16 of the World's Best Savory Beef Stew Recipes

Cazuela de Vaca (Beef and Pumpkin Stew)

"This hearty Chilean stew of beef, corn, and pumpkin is a one-dish meal," says damasio. "The main ingredients are stewed in serving-sized pieces, so that each person receives a large piece surrounded by a broth with the other vegetables." Constanza Farfan raves, "Absolutely delicious! One of my favorite Chilean dishes! And if you eat it with a Chilean salad (tomato and onion) is one of the best things you can try!"

Northern Italian Beef Stew

"Quite the excellent recipe," says fqpete. "I ordinarily adjust most recipes to suit my taste, but not this one. My maternal grandparents emigrated from northern Italy, and when I saw the ingredient list knew this was the real deal. GREAT flavor!"

Cuban Beef Stew

"The traditional dish uses a good amount of olive oil and meat with a lot of marbling," says S. Shames. "This version is lower in fat, but is true to the spirit of the recipe. Although it does take a fair amount of time, it is not difficult to make." FOOFISH gives this beefy stew 5 stars: "I'm amazed that this recipe for 'carne con papas' is EXACTLY how my Cuban grandmother made it. Even with the raisins!" Enjoy it with black beans, yellow rice, and fried plantains.

Beef Tinaktak

Ground beef simmers in coconut milk with fresh veggies and water chestnuts. "Tinaktak (pronounced tee-nack-tack) may have originated from the sound of chopping meat: tak! tak! tak!" explains Sheila Baker Shedd. "It is one of Guam's favorite comfort foods and definitely a favorite of mine since it is so simple to make yet yields a tasty dish! Serve over hot steamed rice (white or brown)."

Spanish Beef Stew

Chunks of beef chuck are seasoned with smoked paprika and combined with onions, garlic, and green olives. "Made without potatoes, this is a great recipe to serve with simple steamed rice or even mashed potatoes," says Bibi. "It's a stovetop recipe, so heating the oven is not needed."

Bigos (Polish Hunter's Stew)

"This is a traditional recipe from Poland," says Olenka, "almost a Polish national dish. Bigos is a rich flavorful stew with sauerkraut, Polish sausage, beef, pork, red wine, caraway seeds, and more. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes."

Ghormeh Sabzi (Persian Herb Stew)

"Ghormeh sabzi is deliciously savory and loaded with the flavors of several different green herbs," says marybakes. "It's traditionally served atop white rice (polow). You can also serve it with lavash bread."

Mexican Beef and Vegetable Stew

"Tender chunks of beef and zesty diced tomatoes take this beef stew on a trip south of the border," says Baking Nana. "A pressure cooker produces a 'simmered all day' taste in less than an hour." Lutzflcat gives it 5 stars: "This beef stew has deep, rich, and robust layers of flavor with Mexican tastes lingering in the background, and the beef almost melts in your mouth."

Boeuf Bourguignon

A classic French beef stew with red wine, beef broth, mushrooms, and onions. Love2Cook says, "I made this exactly as written and loved it! It's very hearty and gets even better a day or two later. "

Bo Kho (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew)

Beef brisket stews in an aromatic ginger and lemongrass broth. "Bo Kho is the best beef stew I have ever eaten," raves Lori Rowley-Sipple. "It takes a bit of prep work, but so very worth it in the end! I always double this recipe."

Beef Stifado

A gorgeous Greek stew with beef, red wine, orange rind, and pearl onions. "It's best made the day before," says Lolly B.

Chef John's Beef Goulash

This Hungarian classic features tender pieces of succulent beef chuck in a beautiful toasted caraway and paprika-based sauce. "This Hungarian-style goulash is a thick beef stew that is great served over buttered noodles and garnished with sour cream," says Chef John.

Caldereta (Filipino Beef and Chorizo Stew)

"Caldereta is a comforting beef stew popular in the Philippines," says steve2464. It features beef chuck, chorizo, garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce, plus potatoes and peas in a tomato sauce. "Every family has its own version. Experiment with the ingredients and try different vegetables. Best served with white rice!"

Traditional Irish Stew

"So simple to make with great results. You can never use too much garlic. This easily adapts to a pressure cooker." — bd.weld

Slow Cooker Spanish Beef Stew

Here's a Spanish beef stew for the slow cooker. "Love the deep flavors," says loddiecheftress. "The sofrito is a must in my humble opinion, it adds a depth of flavors. I made it twice and used various olives in the stew. Add the jar of sofrito to the pan and put about 1/2 cup water in the sofrito jar, shake it up, and add to the pan, with the can of tomatoes. Very, very flavorful stew."

Bistec Encebollao

"A staple in Puerto Rican cooking," says HANZOtheRAZOR. "Use any cut of steak when making this easy beef stew. Marinated in oil, oregano, vinegar, and onions, this is a great meal for a busy weeknight. Serve with white rice and tostones."

• Check out our collection of Beef Stew Recipes.

More Like This

• Comfort Food Casseroles Inspired by World Cuisines
• Around the World in 10 Complete Menus
• Chef John's Best Global Cuisine Recipes