I’m starting the week with a rich Irish beef stew — and yes, it has dumplings. Delicious, comforting dumplings.
Before spring arrives in full, I had to sneak in one more serious comfort-food recipe. This stew is everything: robust, cozy and exactly what you want on a chilly day.
Serious
comfort
food.
Cue all the exclamation points!
You’ve loved my stout and Guinness recipes in the past, and I wanted to create another stout-infused dish for Saint Patrick’s Day. I also wanted to riff on a favorite format — stew topped with pillowy dumplings — similar in spirit to chicken and dumplings but with beef and stout.
P.S. This might be the last soup I post before the season changes. I’m ready for sunshine and spring, but there’s still time for one more bowl of comfort.
That said, chilly weather inevitably returns, and this recipe is perfect for any cool day — especially around Saint Patrick’s Day, though it’s great any time of year.
Just sayin’.
The base of this stew is deeply flavorful: onions, potatoes and carrots cooked with seasonings and tomato paste until the flavors concentrate and develop a rich, caramelized depth. The color and aroma are irresistible — easily one of the best stew bases I’ve made.
From there, a splash of stout and plenty of beef stock join the tender seared beef and fresh herbs. The combination yields a silky, rich broth that feels almost decadent.
To make it even more indulgent, we finish with dumplings dropped straight into the simmering stew — essentially adding bread right into the pot. Perfect.
Now for the dumplings.
The herbed dumplings are tender and versatile — make them small or large depending on how you like them. They puff up and stay soft, adding an irresistible texture contrast to the stew.
Melts in your mouth!
Every spoonful practically melts: soft vegetables, fall-apart beef, and a silky broth. With the dumplings floating on top, this bowl becomes the ultimate comfort meal — satisfying, cozy and complete.
The perfect bowl of love for your Monday!
Irish Beef Stew with Herbed Dumplings
Irish Stout Beef Stew with Herbed Dumplings
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into pieces
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 ounces stout beer (like Guinness)
- 4 cups beef stock
herb dumplings
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary or thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
Instructions
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Heat a large stockpot over medium heat and add the oil. Season the beef pieces with salt and pepper, then toss with flour to coat.
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Sear the beef in the pot until each side is golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed. Remove the browned beef with a slotted spoon and set aside.
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Add butter, onions and garlic to the pot. Stir and scrape the bottom to loosen browned bits. Cook 5 minutes until onions soften.
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Add potatoes and carrots with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, coating the vegetables, and cook 5 to 10 minutes more, stirring often to avoid burning. Return the beef to the pot.
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Pour in the stout to deglaze the pot and release any remaining browned bits. Stir in the beef stock and add a sprig of thyme or rosemary. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook 30 to 60 minutes, until the beef is tender and falling apart. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
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To make the dumplings, whisk together flour, baking powder, dried herbs and salt in a bowl. Combine the buttermilk and egg, then stir into the flour until just combined. Let the dough rest 10 minutes.
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Once the beef is tender, uncover the pot and drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough onto the surface of the simmering stew. You can cover the top of the stew with dumplings if you like. Keep the stew at a gentle boil for 10 to 15 minutes to cook the dumplings; after about 10 minutes gently turn them and cook another 5 to 10 minutes.
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Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley or rosemary (or both).
Did you make this recipe?
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Dumpling pillows for life.