Slow-Braised Irish Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-26 · Updated 2026-04-26

A hearty and comforting Irish stew featuring tender beef slow-cooked with traditional root vegetables and herbs. This Irish-inspired St. Patrick’s Day recipe, ready in about 200 minutes, pairs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes, onion, diced, celery stalks, sliced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 cup dry stout beer (optional)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup water

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Toss 2 pounds beef chuck cubes with 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt until evenly coated.
2. Step 2: Add 3 tablespoons vegetable oil to the pot and brown the beef cubes in batches for 4-5 minutes per batch until deeply browned on all sides; remove and set aside.
3. Step 3: Lower heat to medium and add 1 large diced onion, 2 sliced celery stalks, and 3 minced garlic cloves; sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables soften and become fragrant.
4. Step 4: Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes until it darkens slightly, then pour in 4 cups beef broth and 1 cup dry stout beer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
5. Step 5: Return the beef to the pot along with 3 medium peeled and 1-inch chopped carrots, 2 medium peeled and chopped parsnips, 3 fresh thyme sprigs, and 2 bay leaves. Add 1 cup water to cover if needed.
6. Step 6: Bring the stew to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low; cook gently for 2.5 to 3 hours until the beef is fork-tender and the flavors meld.
7. Step 7: Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaves, season with an additional 1/2 teaspoon salt if needed, and sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley over the stew before serving.