Beef Bourguignon with deep savor and hearty portions—stick-to-your-ribs cooking for real life weeknights.
A Cozy, Protein-Forward Stew for Weeknights That Feel Worthy
Deep, wine-simmered beef with bacon and pearl onions—hearty enough for meal prep, elegant enough for company.
This is the kind of stew that turns a regular weeknight into something you actually look forward to: lean cubes of beef cooked long enough to become meltingly tender, suspended in a glossy, savory red-wine sauce. It’s stick-to-your-ribs comfort without feeling sloppy—meaty portions, bright carrots, and sweet pearl onions that balance the richness.
A few small technique choices make all the difference. Patting the beef dry and lightly flouring it gives you a better sear; browning in batches (and using the reserved bacon fat) creates deep caramelized flavor. Blooming tomato paste with garlic before deglazing with a dry red wine pulls up every fond bit from the pot and builds a sauce that clings to each morsel.
It’s also a very forgiving meal-prep winner: the flavors improve overnight, and portions reheat cleanly for lunches or quick dinners. Use low-sodium beef broth to control salt, and don’t be shy about simmering until the connective tissue softens—about two hours—so you get that tender, pull-apart texture.
On the plate expect lush, silky sauce, punchy yet mellow aromatics, and satisfying, protein-forward bites that pair beautifully with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or just a hunk of crusty bread to soak up every drop. Make it when you want food that feels like an effort well spent.
Ingredients
How to Make Beef Bourguignon
- Pat the beef dry and cut into 1- to 1.5-inch cubes if not already; season evenly with the kosher salt and black pepper, then toss the cubes with the flour to coat lightly and shake off excess.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the bacon and cook until crisp, remove to a plate and reserve the fat; add 1 tbsp olive oil if needed and brown the beef in batches (do not overcrowd) for 2–3 minutes per side, transferring browned pieces to the plate with the bacon.
- Lower heat to medium, add the chopped yellow onion and sliced carrots to the pot and sauté in the bacon fat until softened, about 5 minutes; add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute to bloom the flavors.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up brown bits from the bottom; simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, about 4–6 minutes.
- Return the beef and bacon (including any accumulated juices) to the pot, add the beef broth, thyme sprigs and bay leaf, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, then transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven or reduce to low and gently simmer on the stovetop for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beef is very tender.
- While the stew braises, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the cremini mushrooms and pearl onions and sauté until golden and caramelized, about 8–10 minutes; season lightly with salt and pepper.
- When the beef is tender, stir the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions into the pot and simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to meld flavors and thicken the sauce; discard thyme stems and bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- If a thicker sauce is desired, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes or whisk 1 tsp flour with 1 tbsp cold water and stir into the simmering sauce to finish; let rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Divide into 4 portions and serve warm as a high-protein plate — the pot already includes vegetables for balanced meal-prep; refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Recipe Card
Beef Bourguignon
Beef Bourguignon with deep savor and hearty portions—stick-to-your-ribs cooking for real life weeknights.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 hr
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry and cut into 1- to 1.5-inch cubes if not already; season evenly with the kosher salt and black pepper, then toss the cubes with the flour to coat lightly and shake off excess.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add the bacon and cook until crisp, remove to a plate and reserve the fat; add 1 tbsp olive oil if needed and brown the beef in batches (do not overcrowd) for 2–3 minutes per side, transferring browned pieces to the plate with the bacon.
- Lower heat to medium, add the chopped yellow onion and sliced carrots to the pot and sauté in the bacon fat until softened, about 5 minutes; add the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute to bloom the flavors.
- Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up brown bits from the bottom; simmer until the wine is reduced by about half, about 4–6 minutes.
- Return the beef and bacon (including any accumulated juices) to the pot, add the beef broth, thyme sprigs and bay leaf, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, then transfer to a 300°F (150°C) oven or reduce to low and gently simmer on the stovetop for 1.5 to 2 hours until the beef is very tender.
- While the stew braises, heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the cremini mushrooms and pearl onions and sauté until golden and caramelized, about 8–10 minutes; season lightly with salt and pepper.
- When the beef is tender, stir the sautéed mushrooms and pearl onions into the pot and simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to meld flavors and thicken the sauce; discard thyme stems and bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- If a thicker sauce is desired, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes or whisk 1 tsp flour with 1 tbsp cold water and stir into the simmering sauce to finish; let rest 5 minutes before serving.
- Divide into 4 portions and serve warm as a high-protein plate — the pot already includes vegetables for balanced meal-prep; refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 21
- Saturated Fat
- 9.5
- Sodium
- 650
- Fiber
- 3.8
- Unsaturated Fat
- 15
- Protein
- 50
- Fat
- 25
- Cholesterol
- 148
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 556
- Sugar
- 7