Beef Stew with Pumpkin and Honeynut Squash
This autumn beef stew is the coziest thing I have made all fall. Tender chunks of beef simmer with pumpkin, honey nut squash, carrots, and potatoes in a broth so thick and rich it eats like gravy.
As soon as the weather starts cooling, I get excited to start using my favorite dutch oven for as many meals as possible. I have been on a mission to cook my way through fall produce, and this stew might be my favorite result so far. It started with a whole pumpkin from Costco that I decided to roast and make pumpkin puree with. I had the idea to stir a cup of that pumpkin puree right into my beef stew. It thickens the broth into something silky and adds the gentlest autumn sweetness without tasting like pumpkin pie.
The rest came together from the garden and the freezer. I pulled a chuck roast from the freezer, picked fresh rosemary and thyme from the garden, and used the tiny honey nut squash I grew this year. They were small with almost no seeds, all flavor. Pantry staples like tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce round out the deep, savory flavor. This is the stew I want simmering on the stove all afternoon.
Main Ingredients & Swaps
- Stew Meat – I use 3 pounds of chuck roast cut into chunks, seasoned with kosher salt and plenty of cracked black pepper. In the video I pulled mine straight from the freezer, so this is a great recipe for beef you already have on hand.
- All-Purpose Flour – Just 3 tablespoons to lightly coat the beef before searing. I picked up this trick from a cookbook. It builds a beautiful crust and helps thicken the stew as it simmers.
- Pumpkin Puree – One cup, stirred in after the long simmer. I made mine from a whole roasted pumpkin, but canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) works exactly the same. Stick to one cup so the flavor stays subtle.
- Honey Nut Squash – One to two cups, cut into small bite-sized pieces. Butternut squash is a fine swap if you cannot find honey nut.
- Anchovies – One tablespoon, finely chopped. They melt right in and add savory depth without any fishiness. I used them because I was out of Worcestershire sauce, and honestly I prefer it this way now.
- Balsamic Vinegar – A quarter cup to deglaze the pot, plus a small splash at the very end to brighten everything.
- Beef Bone Broth – One quart. I used Kettle and Fire beef bone broth, but homemade chicken stock works well too.
- Fresh Herbs – Chopped fresh rosemary and a bundle of fresh thyme from the garden. The thyme leaves fall right off during the long simmer and perfume the whole pot.
- Vegetables – Two yellow onions, six ribs of celery, two very large carrots, and half a pound of baby red potatoes. I roll cut the carrots, rolling and slicing at an angle for those pretty oblique shapes that hold up so well in stew.
How To Make Beef Stew
Sear & Build Flavor Season the beef with salt and pepper, then toss it lightly in the flour. Use a large, heavy-bottomed pot and sear the meat in butter and olive oil over medium-high heat, working in two batches so the pieces brown instead of steam. Look for a light golden crust—not cooked through. Remove the beef and let it rest while building the flavor base.
Build the Flavor Base Sauté the diced onions and celery in the rendered beef fat with a sprinkle of salt for about five minutes, until softened. Add the rosemary, anchovies, and garlic, followed by the tomato paste. Cook for a minute to deepen the flavor. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and scrape up all those browned bits—that is where the flavor lives! Add a teaspoon of soy sauce at this stage as well.
Simmer & Add Vegetables Return the beef to the pot with all its juices, then add the broth and the thyme bundle. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover the pot, and let it cook for 1.5 to 2 hours. This is the easy part—use the time to relax or catch up on other things while the stew simmers.
Add Vegetables and Pumpkin Once the beef starts to tenderize, stir in the cup of pumpkin puree. Add the carrots, honey nut squash, potatoes, and a teaspoon of salt. Hold back on any extra salt for now because every broth is salted differently. Cover the pot and simmer for about thirty more minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the beef is fork-tender.
Finish & Serve Remove the lid and simmer uncovered until the broth reduces to a thick, gravy-like consistency. If the stew still looks thin, give it more time and let those starchy vegetables do their work. Taste for salt, and add a small splash of balsamic at the end to brighten the whole pot
Ladle the stew into big bowls with buttered sourdough toast for dunking. For quick and crispy toasts, use the toaster oven as shown in the video. Your family will love this!
Bonus: How To Roast a Whole Pumpkin
Pumpkins are note just for decoration! To bake a whole pumpkin, put the entire pumpkin in the oven, on a sheet pan, and roast at 375°F or 190°C for about an hour until soft all the way through. Scoop out the flesh, blend it smooth in a high powered blender, and freeze what you do not use. This will give you lots of pumpkin puree! I freeze mine in individual portions in souper cubes and cooked down. aportuon of this with fall spices to use for pumpkin baking recipes.
Tips For The Best Beef Stew
- Sear in two batches. Crowding the pot steams the beef instead of browning it, and you lose all that flavor.
- The flour coating is worth it. It gives the beef a light crust and thickens the stew as it simmers.
- Hold most of the salt until the vegetables go in. Broth saltiness varies too much to season confidently at the start.
- If the stew is not thick and gravy-like at the end, simmer it uncovered longer. That is how a stew should be.
- The anchovies disappear completely. They just make everything taste richer.
- Leftovers are even better the next day. The flavors keep melding overnight.
Watch the YouTube video below to see exactly how I make this autumn beef stew.
Autumn Beef Stew
Ingredients
Notes
Method
- Season the beef with salt and pepper and toss lightly with the flour. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in two batches until lightly browned on all sides (it will not be cooked through). Remove and set aside.
- Add the onions and celery to the pot with a sprinkle of salt. Saute about 5 minutes, until softened.
- Stir in the rosemary, anchovies, and garlic. Add the tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring.
- Pour in the balsamic vinegar, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the soy sauce.
- Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Add the broth and the thyme bundle. Bring to a gentle simmer, partially cover, and cook 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beef begins to get tender.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree. Add the carrots, honey nut squash, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and simmer about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the beef is fork tender.
- Uncover and simmer until the broth reduces to a rich, gravy-like consistency, about 15 more minutes. Taste and adjust the salt, then add a small splash of balsamic vinegar at the end to brighten the flavor.
- Ladle into bowls and serve with buttered sourdough toast.
Video
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