This hearty beef stew with parsnips, turnips and sunchokes is slowly simmered with red wine, beef stock, aromatic spices and fresh herbs. The earthy root vegetables give the stew substance and natural sweetness, creating a deeply comforting meal without relying on the usual potatoes or tomatoes.
I grew up in Romania, where stew is everyday food and almost every family has its own way of making it. To me, it has never felt like a precision recipe. A good stew is more about quality ingredients, thoughtful seasoning and enough patience to let the beef become tender. I originally made this version for St. Patrick’s Day in 2018. Although I was inspired by Irish stew, the finished dish became very much my own: a lectin-free adaptation built around the vegetables and flavors I enjoy cooking with.
What makes a good beef stew?
The ingredient list is flexible, but a few parts of the process make a real difference. Use a heavy-bottomed pot, brown the beef properly, choose flavorful stock and wine, and give the meat enough time to simmer before adding the vegetables.
Start with the right beef and a heavy pot
Choose a well-marbled cut intended for slow cooking. Chuck is usually an excellent choice, but your butcher can recommend the best available cut for stew. A Dutch oven or another thick, heavy-bottomed pot distributes the heat evenly and allows the stew to simmer gently without scorching.
Brown the beef in batches
This is the step where patience pays off. Pat the beef dry, season it with salt and brown only a few pieces at a time. If the pot is overcrowded, the meat releases moisture and begins to steam rather than developing that flavorful golden crust.
I’m not naturally the most patient cook, and I have certainly been tempted to put all the meat in at once. But browning it in batches is worth the extra few minutes.
Build flavor with stock, wine and spices
Use a flavorful beef stock and a dry red wine you would also enjoy drinking. Together, they create the savory base of the stew and lift all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Thyme, bay leaves, allspice and nutmeg give the broth warmth and depth without overpowering the beef.
Add the vegetables later
The beef needs considerably more cooking time than the vegetables, so don’t add everything at the beginning. Let the meat simmer until it begins to tenderize, then add the sautéed onions, parsnips, turnips and sunchokes for the final part of cooking.
Parsnips provide sweetness, turnips add a pleasantly earthy flavor, and sunchokes become soft and creamy as they cook. Together, they make the stew substantial without potatoes.
Thicken only if necessary
Depending on the beef, vegetables and amount of water used, the stew may thicken sufficiently on its own. If you want a richer consistency, add a small amount of arrowroot or tapioca slurry toward the end. Keep in mind that the stew will continue to thicken as it cools—and will usually be even better the following day.
How to serve it
I like to serve this beef stew with something fresh and simple. A finely sliced raw cabbage salad, massaged with salt and dressed with apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil and black pepper, provides the perfect crisp contrast. Lightly steamed broccoli or other green vegetables work well too.
Pressure-cooker option
This stew can also be prepared in an Instant Pot or another pressure cooker. Brown the beef first, then pressure-cook it with the garlic, onion, spices, stock, wine and water for approximately 40 minutes.
Release the pressure naturally or manually, add the remaining vegetables, and pressure-cook for another 5 minutes. Finish with parsley and spring onions, then thicken the stew if necessary.
More stew recipes
For other stew recipes be sure to try:
- Creamy Lentil Stew with Winter Vegetables (Lectin-Light, Vegan)
- Easy Beef Stew with Fennel, in a Pressure Cooker
- Hearty White Bean and Vegetable Stew
- Pressure Cooker Beef Stew Without Potatoes
- Tomato-Free Okra Stew with Cabbage Salad
This recipe is part of our round up 20+ Healthy Fall Recipes. Check it out for more cozy dinner ideas made with seasonal produce.
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Beef Stew with Parsnips, Turnips and Sunchokes
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: European
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Description
This hearty beef stew with parsnips, turnips and sunchokes is slowly simmered with red wine, beef stock, aromatic spices and fresh herbs. The earthy root vegetables give the stew substance and natural sweetness, creating a deeply comforting meal without relying on the usual potatoes or tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (680 grams) grass-fed stewing beef, cut into cubes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 cups beef stock, preferably grass-fed
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1–2 cups water, depending on the desired consistency
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or a few fresh thyme sprigs
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 medium sweet onions, roughly chopped
- 2 large parsnips or 3–4 small parsnips, peeled and cut into small chunks
- 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
- 1 large turnip, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 3 medium sunchokes, peeled and cut into medium chunks
- 1 teaspoon tapioca flour, optional, dissolved in cold water
- 1 large bunch fresh parsley, chopped
- 3 small spring onions, cut into ½-inch (1.5-centimeter) pieces
Instructions
- Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season them generously with salt.
- Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef in batches, taking care not to overcrowd the pot. Add more olive oil as needed.
- Return all the browned beef to the pot. Add the garlic and sauté for 30–40 seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in the beef stock, red wine, and 1 cup of water. Stir well, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the bay leaves, thyme, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Cover and simmer gently for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat a little olive oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and parsnips and sauté for approximately 10 minutes, until they begin to soften.
- Add the paprika and stir quickly so it does not burn, adding a splash of water if necessary. Add the turnips and sunchokes and cook for another 3–4 minutes.
- Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the pot with the beef (clean the pan with a bit of the beef juices to make sure every bit of flavor goes into the stew). Simmer uncovered for approximately 45 minutes, or until the beef and vegetables are tender. Add more water during cooking if needed.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Skim away any excess fat from the surface if desired.
- For a thicker consistency, temper the tapioca slurry with a ladleful of hot stew liquid. Stir it into the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Stir in the fresh parsley and spring onions just before serving.
Notes
The stew will thicken as it cools and is often even more flavorful the following day.
Serve with a raw cabbage salad, lightly steamed broccoli or other simply prepared green vegetables.
For the pressure-cooker method, brown the beef first. Pressure-cook the beef with the aromatics, spices and liquids for approximately 40 minutes. Release the pressure, add the vegetables and pressure-cook for another 5 minutes. Finish with the herbs and thickener, if needed.
Hungarian paprika is made from peppers. Omit it if you need the recipe to be strictly nightshade-free.
4 Comments
Tina
February 15, 2020 at 9:31 amCan this recipe be done in the Instant Pot or will the vegetables be overcooked? If it is possible for how long and which setting?
Claudia
February 16, 2020 at 3:29 pmHi Tina, yes, it can be done, but certainly the vegetable will turn to mush. What I usually do when I make a stew in an IP, I cook the meat with the aromatics first, stop the cooking, release pressure, open, add the vegetables and cook for 5 more minutes or so, depending on how big your veggies are cut (follow the instructions of the IP for cooking times). I hope this helps.
Nancy
March 20, 2025 at 5:38 amWhat would be suggested time to cook the meat in the instant pot?
Claudia
March 20, 2025 at 11:38 amHi Nancy! I usually cook beef (cubed) in a pressure cooker for 40-45 mins). But that will be too much time for veggies. So, either you are ok with the veggies becoming a mush, or cook the beef first for about 35 minutes, and then add the veggies and cook for 10 more minutes, max). I hope this helps. -Claudia