A rich, comforting one-pot meal made with tender beef, golden baby potatoes, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, and a deeply flavorful sauce. This recipe is inspired by the dish in your image and is perfect for a cozy family dinner. Serve it with bulgur pilaf, rice, crusty bread, or a simple salad.
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 50 minutes
Ingredients
For the Stew
- 2 lb (900 g) beef chuck, cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1.5 lb (680 g) baby potatoes, washed well
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5–6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup water, or more as needed
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Optional for Extra Flavor
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 small green chili, thinly sliced
- A squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving
Instructions
1. Prepare the Beef
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. This is an important step because dry beef browns much better than wet beef.
Season the beef with salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, and oregano. Toss everything together until the meat is evenly coated.
Place a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
When the oil is hot, add the beef in batches. Avoid overcrowding the pot because too much meat at once will cause it to steam instead of brown.
Sear the beef for about 2–3 minutes per side, until deeply browned. You don’t need to cook the beef through at this stage. The goal is to develop a beautiful browned crust.
Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set it aside.
2. Build the Flavor Base
Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onion to the same pot.
Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and lightly golden.
Add the chopped garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
Add the red and green bell peppers and cook for approximately 3–4 minutes until they begin to soften.
Now add the tomato paste. Stir it into the vegetables and cook for about 1–2 minutes. Cooking the tomato paste briefly helps deepen its flavor and gives the sauce a richer color.
Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well.
3. Return the Beef to the Pot
Place the browned beef back into the pot along with any juices that collected on the plate.
Add the bay leaves, red pepper flakes if using, and Worcestershire sauce if desired.
Pour in the beef broth and enough water to almost cover the beef.
Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
Once it starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pot and let the beef simmer gently for about 45–60 minutes.
The important thing is to keep the stew at a gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil. Slow cooking allows the beef to become tender while giving the sauce time to develop a deep, rich flavor.
4. Add the Baby Potatoes
While the beef is cooking, wash the baby potatoes thoroughly. If they are small, leave them whole. If they are larger, cut them in half.
After the beef has simmered for about 45–60 minutes, add the baby potatoes to the pot.
Stir gently so the potatoes become coated in the flavorful sauce.
Cover the pot again and continue cooking for another 25–35 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the beef is very tender.
Check the liquid occasionally. If the stew becomes too thick before the potatoes are cooked, add a little hot water or beef broth.
If the stew looks too thin near the end, remove the lid and let it simmer uncovered for several minutes. This will allow the sauce to reduce and become richer.
5. Finish the Stew
When the beef is tender and the potatoes are cooked through, taste the sauce.
Adjust the salt, black pepper, paprika, or red pepper flakes according to your preference.
Add the butter and stir gently until it melts into the sauce. This gives the stew a smooth, glossy finish.
Turn off the heat and let the stew rest for about 5–10 minutes before serving.
Remove the bay leaves.
Sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the top.
For a little brightness, you can add a small squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving.
How to Serve
For the best presentation, carefully transfer the stew to a large rustic serving dish or individual bowls.
Use a large serving spoon to scoop up the tender beef, golden baby potatoes, peppers, garlic, and plenty of the rich sauce.
Spoon some of the sauce over the potatoes so everything has that beautiful glossy finish.
Serve immediately while the stew is hot.
This dish pairs especially well with bulgur pilaf, fluffy white rice, warm crusty bread, or a simple green salad. Pickled vegetables are also a great accompaniment because their acidity balances the richness of the stew.
Chef’s Tips
Brown the beef well. Don’t rush this step. The browned bits left at the bottom of the pot add incredible flavor to the final sauce.
Don’t overcrowd the pot. If necessary, brown the beef in two or three batches.
Keep the heat low while simmering. A gentle simmer produces more tender beef than aggressive boiling.
Use baby potatoes when possible. They hold their shape beautifully and absorb the flavors of the sauce.
Let the stew rest. Even 5–10 minutes makes a difference because the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors settle.
Make it ahead. This stew often tastes even better the next day because the meat and potatoes have more time to absorb the sauce.
Storage
Allow leftovers to cool before transferring them to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.
To reheat, place the stew in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or beef broth if the sauce has become too thick, then heat gently until completely warmed through.
You can also freeze the stew in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Final result: tender, juicy beef, golden baby potatoes, sweet peppers, aromatic garlic, and a rich, savory tomato-based sauce—all cooked together in one pot for an incredibly comforting homemade meal.