Beef Stew (Dutch Oven)

A low FODMAP Dutch oven beef stew of chuck, potatoes, carrots, parsnip, turnip, red wine, broth, thyme, and rosemary.

Prep 20 min

Cook 2 hr 30 min

Serves 6

Dairy-free

Ingredients

• 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1.5-inch (4 cm) cubes
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free all-purpose flour without inulin or chicory root (or 2 tablespoons cornstarch, added later as a slurry)
• 3 tablespoons garlic-infused olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup scallion greens (~40 g), sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 cup (120 mL) dry red wine (Cabernet, Merlot, or Pinot Noir)
• 6 cups (1.4 L) low-FODMAP chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1.5 lb (680 g) Yukon Gold or red potatoes, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
• 3 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) coins
• 1 medium parsnip (~150 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) coins
• 1 small turnip (~150 g), peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks (optional)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, to finish
• Extra scallion greens, to finish

Instructions

Sear the Beef

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. Toss with the salt, pepper, and flour until evenly coated. If using cornstarch, skip the flour here. You'll add a slurry at the end.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the garlic-infused oil in a 5- to 7-quart Dutch oven over medium-high. Work in two or three batches so the beef browns instead of steams. Sear each batch for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat slightly if the flour starts to darken too fast.

Build the Braise

1. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic-infused oil and the scallion greens. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
2. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it darkens and smells sweet.
3. Pour in the red wine. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.
4. Return the beef and any resting juices to the pot. Pour in the chicken broth. Add the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary sprig. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Slow-Braise the Stew

1. Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the 325°F (165°C) oven. Braise for 75 minutes. The beef should be starting to turn tender but not yet falling apart.
2. Pull the pot out. Add the potatoes, carrots, parsnip, and turnip (if using). Stir, cover, and return to the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until the beef shreds with a fork and the vegetables are tender.

Finish

1. Fish out the bay leaves, thyme stems, and rosemary stem. Taste the broth and season with more salt and pepper.
2. If you used cornstarch instead of the flour, whisk the 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water, stir the slurry into the simmering stew, and cook for 2 minutes until thickened. If a flour-dredged stew is thinner than you'd like, simmer it uncovered on the stovetop for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Ladle into bowls. Top with parsley and extra scallion greens.

Tips & Substitutions

• Chuck is the right cut. Chuck, brisket, and short rib braise well because their connective tissue softens over two hours, while sirloin or round dry out. Cube a whole chuck roast at home; pre-cut "stew meat" mixes cuts and cooks unevenly.
• Sear in batches. A crowded pan steams the beef instead of browning it, and the browning carries most of the stew's flavor.
• Red wine at 1/2 cup is low-FODMAP. Monash lists dry red wine as low-FODMAP at a 5 oz (150 mL) serve. A 1/2 cup splash across 6 bowls is well under it; for an alcohol-free version, use 1/2 cup extra broth plus 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar.
• Parsnip and turnip are serve-size dependent. Monash lists parsnip at 75 g per serve low, turnip at 75 g per serve low. One medium parsnip and one small turnip across 6 bowls is about 25 to 30 g per serve, well under it.
• Skip the mushrooms. Classic beef stew often calls for cremini or button mushrooms, both high FODMAP in polyols. Oyster mushrooms are an easy low FODMAP option at 75 g per serve if you want the savory depth.

Why This Works

Chuck's connective tissue makes the stew thick and rich. Two hours at 325°F softens the tough bits in chuck and thickens the broth, which also gives the beef its fall-apart texture. Lean cuts skip this step and end up dry. Time and fat cap are the whole trick.

Tomato paste, not tomato sauce. Monash caps tomato paste at about 1 tablespoon (20g) per serve low-FODMAP. Two tablespoons across 6 bowls is about 1 teaspoon per serve, well under. Canned tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes at a stew volume push the fructan load up fast.

Root vegetables go in late. Adding potatoes, carrots, and parsnip in the final 45 minutes keeps them tender but intact. Adding them at the start would turn them to mush over the full 2-hour braise.

Scallion greens and garlic-infused oil carry the aromatics. Onion's fructans sit in the white bulb; scallion greens stay low-FODMAP up to 75 g per serve. Garlic flavor moves into oil but the fructans don't, so infused oil carries the flavor without the FODMAP load.

Storage

Refrigerate in a sealed container at 40°F (4°C) or below for 3 to 4 days; the stew is better on day two. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the stovetop over medium, adding a splash of broth if it's tightened up.