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Hearty Tomato Beef Stew

Hearty Tomato Beef Stew. Ground beef with onions, garlic, carrots, celery and fennel seeds in a rich tomato-based broth. Hearty and healthy gluten-free soup.

A side shot of tomato basil beef stew in a bowl with beans and veggies

Soups and stews are recipes that always sound good, yet I make them far too little. This changes now. I mean, look at this Hearty Tomato Beef Stew, how could you not? Maybe it’s my impression that soups take lot of obscure ingredients or time to make.

However, one shoe does not fit all. If you want quick and simple stew or soup that’s doable too. At around 10 common pantry ingredients and 30 minutes total, we have a winner here.

Ingredients for making Tomato Beef Stew

  • Diced tomatoes: a great way to add tangy and freshness to soups and stews
  • Cannellini beans: adds fiber and help bulk out the stew
  • Chicken stock: use homemade or good quality store-bought
  • Veggies: garlic, onion, carrot, and celery create a delicious base for the stew
  • Beef: ground beef (good quality)
  • Fennel seeds: a little goes a long way
  • Baby Spinach: for added nutrition and flavor

How to cook with fennel seeds

Fennel seeds are the main ingredient that give Italian sausage its unique flavor. This is my preferred choice when making lasagnas, spaghetti or any Italian dish with meat. If you don’t have any sausage on hand, or want to use more affordable beef instead, add some fennel seeds.

About 1–2 teaspoons per pound is all you need. Add it while you are cooking the beef, this is enough to add flavor this entire stew recipe.

A close up of a bowl of tomato beef stew sitting on a checked tablecloth

How to add a ton of flavor to soups and stews

The secret to adding a good depth of flavor to soups and stews is to saute the veggies and meat. By sauteing the vegetables first you release a ton of flavor before the liquid is added which will then develop when simmered.

If you simply add the vegetables or meat straight into the liquid they’ll just boil and the depth of flavor just won’t be there so it’s an important step!

Is Beef Stew healthy

This beef stew is full of nutritious and wholesome ingredients. There’s plenty of fiber from the beans, protein for the beef and a ton of vitamins and minerals packed into the delicious vegetables such as iron and vitamin C.

A close up of sauteing vegetables in a pan to make tomato beef stew

How to Make Tomato Beef Stew in 3 easy steps

  1. Pour diced tomatoes, beans and chicken stock into a large pot or Dutch oven, simmer.
  2. Meanwhile: Add onions and garlic to a large pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Add ground beef. Stir and break up meat as it cooks until just browned. Stir in carrots, celery, salt, pepper and fennel seeds. Cook until vegetables are slightly softened and meat is cooked through.
  3. Pour beef and vegetables into pot of liquid. Stir in spinach and basil. Simmer to let flavors meld together. The veggies soften and the broth thickens up as it cooks longer. Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired.

How to make it a vegetarian soup

Since you can make this in under 30 minutes, it’d be hard to find a reason not to make and enjoy this wonderful, gluten-free stew recipe. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, omit the ground beef and use vegetable stock.

An overhead shot of Tomato Basil Beef Stew in a white bowl with vegetables

What to do with leftover soup 

This tomato stew is like most soups and stews tastes even better the next day. The flavors really get time to develop and become extra delicious so if you have leftovers you can easily re-heat and enjoy it for lunch or dinner.

If you’re not planning on eating the leftovers the next day then you can store the stew in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze in suitable containers.

Tips for Making Beef Stew

  • Always saute the vegetables and brown the meat for best results
  • You can add additional veggies that need using up such as potato, broccoli or zucchini
  • Use good quality ingredients for best flavor
  • Remember to taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed
  • Serve with crusty bread to mop up all the juices
  • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or can be frozen

Tomato Basil Beef Stew in a white bowl with a spoon


Products used in this recipe:

OXO SoftWorks Can Opener
Victorinox Fibrox 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
Nonstick Jumbo Cookware with Glass Lid, 5-Quart
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 12-Quart Po


Tomato Beef Stew Recipe at a glance:

Flavor profile: fresh and vibrant with tangy, umami flavors from beef and tomatoes

Texture: hearty, soft chunky vegetables in a warm broth

Dietary substitutions/variation: omit the beef and replace chicken stock with vegetable to make this vegetarian and vegan-friendly

More comfort food recipes you might like:

Leave a comment below and star rating if you made this recipe or want to share your thoughts.

 

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Hearty Tomato Basil Beef Stew recipe - www.platingpixels.com
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5 from 1 vote

Hearty Tomato Beef Stew

Ground beef with onions, garlic, carrots, celery and fennel seed in a rich tomato-based broth. Healthy gluten-free soup.
Course Soup
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword easy beef stew, italian beef stew, tomato basil beef stew
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Calories 302kcal
Servings 8 -10 servings
Author: Matt Ivan
Did you know? Servings and ingredient amounts can be adjusted on all my recipes. Click the green number above to change.

Ingredients

  • 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, undrained (I used Kirkland Organic)
  • 2 14-ounce cans cannelinni or navy beans, undrained
  • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 large carrots, chopped (1-2 cups)
  • 2 celery stalks, thickly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seed
  • 3 handfuls fresh baby spinach
  • ÂĽ cup roughly chopped fresh basil

Instructions

  • Pour entire cans of diced tomatoes, beans and chicken stock into a large pot or Dutch oven. Heat over medium heat to a low boil, then reduce to low simmer.
  • Meanwhile: Heat olive oil to medium-high heat in a skillet or large pan. Add onions and garlic. Cook 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Add ground beef. Stir and break up meat as it cooks, for 5-7 minutes, or until just browned. Stir in carrots, celery, salt, pepper and fennel seeds. Cook 4-6 minutes more until vegetables are slightly softened and meat is cooked through.
  • Pour beef and vegetables into pot of liquid. Stir in spinach and basil. Simmer uncovered for 5-20 minutes to let flavors meld together. The veggies soften and the broth thickens up as it cooks longer. Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired.

Notes

  • Always saute the vegetables and brown the meat for best results
  • You can add additional veggies that need using up such as potato, broccoli or zucchini
  • Use good quality ingredients for best flavor
  • Remember to taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed
  • Serve with crusty bread to mop up all the juices
  • Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or can be frozen
Nutrition Facts
Hearty Tomato Beef Stew
Amount Per Serving
Calories 302 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 579mg25%
Potassium 756mg22%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 12g50%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 3020IU60%
Vitamin C 5.6mg7%
Calcium 128mg13%
Iron 4.7mg26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Hearty Tomato Beef Stew
Beef Recipes | Gluten-Free Recipes | Recipes | Soups, Stews and Chili Recipes

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14 Comments

    1. Thanks April! What I like about soups is you can make so much and they’re great for leftover! Wish I had some leftover right now too!

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