Gluten-Free Beef Stew With Red Wine (Best Flavor)

If you are looking for the best gluten-free beef stew recipe, with rich, robust seasoning and perfectly thickened consistency, this easy, comforting meal is for you! Slow cooked tender beef chunks are braised in red wine and simmered until fall-apart tender in a dutch oven, or choose the slow cooker option. Not only does this recipe check all essential boxes, but includes a simple, yet flavorful gluten-free beef stew seasoning and thickeners.

Gluten-free beef stew recipe

When creating a recipe for gluten-free beef stew, I knew it wouldn’t be as simple as swapping out all-purpose flour for gluten-free flour. I’ve been disappointed by enough blandly seasoned stews with tough, chewy and poorly cooked beef to know exactly what I was looking for.

The first component to perfect was the seasoning. I discovered when testing gluten-free beef stew recipes (with a little help from America’s Test Kitchen’s beef stew recipe), a complex ingredient list doesn’t necessarily mean more flavor. One simple addition, red wine, infuses a complex, rich seasoning without needing to buy extra spices.

Also, a lot of recipes miss the mark by instructing to “season by taste.” Like 5-star stuffed pepper soup, beef stew needs an ample amount of salt and pepper to enhance flavor. First the stew meat is seasoned before browning, then it is layered with broth, thyme, bay leaves, and hint of brown sugar to balance saltiness.

Similar to this community-favorite Instant Pot beef stroganoff recipe, fall-apart, tender bites of beef starts with choosing the right cut of meat. Rather than using pre-cut beef stew meat, choose beef chuck roast, which has ample marbling to break down and tenderize meat during a long simmer. Although stew meat may be cheaper and a time saver, the varying cuts of meat yields an inferior texture.

The last important GF beef stew component is choosing the best gluten-free thickener. Optimally use an all-purpose gluten-free flour, rather than cornstarch. Why? It has a tendency to break, meaning it will thicken the stew for a bit, but become thin again upon reheating.

Gluten-free all purpose flour isn’t the only option for thickening stew, though. See the section below for GF flour alternatives for beef stew. Since it makes the ideal make-ahead or freezer meal, you’ll want to make sure it is just as thick and delicious as the day it was made.

Ingredient Notes

Below are the basic ingredients required for an easy gluten-free beef stew recipe, along with any workable substitutions or modifiers. However, vegetables, fresh herbs, and additional seasonings may be added for personal preference.

• Beef – The recipe calls for 2½ – 3 pound boneless chuck roast and I don’t recommend substituting stew meat or another cut. For best results, buy a whole chuck roast and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes, trimming off excess fat and silver skin.
• Vegetables – A classic stew combination uses potatoes, onions, carrots, and frozen peas. For the potatoes, I recommend Yukon gold potatoes, which have a nice buttery flavor and break down slightly to thicken the soup. Sweet potatoes, celery, pearl onions, parsnips and mushrooms would also make great veggie additions.
• Red wine – Choose something drinkable, but it does not have to be expensive! Pinot noir, cabernet, or merlot would all work. If you prefer to make a beef stew without wine, substitute an equal amount of gluten-free beef broth.
• Gluten-free beef broth – Broth may have sneaky ingredients added and not be safe for a gluten-free diet, so it’s important to read labels carefully. Swanson brand broth, Aldi’s Simply Nature organic brand and Chef’s Cupboard broth are clearly labeled and verified to be safe.
• Seasoning – Flavor comes from garlic, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. If desired, you may add fresh rosemary, a splash of balsamic vinegar, or gluten-free Worcestershire sauce.
• Gluten-free flour – Unlike with gluten-free baking, the brand of GF flour is not as important here. Use any gluten-free all purpose flour to thicken the stew.

how to make gluten-free beef stew

I prefer to make beef stew in a dutch oven because the beef can be seared with the same pan used for cooking in the oven. Also, oven beef stew cooks at a consistently low temperature. However, this recipe may also be made in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. See the alternative cooking methods below.

(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)

1. Preheat the oven to 300℉. In a large bowl combine the cut beef with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large oven-safe dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add part of the oil. You will want to add enough beef so it fits in a single layer at the bottom of the pan without overcrowding. This allows enough heat to circulate around each piece, giving a nice sear.
3. Add a layer of beef to the bottom of the pan. Sear 2-3 minutes per side, or until well browned. Transfer the seared meat to a plate. Repeat with remaining meat, adding more oil for each batch.
4. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onions until tender. Stir in the garlic, gluten-free flour, and tomato paste and mix combine with the onions. Slowly add the red wine, whisking constantly and scrapping up the browned bits at the bottom of the pot.
5. Gradually stir in 2 cups beef broth, thyme, bay leaves, and brown sugar. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Cover and transfer the pot to the oven. Cook for 1 hour.
6. Stir in the potatoes, carrots and 1 – 1½ cups of broth, depending on desired thickness of stew. Cover and return to the oven 1 – 1 hour 30 minutes more, or until the beef is very tender. Stir in the frozen peas and serve immediately.

Best Meat to Use for Stew

It may be tempting to grab an affordable package of beef stew meat, but it will cost you in flavor and texture. Prepackaged stew meat is made up of various cuts of meat and inconsistently trimmed pieces. Therefore, you may luck out with some tender bits, but also tough chunks difficult to tenderize.

For best results, use a boneless chuck roast. For a meatier stew you will need a 3 pound roast, which will be reduced slightly once the excess fat is trimmed. On the smaller size, choose a 2½ pound roast, but you may want to add 1-2 cups of extra vegetables.

cooking methods

Dutch oven

Using a dutch oven has its advantages. First, the meat can be browned, deglazed, and cooked in the oven in one pot, which saves on clean up and ensures no flavor has been lost. Also, using an oven to cook beef stew allows for a consistently low oven temperature to cook uniformly.

A larger 6-quart dutch oven has more surface area to properly brown the meat in less batches. A smaller dutch oven (no less than 4-quarts) will also work, but be sure to split the meat into at least 3-4 batches to leave enough room for hot air to circulate around the pieces.

Crockpot

For a gluten-free slow cooker beef stew recipe, you will to start the recipe on the stove top and transfer to a crockpot to finish the cooking.

1. Brown the meat, cook onions, and add the tomato paste, seasonings, red wine, and broth as the recipe directs. Transfer the contents to a slow cooker.
2. Cook on LOW for 7½-8 hours or HIGH 3½-4 hours. Stir in the peas.
3. Crockpot beef stew may not thicken as desired. If additional thickening is needed, mix together 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Stir in and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes. It will also thicken more upon standing.

Instant Pot

Since electric pressure cookers have smaller capacities, I recommend halving the recipe ingredients to make instant pot beef stew.

1. Brown in two stages, using half the oil for first batch of beef and finishing with remaining oil and beef.
2. Saute the onions, but omit the flour. Add the liquids and seasonings and beef back to the pot.
3. Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 35 minutes, with a 10 minute natural release.
4. Add the peas. Mix together 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Stir in and use SAUTE function until thickened.

Freezing and Reheating Tips

To store GF beef stew, make sure it has cooled before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

The best way to reheat is on the stove, over medium-low heat. If you would like to microwave in a bowl, use 50% power setting, stirring every minute. After it has been warmed, finish at full power until hot.

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