Irish Stew

This savory and flavorful Irish stew is loaded with tender beef and vegetables. It’s thick and hearty, and perfect for a cold night!

If you love easy soups and stews as much as we do, be sure to check out a few more of our favorites – Crock Pot Taco Soup, Split Pea Soup, and Sopa de Albondigas.

A Traditional Irish Meal

If there’s one thing I love about the colder months, it’s that I can eat as many soups and stews as I want! There is really nothing better than a warm bowl of soup when it’s cold out – it’s pure comfort food!

We eat soup or stew for dinner at least once a week at my house, and I could never choose just one type of soup to eat forever – they’re all favorites!

This delicious and flavorful Irish beef stew has been one of my family’s top recipes for years. We make a couple of batches every year and especially enjoy eating it on St. Patrick’s Day!

Guinness Beef Stew

A lot of traditional Irish stew recipes are made with Guinness stout, but since I don’t drink alcohol, I wanted to come up with a version that was just as flavorful but without the beer. This recipe is it! It’s simple and totally delicious, with a fantastic combination of flavors.

It has all of the classic Guinness stew ingredients like beef, potatoes, onion, and carrot, but the beef broth gets an extra kick of flavor from a packet of onion soup mix and a little tomato paste.

How to Make Irish Stew

YOU WILL NEED –

• beef – I usually use stew meat or a chuck roast cut into a couple sizes: 1-inch cubes or 2-inch chunks. Lamb or mutton is also commonly found in an Irish stew, so if you prefer to substitute the beef with lamb, go ahead! (Mutton is what they call a lamb who is older than a year old.)
• salt and pepper – to taste
• flour
• olive oil
• veggies – onion, carrots, potatoes, and frozen peas
• onion soup mix
• tomato paste
• Worcestershire sauce
• beef stock

I used to add a couple of bay leaves and garlic cloves, but I took those out that past few times I’ve made this and I actually like the flavor of this stew better without those ingredients.

INSTRUCTIONS –

Prep – Start by sprinkling the beef with salt and pepper and then tossing it in a couple of tablespoons of flour until it has a nice, even coat.

Sauté – The first step is to heat the olive oil in your large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Then toss in the chopped onion and let it cook until it’s soft. Next, you’ll add the beef and let it cook until it’s brown on all sides. Make sure you stir the beef in the pan frequently so it browns and doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pot. Finally, pour in the remaining ingredients, except for the peas, and give everything a good stir until it’s fully mixed.

Simmer – This stew isn’t the quickest recipe to make, but letting it simmer over medium-high heat and cook slowly over the course of an hour or two makes the vegetables and beef extra tender and tastes delicious. It smells so good while it’s simmering!

Add Color – Just before serving, you’ll stir in some frozen peas to brighten up the flavor. You can leave them out if you’re not a fan, but I love the little pop of flavor and color that they add to the stew.

If you’re not a fan of peas, garnish with some thyme or parsley just before serving.

Serve – This hearty Irish stew is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s so delicious that you’ll want to make it all year round! It’s hearty and filling without being too heavy, and has the perfect combination of flavors. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper, to your liking, then serve the stew with some fresh bread on the side. Now you’ve got a delicious meal the whole family will love!

Serving Suggestion – If you are serving this stew for St. Patrick’s Day, be sure to try it with our easy Irish Soda Bread.

Storing – Save any leftover Irish Stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

CROCKPOT VARIATION –

Prep and saute as listed above, then add all the ingredients (except the peas) to your slow cooker. Cook on low for 4-6 hours, adding the peas for the last 1/2 hour before serving.

More Easy St. Patrick’s Day Recipes

• Delicious Shamrock Floats
• Irish Soda Bread Recipe
• Corned Beef & Cabbage
• Rainbow Jello Cup Desserts
• St Patrick’s Day Parfaits