Guinness Stew

Guinness stew is loaded with beef, carrots, celery, potatoes and onions and a deep rich flavor thanks to a bottle of Guinness beer. 

This Guiness stew recipe will be your new go-to comfort food for the cold weather! Make some crock pot tater tot breakfast casserole for weekend brunch, Guinness stew for supper, and homemade banana cake for dessert!

Guinness Stew

Why you’ll love this recipe!

📌 Forget the dishes! It’s a one pot meal, every step of the recipe is prepared in the same large pot.

📌 The incredible blend of rich comforting flavors from the beer to the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.

📌 Versatile! Add more of your favorite vegetables or skip the ones you don’t love.

Guinness Stew Ingredients

• Beef – Pre-cut stew meat or chuck roast cut up into cubes.
• Oil – Any of your favorite cooking oils will work; olive oil, vegetable oil, even avocado oil.
• Garlic – Fresh cloves, minced.
• Flour – All-purpose flour.
• Beer – Guinness beer is the best beer to use as it is Guinness stew but another dark lager would work in a pinch.
• Vegetables – Carrots and celery roughly chopped, potatoes halved or diced, yellow onion roughly diced.
• Broth – Beef broth, we like to use low-sodium.
• Sauces – Tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce.
• Seasonings – Sprigs of fresh thyme, (can also use dried thyme), bay leaves, salt and pepper.
• Cornstarch and water – Optional, for thickening the stew.

Stew meat or chuck roast are great options for this recipe.

How do you make Guinness stew? (step-by-step directions)

⭐ First, season the beef with salt and pepper, brown in a skillet with oil, and set aside.

⭐ Next, add the onion to the pot and cook until tender. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring. Pour in the Guinness to deglaze the pot.

⭐ Then, add the carrots, celery, potatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and the browned stew meat. Add the sprigs of thyme and the bay leaves.

⭐ Finally, simmer covered until the beef is tender. Remove the thyme stems and the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning to taste. Thicken with a cornstarch slurry, if desired. 

Scroll down to the printable recipe card toward the bottom of this article for ingredient measurements and detailed cooking instructions. 

If you cook the meat in batches it will be easier to achieve a nice sear.

Preparation

What kind of beef do I use for Guinness stew?

Chuck roast is the best option for good tender chunks of meat in your stew. We like to grab the pre-cut stew meat from the store to save on time. You can also buy a chuck roast and cube it yourself.

In a pinch, this can be made with any cut of beef. 

Can I make Guinness Stew with frozen vegetables?

While fresh vegetables are recommended for this recipe, you can use frozen vegetables as a convenient alternative. Just be aware that frozen vegetables may release more liquid into the stew, so you may need to adjust the cooking time or thickness as needed.

Can I make Guinness stew ahead of time?

Yes, this soup mature in flavor as it sits! You can make it a day ahead and reheat it on the stove or in the crockpot.

What if I don’t want beer in my stew?

The alcohol of the Guinness beer will cook out during the boiling and simmering. However, if you do not want to add the beer, you can either leave it out or use root beer in place of Guinness.

Thick, rich, and incredibly comforting!

Can I make Guinness Stew in a slow cooker, pressure cooker, or Instant Pot?

Yes, you can adapt this recipe for a pressure cooker or Instant Pot. Follow the same initial steps of browning the beef and sautéing the onion, garlic, and flour. Then, add all the ingredients to your slow cooker or Instant Pot and cook according to the manufacturer’s instructions for a stew or soup setting. Cooking times may vary, so consult your appliance’s manual for guidance.

Leftovers and storage

How long does Guinness stew last?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or longer in the freezer. 

Can I freeze Guinness stew?

Absolutely, this stew freezes very well. Allow the stew to cool, then place in an airtight freezer safe container. For best results, thaw and enjoy within about 3 months. 

Don’t forget to remove the bay leaves before serving.

Tips and tricks

✅ Don’t skip browning the beef, this helps to bring out more flavor in the beef!

✅ Use whole baby carrots instead of chopped carrots to save on time.

✅ Like a thicker stew? Mix 1 part cornstarch with 1 part water and stir the slurry into the simmering stew a little at a time until you’ve reached the desired thickness. 

✅ Add in other vegetables like peas, parsnips and turnips for added texture and flavor.

This is a great recipe for using up all the forgotten produce in your fridge!

Frequently asked questions

Can I make Guinness Stew with a different type of beer?

While Guinness beer is the traditional choice for this recipe, you can experiment with other dark lagers or stouts to see how they affect the flavor. However, keep in mind that the unique flavor of Guinness contributes significantly to the stew’s taste.

What are alternatives to cornstarch for thickening the stew?

If you prefer not to use cornstarch for thickening, you can use alternatives like arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or potato starch. Follow the same method as you would with cornstarch, mixing the alternative starch with water before adding it to the stew to achieve the desired thickness.

Is there a recommended substitute for Worcestershire sauce in Guinness Stew?

If you don’t have Worcestershire sauce on hand or prefer a different flavor, you can use soy sauce or tamari as a substitute. Keep in mind that these alternatives may slightly alter the taste of the stew.

Are there any gluten-free alternatives for the flour in the recipe?

If you have dietary restrictions or allergies, you can use a gluten-free flour blend or cornstarch instead of all-purpose flour to thicken the stew. Make sure to check that all other ingredients, including the beer and Worcestershire sauce, are also gluten-free if needed.

It freezes beautifully. Try freezing in serving size portions for easy lunches.

What to enjoy with Guinness stew (serving suggestions)

This comforting stew is packed with flavor and all the best veggies. We like to serve it with some homemade French bread (or no knead beer bread), butternut squash salad, and pumpkin dump cake.

My husband likes to top his with saltine or oyster crackers for a little crunch!

Try these awesome soup recipes next

• Butternut squash soup
• Chicken gnocchi soup
• Lasagna soup
• Beer cheese soup
• Stuffed pepper soup
• Wild rice soup
• Creamy asparagus soup

More amazing recipes with potatoes

• Salt and vinegar potatoes
• Deviled egg potato salad
• Salt potatoes
• Mashed potatoes
• Air fryer potatoes
• Funeral potatoes

😍😍😍

Tools we love

• 7 Quart Crock Pot Slow Cooker – I’ve had this slow cooker since my husband and I were married in 2003!
• Enameled cast iron pot – This is a great and super versatile pot that can be used in both the oven and on the stove top.
• Santuko knife – My favorite knife for cutting vegetables! This knife is the perfect size and shape, handles great, and is super reasonably priced. Also, I just love that it’s fun and colorful!

How to Make Guinness Stew

Guinness Stew

Guinness stew is loaded with beef, carrots, celery, potatoes and onions and a deep rich flavor thanks to a bottle of Guinness beer. 

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: guinness stew

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours

Servings: 8

Calories: 325kcal

Author: April Woods

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 pounds chuck roast cut into bite sized pieces (or stew meat)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 medium yellow onion roughly diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 1 bottle Guinness beer 11.2 ounces
• 3 carrots roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks roughly chopped
• 1 pound baby potatoes halved or cubed
• 4 cups beef broth or stock
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• optional cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons each: cornstarch + water)

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Instructions

• Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the beef in batches, browning on all sides, remove and set aside.
• Add the onion to the pot and cook until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in the flour and continue cooking (stirring constantly) about 1 minute.
• Pour in the Guinness in to deglaze the pot, making sure to scrape up all the bits stuck on the bottom.
• Add to the pot the carrots, celery, potatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce and the browned stew meat, including all of the accumulated juices. Add the sprigs of thyme and the bay leaves.
• Bring the stew to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beef is tender. Remove the thyme stems and the bay leaves, and adjust seasoning to taste.
• If desired, make a cornstarch slurry and add to the stew to thicken it a little bit more.

Notes

Calories are automatically generated. For best results calculate based on your exact ingredients.

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Nutrition

Calories: 325kcal

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