Beef stew with rice is chunks of beef chuck browned and simmered low with onion, green bell pepper, garlic, oregano and a bay leaf in beef stock until tender, then partly shredded, thickened with a little cornstarch and spooned over a bowl of rice. It’s a simple, saucy stew that feeds 4.
How to make beef stew with rice: brown 2 pounds of beef chuck in oil, cook onion and bell pepper 5 minutes, add garlic, oregano, salt and pepper, pour in 5 cups of beef stock with a bay leaf, cover and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours until tender, shred some of the beef, stir in a cornstarch slurry, simmer 15 minutes and serve over rice.
Why You’ll Love It
- One pot for the whole stew.
- Short ingredient list: beef, onion, pepper, garlic, oregano and stock.
- Thick, saucy gravy made for spooning over rice.
- Feeds 4 with 2 pounds of beef.
Rice Under the Stew, or Rice in the Pot?
Beef stew and rice go together two ways.
Over cooked rice (this recipe). Cook the rice separately and spoon the stew over it, 4 cups of cooked rice for 4 servings. Another way to serve it: spoon the rice into wide bowls, make a well in the center, and fill it with a heaping scoop of stew and gravy. To cook long-grain rice for it, bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add 2 cups of rice, 1 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of butter, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 20 minutes or until tender. Stir before serving. Or make the rice by the package directions while the stew simmers.
Rice cooked in the pot. For a soupier stew, add 1 cup of uncooked white rice to the pot after the beef has simmered about 1 1/2 hours, cover again, and simmer about 20 more minutes until the rice is tender. That version uses 6 cups of beef broth for 2 pounds of stew meat, a larger, brothier pot. Add a little water if you want it thinner.
How to Get Tender Beef and a Thick Gravy
- Brown the beef first. Lightly brown the chunks on all sides in hot oil.
- Simmer low and covered. Keep it at a low simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beef is tender.
- Shred some of the beef. Pull out a portion, shred it and stir it back in, or mash some of it in the pot with a potato masher.
- Thicken with a slurry. Whisk 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/4 cup of cold water, stream it into the stew while stirring, and simmer 15 more minutes.
- Faster version. Cut each piece of beef in half and the simmer drops to about 45 minutes.
Ingredient Notes
Beef. Two pounds of beef chuck cut into 2-inch chunks. Round works too.
Vegetables. One large onion (about 2 cups) and one large green bell pepper (about 1 1/2 cups), sliced or diced, plus 4 cloves of garlic.
Seasoning. Two teaspoons of dried oregano, a teaspoon each of salt and pepper, and a bay leaf.
Stock. Five cups of beef stock.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks (round also works)
- 2 cups onion, sliced or diced (about 1 large)
- 1 1/2 cups green bell pepper, sliced or diced (about 1 large)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 cups beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup cold water, for the cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Additional salt and black pepper, to taste
- 4 cups cooked rice, for serving
How to Make Beef Stew with Rice
1. Brown the beef. Heat the oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the beef and lightly brown the chunks on all sides.
2. Cook the vegetables. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring now and then, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and cook 2 more minutes.
3. Simmer until tender. Stir in the beef stock and bay leaf and bring to a low simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Shred some of the beef. Remove a portion of the beef, shred it and return it to the stew. A potato masher also works to break the meat apart in the pot.
5. Thicken the stew. Whisk the cold water and cornstarch together. Slowly stream it into the stew, stirring, then simmer another 15 minutes until thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper.
6. Serve over rice. Serve the stew warm over the cooked rice.
Variations
- Red wine: add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of red wine with the stock.
- Potatoes: add 1 pound of fingerling potatoes for the last 15 minutes.
- Mushrooms: cook 1 cup of sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion and pepper.
- Deeper flavor: stir in Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste and smoked paprika.
- Peas: add 1/2 cup of baby peas.
Storage & Reheating
Divide leftovers into shallow, covered containers and refrigerate them within 2 hours; eat within 3 to 4 days. Freeze the stew for 3 to 4 months, thaw it in the fridge the night before, and make fresh rice just before serving. Frozen stew can also go straight into a saucepan or the microwave. Reheat covered until it comes to a rolling boil (165°F). Don’t reheat it in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Rice is the base here. For more beef dinners, try beef tips with mushroom gravy, cozy beef and rice casserole or Instant Pot beef stew. For more stews, there’s slow cooker Mulligan stew, slow cooker poor man’s stew and slow cooker beef stew noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does rice go well with beef stew?
Yes. Spoon the stew over cooked rice, or cook uncooked rice right in the pot for the last 20 minutes for a soupier stew.
How much rice do I need?
4 cups of cooked rice for 4 servings, or 1 cup of uncooked rice if you cook it in the pot.
How do I thicken beef stew?
Whisk 3 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1/4 cup of cold water, stir it into the stew and simmer 15 minutes.
Can I make it faster?
Cut the beef into smaller pieces; halved chunks take about 45 minutes.
Final Notes
Low and slow for the beef, a quick slurry for the gravy, and a big scoop of rice underneath. Tell me in the comments what you added to yours.
Beef Stew with Rice
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 pounds beef chuck cut into 2-inch chunks; round also works
- 2 cups onion thinly sliced or diced, about 1 large onion
- 1 1/2 cups green bell pepper thinly sliced or diced, about 1 large pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper ground
- 5 cups beef stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup cold water for the cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- salt and black pepper additional, to taste
- 4 cups cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot or skillet over medium heat. When it's hot, add the beef and lightly brown the chunks on all sides.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring now and then, for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and cook 2 more minutes.
- Stir in the beef stock and bay leaf and bring to a low simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- Remove a portion of the beef, shred it and return it to the stew. A potato masher also works to break the meat apart in the pot.
- Whisk the cold water and cornstarch together. Slowly stream it into the stew, stirring, then simmer another 15 minutes until thickened. Taste and add salt and pepper.
- Serve the stew warm over the cooked rice.
Notes
Nutrition
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