A traditional Irish stew for the stovetop or slow cooker! Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or a regular Sunday supper, the classic combination of lamb or beef with vegetables and potatoes in a Guinness or red wine sauce is always a crowd-pleasing dish.
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Looking for other great St. Patrick’s Day recipes? Try this easy Guinness chocolate cake with cake mix, sheet pan cabbage potatoes and sausage, and this dump-and-bake corned beef and cabbage, too!
The best stew I have ever made! The meat was so tender, and the veggies were soft but not mushy. I used a bottle of Guinness and a combination of chicken broth and beef broth to get the right amount of liquid. Thank you for always having the best recipes!
– Kathryn
A Traditional Irish Stew Recipe
So what makes Irish stew Irish? The traditional dish originated in early 19th century Ireland and was made with lamb (or mutton) and root vegetables. Recipes vary by chef and region, but basic ingredients include the meat, along with potatoes, onions, and parsley. Some versions also use carrots, turnips, or barley.
This updated recipe holds true to the foundation of the traditional dish, but takes advantage of modern, readily available ingredients. It yields a rich, hearty stew that’s full of succulent, tender meat and perfectly cooked (not mushy) vegetables, all coated in a thick gravy. A pot of Irish stew is warming, comforting, and ideal for a cold night!
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Mutton or lamb stew meat are most traditional in Irish stew, but you can also use beef stew meat in this recipe.
- The recipe calls for lamb stew meat, which is a generic term for various cuts of lamb that are suitable for long, slow cooking. Lamb stew meat is generally diced shoulder, neck fillet, shank, or breast. For a leaner cut, diced leg also works well.
- If using beef instead of lamb, look for pre-diced beef stewing meat as a shortcut. Alternatively, you can dice your own chuck roast or brisket at home to use in this recipe.
- Flavor the stew with Guinness (the classic dark Irish beer) or red wine — you choose! If you opt for wine, look for a dry red wine such as pinot noir, merlot, shiraz, or cabernet sauvignon. For an alcohol-free dish, use extra beef broth instead.
- Whether you’re using a Dutch oven or a slow cooker, don’t skip the step of browning the meat. Dredging the meat in flour helps to thicken the stew, and it also creates a flavorful crust on the meat and insulates the meat from the high heat in the pan. This step adds so much flavor to the stew — especially if you scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot as you deglaze the pan and the broth simmers.
How to Make Irish Stew
I prefer a stovetop Irish stew, because it gives me more control over the timing of adding the vegetables (and therefore their texture in the finished dish). If convenience wins out and you’d rather make this stew in the slow cooker, I’ve also included those instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Either way, every bite is loaded with flavor and comfort.
- Fry the bacon in butter in a Dutch oven. Remove the bacon to a plate.
- Dredge the meat in seasoned flour and brown in the butter and bacon drippings. This adds delicious flavor to the stew! You’ll probably need to work in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the meat in the pan. You don’t want it to steam, but instead you want it to get some nice rich color on the outside.
- Remove the meat to a plate.
- Add the Guinness (or wine) and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the bacon and meat to the pot, along with the tomato paste, brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, paprika, and beef broth.
- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 1 ½ hours. To make the stew tender, it’s important to cook the meat long enough to break down the tough connective tissue and fibers. If your meat is still tough after about 90 minutes, simmer the stew a little bit longer.
- Add the onions and carrots; cook for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the potatoes and mushrooms, and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 more minutes. Keep the Dutch oven covered while simmering in order to trap moisture in the stew. You should end up with the perfect ratio of thick, rich gravy by the end. If you find that the stew is too thick at the end of cooking, just add an extra splash of broth until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Discard the bay leaf, stir in the parsley, and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
What to Serve with Guinness Irish Stew
With meat, potatoes, and veggies, you’ve basically got an entire meal in one pot — no sides necessary! That said, if you’d like to offer extra options, pair the Irish stew with a loaf of molasses oatmeal soda bread, Irish soda bread, noodles, a green salad with red wine vinegar salad dressing or Dijon vinaigrette, French baguette bread recipe, a crusty loaf of no-knead Dutch oven bread, Aunt Bee’s 3-ingredient biscuit recipe, flaky biscuits, or skillet cornbread.
Since you’re using Guinness stout in the Irish beef stew, don’t forget a glass of Guinness on the side, too! This dish also pairs nicely with a glass of red wine. A shiraz or a cabernet sauvignon would both be great — you certainly don’t need anything fancy for this rustic meal.
If you’re hosting a St. Patrick’s Day party, a green Watergate salad recipe or Watergate cake, this Guinness chocolate cake with cake mix, or an old-fashioned whiskey cake recipe would all be fun additions to the spread.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: Prepare the stew up to 1 day ahead, let it cool to room temperature, cover with the lid, and refrigerate overnight. Reheat the pot on the stovetop just before serving.
- Freeze: Let the stew cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. Once chilled, transfer the leftovers to a resealable container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: When chilled, the fat from the stew will rise to the top and harden. You can use a spoon to scrape off most of the fat, or you can simply leave it in the pot and stir it back into the dish when it heats up. Place the cooked stew in a saucepan or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Cover and warm over low heat, just until the stew reaches the desired temperature.
I just made this Irish Stew yesterday with great success. I did use lamb, and the only changes I made were to add barley instead of mushrooms, and to cook it in my slow cooker for over 10 hours (simply because I had to work). The stew turned out AMAZING!!!! My son gave it the highest compliment: “One of the best things you’ve ever made, Mom.” Thank you, Blair!!
– Patricia
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Irish Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 lbs. lamb stew meat or beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup Guinness stout or dry red wine
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- Leaves from 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 dried bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 2 ½ cups beef broth, plus more as needed
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 ½ lbs. new potatoes, quartered (or use russet potatoes, peeled and chopped into ¾-inch cubes)
- 8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
Instructions
- In a large oven-safe pot or Dutch oven, sauté bacon in butter over medium heat until crisp and browned, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pat the lamb (or beef) dry with a paper towel. Place the flour in a bowl or large Ziploc bag and season with about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Add the meat and toss to coat well. Remove the coated meat from the bowl and discard any extra flour. Sear the meat in the butter/bacon fat until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Depending on the size of your pot, you may need to work in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan. Remove the meat from the pot.
- Add the Guinness (or wine) and the vinegar. Cook over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the bacon and meat back to the pot, along with the tomato paste, brown sugar, garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, remaining ½ teaspoon of pepper, thyme, bay leaf, paprika, and broth. Stir really well to completely combine. Bring to a boil; then reduce the heat so that the pot is at a low simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender, about 1 ½ hours.
- Add the onions and carrots and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and mushrooms and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 more minutes. Add extra broth at the end to thin the stew, if necessary. Discard bay leaf; stir in parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Ladle into bowls and serve. Garnish with additional fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- A splash of Worcestershire sauce would be a nice addition to the gravy.
- Herbs to put in Irish stew: I’ve used sprigs of fresh thyme and parsley, which are classic savory herbs to pair with a rustic beef or lamb dish. If you’d like even more herb flavor in your stew, try adding rosemary, too.
- The mushrooms are one of our favorite ingredients in this stew; however, if you don’t care for mushrooms, you can substitute with frozen peas or some chopped cabbage.
- For extra veggies, try adding parsnips as well!
More Stew Recipes to Try
Dutch Oven Beef Stew
2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Crock Pot Chicken Stew
8 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Crock Pot Beef Stew
8 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Originally published in February, 2020, this post was updated in March, 2025.
The best stew I have ever made! The meat was so tender, and the veggies were soft but not mushy. I used a bottle of Guinness and a combination of chicken broth and beef broth to get the right amount of liquid. Thank you for always having the best recipes!
That’s so good to hear, Kathryn! Thanks for taking the time to come back here and let me know. Happy almost St. Patrick’s Day! 🙂
Followed the recipe and sauted the beef first – then cooked everything in my pressure cooker for 30-minutes. Did a natural release for 10 minutes. OMG – what a fantastic meal. Served it with crusty French Bread to sop up the great gravy. Thanks for posting.
Thank you, Kathi! I’m so glad that it worked well in the Instant Pot, too. 🙂
I made your Irish Stew recipe a year ago and came back now to change the number of servings as it is for a large group and needed to add more….BUT you have changed your recipe – added bacon and tomato paste etc. Do you prefer this version or why the change? I served the old version to 150 people and scared to change it up!
Hi, Ellen! Yes, I think this version is much more flavorful and even better. 🙂 That said, I’m happy to send you the original version if you’d prefer to use that. I’ll send it to your email and you can choose which one you make! Hope your guests enjoy the stew!
Thank You …………I will try the new version or do a combination maybe!! Thanks for the quick reply!!
No problem, Ellen! 🙂
I just made this Irish Stew yesterday with great success. I did use lamb, and the only changes I made were to add barley instead of mushrooms, and to cook it in my slow cooker for over 10 hours (simply because I had to work). The stew turned out AMAZING!!!! My son gave it the highest compliment: “One of the best things you’ve ever made, Mom.” Thank you, Blair!!
Oh, that’s great to hear, Patricia! I’m so glad that it was a hit, and that your son approved, too. Thanks for letting me know!
This was fabulous! I used beef and it came out so tender and full of flavor! I did it in a cast iron Dutch oven on the stove top. It was worth the trip to the store to buy the Guinness!
I’m so glad that you liked it, Annie. Thanks for your note!
I made this with venison the first time I made it and couldn’t stop eating it, it was so good! Now I’m making it with beef for a New Year’s Eve dinner we go to. I use wine instead of Guinness and my own paprika that I make with thyme and rosemary from my garden. It is one of my very favorite soups/stews.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Reid!
Blair, I love this recipe. It’s flawless. I do have one suggestion (not altering your recipe). I found that I can use a tough cut of meat and as a short cut, I cut into stew meat the night before and sprinkle a little baking soda on the meat and really incorporate it – like I would with a little salt. The baking soda helps break down the protein in the meat and can reduce overall cooking time. I do the same with tougher cuts of steak. I add baking soda to a marinade and let the meat marinate for at least an hour. The result is a really tender piece of meat!
But back to your recipe – it is now requested by all our friends.
Thanks so much, Barbara. I appreciate your tip, and I’m really happy to hear that you enjoy the stew. Thanks again for taking the time to leave a note!
Made this for my boyfriend, he poo-pooed the idea of Irish stew, made this for him. He loves it, asked me to make it again. Thank-You, this is a great meal has everything in it. Flavor, herbs, spices, vegetables, meat. Just a great recipe>!!!
We’re so happy to hear it was a hit! Thank you for trying it out, Terry.
This looks really scrummy! But I am coeliac. I will use gluten-free flour AND change the Guinness for red wine, as the Guinness has gluten in it. I cannot wait to try it out! Thanks for the recipe!
We hope you enjoy it, Jacqueline!
Make e-mailing a recipe easy and easy to find. Maybe at front of specific recipe.
Hi Steve! You can click the “Print Recipe” button on the recipe card at the bottom of any page to get the recipe easily. Hope this helps!
As you suggested, I did add some fine chopped cabbage. Great tip! Will be duplicating this meal in 9 days!
Awesome! So glad to hear that. Thanks for letting me know!
So glad you didn’t include a Corned Beef recipe to your favorites. It was a British invention, and no true ‘Paddy” would add this to their table on our most scared Holiday.
This is the Best Irish Beef Stew I have ever had or made.
Love your simple straight forward recipes, each ends in a delicious success.
Thank you Blaire!
Thank you, Mark! This made our day.