The BEST Portobello Beef Stew

This portobello beef stew is warm and inviting

Beef stew is a winter classic. We all know it and love it, but this one-pot Portobello Beef Stew is sure to turn a few heads at the dinner table! It is everything you want on a cold day- rich and savory, chock full of tender beef and vegetables.

Inspired by traditional European beef stews, this portobello beef stew gets a major dose of umami thanks to the caramelized onion and bacon broth and the portobello mushrooms. You don’t even need canned tomatoes!

This Portobello Beef Stew is inspired by vintage European stew recipes.

I had reached my adult years without ever tasting a beef stew that I thought was “right”. Every time I gave it a chance, I was met with flavorless broth, tough meat, and potatoes literally dissolving into the stew. I was convinced that I just wasn’t a beef stew type of gal until one cold Sunday I decided to take a chance and try making it for myself.

Mainly I studied up on all different kinds of beef stews, mainly from vintage European cookbooks, and used them as my inspiration to create this richly flavored stew! I focused on countries like the Czech Republic, Germany, and Russia as my references.

These countries, among others, saw the effects of the spice trade with the East and the introduction of novel ingredients from the New World. Imported tomatoes, oranges, and potatoes were all welcomed to add zest and brightness to the local cuisine.

This stew is a great recipe if you want to support your local farmer’s market.

G and I are enormous supporters of our local Farmers Market! There are so many great vendors who genuinely care about the quality of their products, and we are there every Saturday picking up fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, and bread.

This stew is great because it contains ingredients you can buy at your local farmer’s market to help support your community! Vegetables, meat, and even ingredients for side dishes like bread and salad can all be found and purchased by local vendors.

The meat used in this Portobello Beef Stew is grass-fed beef chuck that we cut ourselves at home, and the vegetables are all locally farmed. I enjoy this for two reasons:

1. Locally farmed produce is normally always fresher than commercial produce.

2. I can help support the local community so that we may continue to enjoy privileges like access to fresh food and trusted merchants!

If you are in the area be sure to swing by the Downtown Phoenix Farmer’s Market and support local businesses! You can learn more about the merchants and their products here.

What are the best potatoes for beef stew?

Not all potatoes are built equal. Some potatoes are great for roasting while others are great for mashing, baking, etc. I would not recommend a starchy potato for this recipe as the potato will disintegrate into the stew and not hold its shape well.

Waxy potatoes are classified as having:

• A high water content
• A low starch level

Here are some common waxy potato varieties:

• Red Bliss
• French Fingerling
• Creamer Potatoes
• Baby or mini potatoes
• Red Adirondack

All-purpose potatoes are considered to have:

• A medium water content
• A medium starch level

And here are some great all-purpose potatoes varieties:

• Yukon Gold
• Purple Potato
• White Potato

Hence the name “all-purpose”! They are right in the middle on the potato spectrum and are great for basically any recipe that calls for a waxy or starchy potato.

If you want a potato that will maintain a good texture through the stewing process and not fall apart, then I recommend using either a waxy or all-purpose potato variety.

What makes this stew different from others?

Firstly, this stew does NOT contain any tomatoes. Every beef stew recipe I came across had a few ingredients that just couldn’t be left out: beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, and onions. But only some recipes called for tomatoes. I personally find the acidity from tomatoes to detract from the stew’s richness, so I left them out for this one.

To build layers of flavor without sacrificing time, I caramelized onions, portobello mushrooms, and bacon together to make a rich stock base. The key is to let the onions get a really deep brown color to maximize their sweetness. It took several tries to perfect the ratios, but it was well worth the effort!

Orange and nutmeg are the secret ingredients!

This is my secret weapon! They are orange peel and nutmeg. To me, these flavors define the cold season. Both flavors carry a warm, spicy component to them that is absolutely delicious when combined with rich meats like beef or lamb.

Growing up, I watched my mother put nutmeg in a lot of her signature dishes. She swore that adding just a pinch of nutmeg would instantly make the dish taste richer without the addition of butter, cream, or MSG.

Orange peel does the same dance. The subtle herbal and floral notes in the peel compliments the root vegetables without leaving an “orangey” taste in the stew. Instead, it silently works to help brighten the stew and add depth.

Cooking Tips

• The stew is better the next day. No explanation needed!
• Cut the beef and vegetables into similar sizes so that the cooking time is even.
• This stew is freezer friendly! Cool the stew and then pour into gallon freezer bags. Freeze them flat to save space!
• This recipe is great for tougher cuts like beef chuck. The longer the meat cooks, the more tender it becomes. Avoid using cuts like sirloin, as they tend to get tougher the longer they cook.

The Best Way To Serve Portobello Beef Stew

This stew is excellent with bread and a salad (how we do it in our home) but I have also served this alongside:

• Hot cooked egg noodles
• Soft serve polenta
• In a bread bowl

Basically, anything that can soak up the velvety broth is a winner! If you are looking for some other great beef recipes check out the ones below!

• Simple Beef Fajitas (Authentic)
• Slow Cooked Beef in Red Wine
• Japanese Beef Curry