St. Patrick’s Day is the perfect time to bust out your biggest soup pot and make a big batch of Guinness Beef Stew!!! Featuring a rich and hearty Guinness beef broth, tender stew meat, and plenty of carrots and potatoes, this hearty meal is always a crowd-pleaser! And don’t worry, if you have leftovers, they freeze great!
Guinness Beef Stew Recipe
I know St. Patrick’s Day is still a month away, but I couldn’t resist sharing this Guinness Beef Stew with you today! It’s the definition of comfort food and perfect for the bone chilling weather we’ve been experiencing lately.
This recipe features a deep & dark beef broth base that’s spiked with an entire bottle of Guinness! In addition, there’s plenty of tender stew meat, onions, carrots, and potatoes. My family enjoys this stew ladled over buttery egg noodles, but it’s honestly hearty enough to serve on its own. Or with a simple piece of crusty bread!
Ingredients for Guinness Beef Stew
- all-purpose flour: to dredge your stew meat in! if you’re a gluten free home, try a 1 to 1 GF flour substitute.
- salt & pepper: for seasoning your meat and your stew! the amounts given are a good starting point, but feel free to use more or less depending on your taste buds.
- stew meat: ask your butcher to cut it up for you, or look for it prepackaged in the meat section of your local grocery!
- vegetable oil: or unrefined coconut oil, if you want!
- tomato paste: adds a rich flavor to the sauce, without making it overly “tomato-y”.
- apple cider vinegar: adds the slightest tang and also helps deglaze the pan.
- Guinness: you’ll need one bottle! but I always buy a case so I have some to enjoy with my stew lol.
- beef broth: for an added health boost, feel free to use bone broth!
- bay leaves: add depth of flavor to the broth. be sure to remove these before serving!
- fresh thyme: also adds flavor to the broth. remove the stems before adding the thyme leaves to the broth.
- brown sugar: just a small amount adds a slight sweetness that really enhances the flavors in the beer.
- yellow onions: but white onions will work in a pinch!
- baby potatoes: if you can’t find baby potatoes, use 2 large russet potatoes instead. chop them into rough chunks.
- carrots: we LOVE carrots in our house, so sometimes we add one or two extra to this stew.
- cornstarch: thickens the sauce. add this at the very end!
- water: helps the cornstarch incorporate into the stew evenly.
How to make Guinness Beef Stew
- Dredge the meat in flour mixture. Add into a well oiled pan and brown well on all sides.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Then add in the apple cider vinegar and Guinness and vigorously stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the beef, beef broth, bay leaves, thyme, and remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 2 hours.
- Add in the brown sugar and veggies and cook for another hour, or until the vegetables have softened.
- Add in the cornstarch and water and cook until sauce has thickened. Ladle into bowls and serve!
How to Freeze Guinness Beef Stew:
- Cool stew completely. Pour stew a freezer-safe containers, leaving a 1/2 -inch of space from the top of the container. Place in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Although you can freeze beef stew, I personally find it tastes best eaten fresh. But the good news? It’ll keep, stored in the fridge, for up to 4 days! So you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy it!
If you try this recipe for Guinness Beef Stew, let me know! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it #bakerbynature on instagram! Seeing your kitchen creations makes my day.

Guinness Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 and 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper, divided
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup tomato paste
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 11.2 ounce bottle Guinness beer
- 5 cups beef broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 large yellow onions peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound baby potatoes, cut in half
- 6 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks, sliced on the diagonal
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a large, wide, shallow bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Dredge the meat in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour.
- In a large dutch-oven (or heavy bottomed pot) heat half of the oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, or until shimmering. Add the beef, a few pieces at a time, and brown well on all sides, adding more oil after each batch. Using tongs, remove the browned beef and set aside on a plate. Repeat until all beef has been browned.
- Add the garlic and tomato paste to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the color becomes a deep, rusty red, about 2 minutes. Add in the apple cider vinegar and Guinness and vigorously stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.
- Add the beef back to the pot. Add in the beef broth, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to barely a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 2 and 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. *The stew should NOT be boiling at all, but very lightly simmering.
- Add in the brown sugar, onions, potatoes, and carrots, and cook for another hour, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables have softened.
- In a small measuring cup combine the cornstarch and water. Pour this into the stew and cook until the broth has slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and serve! Garnish with freshly chopped parsley .
thanks for sharing such a nice delicious recipe.
The absolute most amazing soup I’ve ever tasted!! My father told me it reminds him of his grandmother’s soup so I think it’s a winner
Trying it now! Can’t wait for the outcome!
We just made this tonight and it’s incredible! Normally we like to wait til the next day to have something like a stew but it smelt so amazing we couldn’t wait. It did not disappoint. I used a GF flour, added portabella mushrooms, red radishes and some fresh rosemary that I had leftover from your parmesan rosemary biscuits (that were also a delicious triumph). I absolutely love all of your recipes. It’s my life’s goal to make all of them at least once.