Description
Hearty beef pumpkin stew from Northern Italy combines rustic comfort with seasonal warmth. Rich flavors meld tender meat and sweet pumpkin, inviting you to savor autumn’s culinary embrace.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds (907 g) beef stew meat (chuck or round), cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 cups (480 ml) fresh pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 cups (946 ml) beef broth
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 can (14.5 oz or 411 g) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps all-purpose flour
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Coat beef stew meat thoroughly with flour, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl, ensuring even coverage.
- Warm olive oil in a spacious pot over medium-high heat, then methodically brown beef pieces in small batches, creating a rich caramelized exterior. Transfer browned meat to a separate plate.
- In the identical pot, sauté chopped onion, minced garlic, carrots, and celery until vegetables become translucent and fragrant, approximately 5 minutes.
- Reintroduce browned beef into the vegetable mixture, then incorporate beef broth, diced tomatoes, pumpkin, aromatic herbs, and warming spices. Thoroughly mix ingredients to distribute flavors evenly.
- Elevate heat to generate a robust boil, then immediately reduce temperature to low. Cover pot and allow stew to gently simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, transforming beef into tender morsels and softening pumpkin chunks.
- During the final 30 minutes of cooking, optionally introduce diced potatoes, a splash of red wine, and Worcestershire sauce to enhance depth and complexity of flavors.
- Extract bay leaves before serving. Taste and calibrate seasoning with additional salt and pepper if required. Ladle steaming stew into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley for a vibrant finish.
Notes
- Coating beef with flour helps create a delicious golden crust and thickens the stew naturally.
- Choose chuck roast or stew meat with good marbling for maximum tenderness and rich flavor.
- For gluten-free version, replace wheat flour with cornstarch or alternative gluten-free flour blend.
- Slow cooking transforms tough beef cuts into meltingly soft meat with deep, complex flavors.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 490 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg