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Beef Pumpkin Stew Recipe

Beef Pumpkin Stew Recipe

This beef pumpkin stew recipe is hearty and delicious! Made with pumpkin puree and beef stew meat, it is savory and guaranteed to warm you up.

close up photo of beef pumpkin stew

As the trees’ leaves start to change color and fall and the temperatures begin to drop, I start to crave heartier dinners. The warmer the meal, the better.

I pile on more and more layers of clothing and I start to eat fewer sandwiches and more soups and stews. At the end of summer, I’m all about the lecso. At the beginning of fall, its beef pumpkin stew to the rescue.

This recipe is the perfect savory pumpkin recipe. It combines one of my favorite fall flavors (I want pumpkin everything!!) with beef stew.

I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like beef stew.

For anyone out there who may be scared about combining pumpkin with beef, this is the recipe for you. The pumpkin flavor is subtle thanks to the slow simmer of the stew.

blue dutch oven filled with pumpkin beef stew
beef pumpkin stew in a blue dutch oven

How to Make Beef Pumpkin Stew

The secret to beef stew is just that – letting it stew. The longer you let it simmer, the more tender the beef becomes.

To begin, dredge the beef pieces in flour and brown it in butter in a soup pot. Do this step in small portions and remove the beef from the pot as you go.

Once all of your beef is browned and removed, add the onion and garlic to the pot, scraping the bottom of the pot as you go.

After a minute or so, return the beef to the pot and add the beef stock, seasonings, and pumpkin. Bring it to a boil and then let it simmer for several hours, stirring occasionally.

Looking for more soup recipes? Check out these fall soup recipes!

white bowl of pumpkin beef stew and a glass of red wine

This is the hardest part for me – I want to start eating as soon as my kitchen begins to fill with the scents of spices.

I resist though. I know that the longer I can let myself wait, the more tender the beef will become.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, I add potatoes, carrots, and thyme. Once my timer goes off, I serve myself a big bowl of pumpkin beef stew and sip on a glass of wine.

It’s the perfect way to end any autumn night!

overhead photo of beef pumpkin stew

What to serve with beef stew?

I recommend serving beef pumpkin stew with crusty bread or rolls (to soak up allll of that gravy) and a small side salad.

More soups to warm you up!

close up photo of beef pumpkin stew

Beef Pumpkin Stew

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes

This beef pumpkin stew recipe is hearty and delicious! Made with pumpkin puree and beef stew meat, it is savory and guaranteed to warm you up.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds beef (stew meat or chuck roast)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 cups beef stock or broth
  • 3 cups pumpkin puree
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 3 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 3-4 thyme sprigs

Instructions

  1. Cut the beef into 1-inch chunks. Dredge the beef in the flour until all of the beef sides are covered.
  2. In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium high-heat. In small quantities, brown the beef on all sides, removing the browned beef and setting it aside in a large bowl as you go. When the beef is browned, add the onion and the garlic to the pot. Sauté the onion and garlic for one minute, scraping the bottom of the pot as you stir.
  3. Return the browned beef to the pot and add the beef stock, pumpkin puree, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Stir well and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add the potatoes, carrots and thyme sprigs to the pot and increase heat to medium. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Salt to taste and serve.

Notes

Serve this stew with Nero d'Avola.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 650Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 1033mgCarbohydrates: 48gFiber: 7gSugar: 8gProtein: 44g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

WIkim

Saturday 30th of April 2022

Wow, I have made many a beef stew recipes over the 52 years of my life and this one knocks it out of the ballpark. Who would’ve ever thought of pumpkin purée? It’s so good and like others have said, my house smelled delicious. The flavors are spot on.

I agree though that there are too many vegetables to fit with the meat and broth in this recipe. I made mine in a Dutch oven on the stove, let it simmer on low heat covered for 3 hours. In the end, I left 3 potatoes behind, but admittedly the “broth” reduced more than I wanted and I had to move it to a smaller burner, added a cup of water for more liquid volume and ended up cooking my veggies another hour thereafter before they softened up enough for the stew. I also browned my beef stew and my onions & garlic in bacon grease and skipped the flour.

But this one is a keeper. My husband wouldn’t stop raving about it. Thank you for sharing.

Juliane

Sunday 13th of December 2020

Wow, I was looking for a stew recipe for a cold winter evening, that would allow me to use up my leftover pumpkin puree. Came across this and it exceeded my expectations! This stew is so tasty, I will definitely make it again soon!

Bhavesh

Wednesday 14th of October 2020

One of the best ever pumpkin stew recipe i have ever tried. Thanks for sharing this recipe with all of us,

Lyn

Sunday 12th of July 2020

I have never seen pumpkin purée in a can as ai live in Aus, but could I just add diced pumpkin to the stew at beginning so by the time it’s cooked it would be mushy? Instead of the extra step in cooking and pureeing as my blender on the blink ?

Drew

Thursday 10th of October 2019

Cut meats/veggies in half. I have a large lencruset like the one pictured. Midway through cooking I can tell vegetables won’t fit. Season the flour with thyme and garlic powder. Do a pass with salt/pepper on the steak before adding flour. Add thyme when you sauté garlic (3 cloves minced) and onion (one full).

Natalie Sartz

Monday 14th of October 2019

Thank you for that!

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