French Onion Beef Stew
This French Onion Beef Stew combines two classic soup recipes into one. Rich and flavorful French onion soup is paired with tender, savory beef for the most delicious comfort food dinner. This is one of my favorite soup recipes and is easy to make in the crockpot, too!
For more Delicious Soup Recipes, be sure to check out my Green Chile Stew, Quick and Easy Broccoli Cheddar Soup, and Cowboy Soup.
I have a long list of personal favorites here on my site (here’s looking at you Swedish Meatballs and Cranberry Bliss Bars!) And I am here to tell you now that this new recipe for French Onion Beef Stew has officially joined those ranks.
I’ve been making this for a long time and am excited to finally share the recipe with you. It’s everything you love about French onion soup but with the heartiness of a tender, savory beef stew. It’s the perfect dinner for a chilly day or for a Sunday meal with the family. It makes the whole house smell amazing while it cooks, too!
This is one of those recipes that you will want to make on repeat during the cooler months to come. I really believe it will become one of your favorite soups, if not your number one! Oh and don’t forget some crusty bread for dipping in that delicious broth! It’s a must!
Ingredients for French Onion Beef Stew Recipe
- Butter and olive oil – are used for cooking the onions and the beef.
- Onions – you will need quite a few for this recipe! I like to use five whole yellow onions, thinly sliced. This is where all of that incredible flavor comes from, so don’t skimp!
- Beef chuck roast – I like to buy a 2-3 pound chuck roast and cut it myself into 2-inch cubes. Chuck roast is my favorite cut of meat for this stew because it becomes super tender and flavorful. For a quicker alternative, you can use pre-cut beef stew meat.
- Garlic – you’ll want to use about 3-4 cloves of minced garlic.
- Granulated beef bouillon – I highly recommend using Caldo de Res brand. It really makes the BEST beef stew.
- Seasonings – you will need salt, pepper, and a packet of beefy onion soup mix to season your stew. You could also use regular onion soup mix or Au Jus mix, but beefy onion is my favorite!
- Soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce – both add some depth of flavor and a bit of umami to your French onion beef stew. Don’t leave them out!
- Carrots – round out the richness of the stew and add some nice color.
A full list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions are located in the recipe card below.
How to Make French Onion Beef Stew – Step by Step
Melt butter in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes until soft and slightly golden brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Be careful not to burn the onions; adjust heat to a lower temperature if need be.
In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef chunks in a single layer and brown on all sides without cooking all the way through. Stir in the Caldo de Res and the minced garlic until the beef is well coated.
Transfer the cooked beef mixture to the pot with the onions (make sure to scrape out all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot; so much flavor there!) Add the beefy onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, carrots, and water.
Turn heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 2-3 hours until carrots are soft and beef is tender.
Tips and Notes
- Slow Cooker Option: Follow instructions through step 2 then transfer all ingredients to the crock pot. Cook over low heat for 6-8 hours until beef is tender. I end up making my French Onion Beef Stew this way the majority of the time!
- Don’t skimp on the onions. They add so much flavor to the stew, and you really do need all five of them! I recommend using yellow or sweet onions for the best flavor.
- If you can’t find beefy onion soup mix, you can use Au Jus mix or regular onion soup mix. The flavor will be a little different, though, so try your best to get the beefy onion version.
- For serving, you need some crusty bread for sopping up that incredibly delicious broth! I like to make a batch of Dutch Oven Bread to serve alongside our stew.
- Sprinkle some gruyere cheese over the tops of your bowls to make it more like traditional French onion soup!
- Store any leftover French onion beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It tastes really good the next day!
More Comfort Food Dinner Recipes You Should Try!
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below. I love to hear from you and always appreciate your feedback!
Recipe: French Onion Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 medium yellow onions, sliced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds chuck roast, cut into small chunks
- 2 Tablespoons granulated beef bouillon, I recommend Caldo de Res from Knorr
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 packet beefy onion soup mix
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 12 ounces baby carrots
- 3 cups water
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes until soft and carmelized. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Be careful not to burn the onions; adjust heat to a lower temperature if need be.
- In a cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef chunks in a single layer and brown on all sides without cooking all the way through. Stir in the Caldo de Res and the minced garlic until the beef is well coated.
- Transfer the cooked beef mixture to the pot with the onions (make sure to scrape out all of the browned bits from the bottom of the pot; so much flavor there!) Add the beefy onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, carrots, and water.
- Turn heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 2-3 hours until carrots are soft and beef is tender.
Notes
- Slow Cooker Option: Follow instructions through step 2 then transfer all ingredients to the crock pot. Cook over low heat for 6-8 hours until beef is tender. I end up making my French Onion Beef Stew this way the majority of the time!
- Don’t skimp on the onions. They add so much flavor to the stew, and you really do need all five of them! I recommend using yellow or sweet onions for the best flavor.
- If you can’t find beefy onion soup mix, you can use Au Jus mix or regular onion soup mix. The flavor will be a little different, though, so try your best to get the beefy onion version.
- For serving, you need some crusty bread for sopping up that incredibly delicious broth! I like to make a batch of Dutch Oven Bread to serve alongside our stew.
- Sprinkle some gruyere cheese over the tops of your bowls to make it more like traditional French onion soup!
- Store any leftover French onion beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It tastes really good the next day!
