Slow Beef, Tomato and Cannellini Bean Stew

A slow-cooked beef stew with tender chunks of beef, a rich tomato sauce and white cannellini beans. Hearty and comforting, this is a family dinner that comes together with simple ingredients and a long, gentle simmer.

A pot of beef stew brings a different kind of quiet to the kitchen. Once the beef has been browned, the vegetables softened and the tomato stirred through, the rest of the work happens slowly. Beef cooks down until tender in a rich tomato sauce with garlic, paprika, bay leaf and cannellini beans. The beans make the stew feel generous without making it heavy, and the sauce becomes thick enough to spoon into bowls. Serve it with buttered baby potatoes, a scatter of parsley and a small drizzle of olive oil over the top.

Prep: 20 min · Cook: 210 min · Serves: 6 · Cuisine: Mediterranean · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Slow Beef, Tomato and Cannellini Bean Stew

• 1.2 kg beef chuck, blade or gravy beef, cut into large chunks
• 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, finely diced
• 2 carrots, finely diced
• 2 celery sticks, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional
• 700 ml passata or 2 x 400 g tins crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 x 400 g tins cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped, to serve
• Extra olive oil, to finish

Baby Potatoes

• 800 g baby potatoes, skin on
• Salt, for the cooking water
• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
• Black pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Pat the beef dry with paper towel, then season lightly with salt and black pepper.
2. Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
3. Brown the beef in batches, turning until well coloured on all sides. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium. Add another splash of olive oil if the pot looks dry.
5. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and starting to take on colour.
6. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
7. Stir in the tomato paste, sweet paprika and smoked paprika. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, letting the tomato paste darken slightly.
8. Return the beef and any resting juices to the pot.
9. Add the passata or crushed tomatoes, beef stock and bay leaf. Stir well, scraping the base of the pot.
10. Bring to a gentle simmer.
11. Cover with a lid and cook low and slow until the beef is tender. Use one of the following methods: oven at 160°C for 3 to 3 1/2 hours; stovetop over very low heat for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally; or slow cooker on low for 7 to 8 hours.
12. Once the beef is soft and beginning to fall apart, remove the bay leaf.
13. Add the drained cannellini beans and stir through gently.
14. Simmer uncovered or partly covered for 20 to 30 minutes, until the beans are warmed through and the sauce is thick and glossy.
15. Taste and adjust with extra salt and black pepper.
16. Rest the stew off the heat for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
17. Finish with chopped parsley and a small drizzle of olive oil.
18. Place the baby potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water.
19. Add a generous pinch of salt.
20. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
21. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife.
22. Drain well.
23. Toss with olive oil or butter, black pepper and parsley.
24. Serve beside the stew.

Serving Suggestion

Serve the stew warm in shallow bowls with baby potatoes on the side. For a family table, place the stew in one large serving bowl and the potatoes in a separate bowl so everyone can help themselves.

Storage Notes

Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The stew thickens as it sits. Add a small splash of water or stock when reheating if the sauce becomes too thick.

Freezer Notes

Freeze the stew without the potatoes for up to 3 months. Cool completely first, then freeze in airtight containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop until hot all the way through.

Reheating Notes

Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of stock or water if needed. Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave until piping hot.

Notes

Large chunks of beef work best because they stay generous after the long cooking time.

Browning the beef properly gives the stew a deeper flavour. Work in batches so the beef sears rather than steams.

Cannellini beans only need the final 20 to 30 minutes. Adding them earlier can make them too soft.

Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can make the beef tighten before it has time to become tender.

The sauce should finish thick, glossy and spoonable. If it looks too loose, simmer uncovered for a little longer.

The Grace Table Tip

Let the stew rest before serving. The sauce settles, the beef relaxes, and the whole pot tastes richer after 10 to 15 minutes off the heat.

Baby potatoes keep this dinner hearty without needing bread. Leave the skins on, season them simply, and serve them beside the stew rather than stirring them through.