Print

Irish Beef and Vegetable Stew with Herb Dumplings

Irish beef and vegetable stew - featured image
Print Recipe

A hearty and comforting Irish stew featuring tender beef, root vegetables, and fluffy herb dumplings, perfect for cozy nights and family dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil or beef drippings
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick rounds
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (Yukon Gold recommended)
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup Guinness beer or extra beef broth (optional)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 1/3 cup whole milk

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef in batches and brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Remove and set aside.
  3. Lower heat to medium. Add chopped onion and celery to the pot; cook until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Pour in Guinness or extra beef broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up browned bits.
  5. Return seared beef to the pot. Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and beef broth. Ensure liquid just covers ingredients.
  6. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are cooked.
  7. While stew simmers, combine flour, baking powder, salt, parsley, and thyme in a mixing bowl. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk until just combined.
  8. Once beef is tender, drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough onto stew surface, spacing evenly. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
  9. Remove bay leaves, taste, and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  10. Ladle stew into bowls, ensuring each serving has at least one dumpling. Garnish with extra fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

For gluten-free dumplings, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend containing xanthan gum. Use plant-based milk and vegan butter for dairy-free version. Avoid overmixing dumpling dough to keep it light. If stew is too thin, simmer uncovered to thicken; if too thick, add broth or water. Dumplings should be added only when stew is nearly done to avoid gummy texture.

Nutrition

Keywords: Irish stew, beef stew, herb dumplings, comfort food, slow-cooked beef, vegetable stew, homemade stew

Find it online: https://wigglebite.com/irish-beef-and-vegetable-stew-with-herb-dumplings-easy-homemade-recipe/