The Best Spicy Beef Stew Recipe

beef

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: pork

Chicken is leaner, while pork is often less expensive.

beef broth

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water + seasoning

Vegetable broth reduces calories and can be made cheaply.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil is healthier, while canola oil is more budget-friendly.

chili powder

🥗Healthier: cayenne pepper

💰Cheaper: paprika

Cayenne offers heat without added calories, while paprika is often cheaper.

Get your prep done before you start cooking: Finely chop the onions, mince the garlic cloves and roughly chop the walnuts.

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan or a Dutch oven over medium high. Add walnuts and toast for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from pan.

In the same pan, heat oil and butter. Place half of the beef in a single layer and sear, undisturbed for 2 minutes. Next start stirring and cook until it browns all over, about 2 minutes. Remove from pot into a clean bowl. Add the remaining beef and repeat the process by first searing undisturbed and cooking until browned. There's no need to remove the meat from the pot.

Add garlic and onions, cook for 3 minutes. Return the rest of the beef to the pot. Add salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and brown sugar. Add flour, stir until incorporated.

Pour in beef broth and add bay leaves. Next stir in sambal oelek. Cover the pan, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 hour over low.

After this time, add walnuts and raisins. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes more or until the meat is fork-tender.

When done, taste and adjust salt and sambal oelek. Stir in parsley. Enjoy!

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: