Beef Stew Skillet
All the flavor and comfort of beef stew in 30 easy minutes.
On a cold day that needs warming up or even just a day that needs a little extra comfort, beef stew is something I often turn to. But beef stew does take a fair amount of time to do right, which means it’s something that happens far less than I’d like it to. But problem solved thanks to this Beef Stew Skillet. With the same flavor profile as beef stew (truly!), it uses ground beef to speed things up considerably. So much so, that it comes together in thirty minutes, and it does it in a single skillet. It’s a one-pan, family-friendly dinner that gives you that same comforting beef stew flavor without all the effort.
Does this totally replace a bowl of brothy long-simmered veggies and beef that’s so tender it falls apart at the touch of a fork? No. But I don’t always have time to make that and I’m sure you don’t either. This approximates the experience — and it does it well — in much less time. Here’s how you do it:
As you might have already guessed, you’re going to start by browning some ground beef. Season it up with salt and pepper and cook it until it’s no longer pink…
… and then add in some onion and carrot and let them hang out until they’ve started to soften.
Then, you’ll add in potatoes and garlic and the thing that brings the flavor in such a short time — a packet of gravy mix. I like brown gravy here, but you can use what you have on hand. It adds meaty and rich flavor without much simmering time and it also thickens the sauce for you.
Stir in some beef broth, bring it all to a simmer, cover it, and let it cook until the potatoes are tender. (The carrots will follow suit.) If you want it a little saucier, stir in some more beef broth. If it’s too thin for your liking, let it bubble uncovered until some liquid cooks out.
Once it’s as saucy as you like it and the veggies are tender, stir in some frozen peas and let them cook until they’re warm. That all should have taken you just about a half of an hour and you’re ready to dig into a bowl of beefy goodness. It’s not quite a stew, not quite a stir fry, but all that really matters is that it’s a simple, saucy, delicious meaty meal.
Beef Stew Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 packet instant gravy
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- In a large skillet, season ground beef and cook over medium-high heat until no longer pink.
- Add onion and carrot and cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in potatoes and garlic, followed by Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary.
- Stir in gravy packet, followed by beef broth, adding more broth if needed. Cover, medium heat to medium-low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Uncover, stir in peas, and cook until heated through. Adjust seasoning as needed and enjoy!