tomato goodness and a saucy richness that brings the bake to life!
- Water – Water helps to meld all the flavors together, ensuring our beef bake is moist, tender, and utterly irresistible!
How to Make This Super Simple Beef Baked Stew
- Combine veggies and meat. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, red pepper, green pepper, tomatoes, jalapenos, and sliced garlic cloves to a large baking dish with the meat.
- Make the sauce. Pour the tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water into a large measuring cup and stir until combined.
- Pour the sauce in. Add the tomato mixture to the baking dish with the meat and veggies.
- Drizzle oil. Add the olive oil to the top of the other ingredients.
- Add seasonings. Sprinkle all of the seasonings over top and place the bay leaf on top as well.
- Bake. Secure
parchment paper and foil over the top and bake for the recommended time. - Serve. After allowing the dish to rest briefly, serve on its own or garnished with chives, cilantro, and parsley.
Variations
- Spices – Switch up the spices to incorporate flavors you love. Cumin is a great addition and we love the fresh flavor of basil, too.
- Heat – Increase the red pepper flakes or add some cayenne pepper powder or hot sauce.
- Citrus – Any soup or stew can benefit from a squeeze of fresh lemon at the end of cooking to brighten it up.
- Meat – Swap out beef for pork or chicken for a totally different take on this bake.
Can I Store Leftovers?
This is one of the best recipes to store and reheat — letting it sit in the refrigerator lets all of the flavors come together. It’s even better the next day!
To refrigerate, either put a lid on top of the baking dish, cover it in aluminum foil, or transfer it to an airtight container. It will stay fresh for 3-4 days.
To freeze, just place it in a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Beefy Recipes
Want to beef up your meat game? Check out these recipes full of beefy goodness!
Easy Baked Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3 gold Yukon potatoes peeled and quartered
- 2 large carrots sliced thick
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 red pepper quartered
- 1 green pepper quartered
- 3 large tomatoes quartered
- 1-2 large jalapeños
- 5 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 pounds stew meat such as chuck roast or sirloin
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 bay leaf
For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1/4 cup tomato sauce
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large baking dish, combine the peeled and quartered gold Yukon potatoes, sliced carrots, quartered onion, quartered red pepper, quartered green pepper, quartered tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, and sliced garlic cloves.3 gold Yukon potatoes, 2 large carrots, 1 onion, 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 3 large tomatoes, 1-2 large jalapeños, 5 garlic cloves
- Add the stew meat (chuck roast or sirloin works too) to the baking dish.2 pounds stew meat
- In a measuring cup, mix together the tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water until well combined.1/2 cup tomato paste, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 2 cups water
- Pour the tomato mixture over the vegetables and meat in the baking dish.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the top.2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Sprinkle the salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cardamom, oregano, and add the bay leaf evenly over the contents of the baking dish.1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 bay leaf
- Cover the baking dish with brown parchment paper and foil.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes, or until the meat is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
- Serve hot topped with chives, cilantro, or parsley, if desired. Enjoy your delicious spicy oven-baked beef and vegetable stew!
Equipment
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love beef stew. I make it a few times a year. When I saw this recipe I was intrigued. Baking it in the oven sounded interesting….so I decided to try it. And I followed the recipe as written. I was sooo disappointed with the results. First of all cutting the potatoes, onions and peppers in quarters seemed odd…..such big pieces! But I did as I was told …2nd just throwing the stew meat in there with no browning or seasoning was foreign to me. But I did it. Added all the other ingredients and spices as directed and popped it in the oven ….a little over 90 minutes later I pulled it out with great anticipation. Sadly the potatoes and carrots where still way undercooked and the beef was tough as shoe leather. Also the broth never thickened up …it was like water. To salvage it I divided it in 2 batches and put them one at a time into my insta- pot for 20 minutes. After that the veggies were fully cooked and the meat was very tender. I also added a little diluted corn starch to thicken things up. Finally it was truly stew. The spicy flavor was very good but I would not use this recipe again. Who wants a quarter of a green pepper in a spoonful of stew?
We’re sorry it didn’t turn out well for you, Roy, but appreciate your feedback. We hope you still try some of our other recipes!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can I sub turnips for the potatoes?
We haven’t tested it but think it would work! We’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try. 🙂
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Unfortunately this recipe didn’t work for me. The vegetables were tender and crunchy just how I like them, but the meat was way too tough. I had to throw it away 🙁
Mine cooked perfectly in an hour. My e you people with tough meat should have checked it sooner. It started to smell finished at an hour and it is done.
We’re so glad it turned out well for you, Joanna!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Hi! This looks so delicious and I can’t wait to try it. I would like to know if I could use a dutch oven instead of a baking dish? Thank you!
That should work just fine. We hope you enjoy it, Dawn!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Your recipes look delicious!
Thank you, Kerry! We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
So easy, tasty and warming! Perfect for winter in Australia.
just made this. absolutely delicious! the flavors are unbelievable. so easy to make. 1 pan! I didn’t have cardamom so I substituted equal amount of allspice. the gravy was plentiful and delicious. 👍👍
Thank you so much, Susan! We’re so glad you enjoyed it. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Looks great! Will the veggies become mushy? We like ours with a bit of bite to them (al dente). Would you recommend adding them in half-way thru??? Thank you!
We don’t think they’re mushy – just tender! 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Can this recipe be assembled and then frozen before baking? And then at a later time thawed and baked? Like a freezer prepped meal.
Hi Janet,
We haven’t tested it and can’t say for sure but probably wouldn’t recommend it. The taste and texture of the ingredients is likely to change.
Can this be cooked in the crock pot please?
We recommend making this one instead!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
90 minutes is enough for the meat to become tender?
That’s what we found worked. Of course, every oven is different. So, you may need to adjust slightly. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Made this last night. Delicious!
Thank you, Myrna!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Haven’t made it yet (will tonight) looks great…
But— directions talk about quartering the peppers, onion etc. but the pictures show all of that chopped up. Quartering means four pieces so I’m going to use the pictures and not those directions as a guide. Also using beef stock instead of water.
You do a great job with these posts keep it up!
Thank you, Steve! We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I followed this recipe to the letter, particularly making sure that the baking dish was tightly wrapped with brown parchment paper and foil. After 90 minutes at 400 F (new, top of the line oven), the stew meat was shoe leather and the carrots, peppers, jalapeno and potatoes were raw. I had no choice but to dump the stew into my Ninja Foodi on the pressure cooker setting. I’m still waiting for this stew to cook as I type this. Very disappointed.
We’re sorry to hear this, Lauren. We have not had this problem but will retest the recipe. We hope you continue to enjoy other recipes!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Looks yummy! Can’t wait to try! However, what is cardamom? Could it be omitted or is there a substitute? Thanks Ladies
It’s a spice! The best substitutes are allspice, cinnamon, or nutmeg. The flavor won’t be quite the same but is close.
We hope you enjoy, Sandy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa