Tender chunks of beef, potatoes and vegetables are simmered in a spicy beef broth for this stew. My husband was craving a beef stew and I was in the mood for something a bit spicier.
We really liked the slightly spicy version of this classic hearty meal. Everyone in the family was happy with this dinner!
Part of the key to a great beef stew is cutting everything into the same size pieces. This helps everything finish cooking close to the same time.
Lightly sauteing the vegetables prior to simmering them deepens their flavors in this dish; this step can be skipped, but I think the extra step is worth the effort.
Hearty Italian Beef, Bean and Vegetable Stew is another soup you will find simmering in my kitchen quite often.
Hearty Mexican Beef and Vegetable Stew
Ingredients
- 2-3 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 lbs beef stew meat trimmed of fat and diced 1/2" - 3/4" in size
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 lbs small red potatoes diced 1/2" - 3/4" in size
- 1 medium onion diced into 1/2" pieces
- 2 cups carrots diced into 1/2"pieces
- 1 cup celery sliced into 1/2" pieces
- 1 tablespoon beef base I use Better Than Bouillon
- 6 cups water
- 1 tablespoon Mexican spice mix taco seasoning can be substituted
- kosher salt additional to taste only as needed
Instructions
- In the bottom of a large soup pot, warm the oil over medium high heat. Add the beef and stir to coat. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes, turning occasionally. Once the beef is browned on all sides, remove to a waiting plate. Add the vegetables to the pot and stirring occasionally, saute for 3-4 minutes, until they begin to soften.
- Add the remaining ingredients and the cooked beef back to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender. Taste the broth and adjust seasonings as desired. Remove from the heat when the potatoes have softened without falling apart. Serve with a hearty bread or cornbread and Enjoy!
{originally published November 2012, photo updated January 2014}
Tricia @ saving room for dessert says
I love using Better than Bouillon in any of my stews or soups. Nice tip – I guess size does matter!
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
this looks wonderful – just up my alley – perfect for the winter weather 🙂
Mary x
Carolyn says
I love a good stew. These days, I skip the potatoes and add daikon radish or rutabaga but other than that, this is my kind of recipe! 😉
Anonymous says
Have you ever tried doing this in a crock pot?
Mary says
I haven't, but it would probably work fine. You'd still be browning the meat and cooking the onions separately though, so it might not save much effort. If you decide to try it, let me know how it works!