Classic Beef Bourguignon – Rich French Comfort Food

Beef Bourguignon is the dish that turned a humble peasant stew into a French legend: chunks of beef braised slowly in red wine until they surrender to the fork, with pearl onions, mushrooms, and carrots swimming in a deep, glossy sauce. It is not a weeknight sprint, but almost every minute is hands-off, and the payoff is a pot that smells like a Paris bistro.

The secret is layering. You brown the beef hard for fond, bloom the tomato paste, deglaze with a full bottle of Burgundy-style wine, then let a low oven do the work. A final butter-flour paste (beurre manié) tightens the sauce into something that clings to every cube, and a handful of fresh thyme finishes it bright.

Serve it over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or crusty bread, and plan for leftovers, because this stew genuinely improves overnight as the flavors marry.

About the Ingredients

3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

Chuck is ideal because its marbling breaks down into gelatin during braising. If unavailable, use beef shoulder or short rib meat, but avoid lean stew cuts like round, which turn stringy.

6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon or pancetta, diced

Thick-cut bacon gives smokier depth than thin slices. For a pork-free version, swap in 2 tablespoons olive oil plus 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Use regular, not extra-virgin, olive oil since it holds up to high heat. Canola or grapeseed oil works as a neutral substitute.

1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

Yellow onion melts into the sauce; white or sweet onion is a fine substitute. Skip red onion, which tints the sauce purple.

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Look for firm carrots without bendy tips for the best texture. Parsnips can replace half the carrots for a sweeter, earthier note.

3 tablespoons tomato paste

Tomato paste adds body and umami without tomato flavor. If you only have tomato sauce, use 1/3 cup and reduce the wine by the same amount.

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Flour thickens the braise and helps the beef brown. For gluten-free, use 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with water at the end instead.

1 bottle (750 ml) dry red Burgundy or Pinot Noir

Choose a dry, medium-bodied red you would actually drink. Merlot or Côtes du Rhône are solid substitutes; never use cooking wine, which is salty and harsh.

2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth

Low-sodium broth lets you control the salt. Chicken broth works in a pinch, or use 2 cups water plus 1 teaspoon beef bouillon.

8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, quartered

Cremini have more flavor than white button mushrooms. Oyster or shiitake mushrooms add a meatier texture if you want to mix it up.

10 oz (280 g) frozen pearl onions, thawed

Frozen pearl onions save 20 minutes of peeling and taste just as good. If using fresh, blanch in boiling water for 1 minute to slip off skins.

4 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Bundle thyme and bay in cheesecloth for easy removal. Dried thyme works: use 1 teaspoon in place of the sprigs.

Tips & Tricks

Do not crowd the beef

Brown in three batches over high heat so each cube sears instead of steaming; a crowded pan traps moisture and leaves you with gray meat.

Pick a wine you would drink

Cheap, harsh wine concentrates its flaws during reduction. A $12 dry Pinot Noir gives a smoother, fruitier sauce.

Salt at the end, not the start

Bacon, broth, and wine all carry sodium, so taste the finished sauce before adding more salt to avoid an over-salted stew.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat and prep

Heat oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the beef cubes completely dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2. Render the bacon

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon 6 to 8 minutes until crisp and golden brown, then transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.

3. Brown the beef

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot and raise heat to medium-high. Sear the beef in three batches, 4 to 5 minutes per batch, until deeply golden brown on all sides, then set aside with the bacon.

4. Soften the vegetables

Lower heat to medium, add the remaining oil, onion, and carrots, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until the onion is translucent and the edges are golden, scraping up browned bits as you go.

5. Bloom the paste and thicken

Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 60 seconds until the paste darkens to brick red. Sprinkle in the flour and stir 1 minute until no dry flour remains.

6. Deglaze with wine

Pour in the wine and broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon until every browned bit dissolves. Return the beef and bacon to the pot and add the thyme and bay leaves.

7. Braise low and slow

Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise 2 hours 30 minutes, until the beef shreds easily with a fork and the sauce bubbles gently at the edges. Check at 2 hours to make sure the liquid covers the meat halfway.

8. Sauté the mushrooms and onions

About 15 minutes before the stew finishes, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms and pearl onions 8 to 10 minutes until browned and glossy.

9. Finish the sauce

Discard the thyme and bay leaves, stir in the mushrooms and onions, and simmer uncovered on the stovetop 5 to 8 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.

Delicious Variations

Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon

Brown the beef using the sauté function, then pressure-cook 35 minutes on high with a 10-minute natural release for a weeknight version.

Mushroom Bourguignon

Swap the beef for 2 pounds of halved portobello and cremini mushrooms for a vegetarian take; use vegetable broth and add 1 tablespoon soy sauce for depth.

Coq au Vin twist

Replace the beef with a 4-pound cut-up chicken, braise only 45 minutes, and stir in 2 tablespoons cream at the end for a silkier sauce.

How to Store Classic Beef Bourguignon

Frequently Asked Questions

If you make this Classic Beef Bourguignon, I would love to hear how it turned out, so leave a comment below and tag your photos. Save the recipe for your next cozy Sunday dinner and share it with someone who deserves a slow-cooked meal.

Classic Beef Bourguignon

Classic Beef Bourguignon delivers fall-apart beef in a glossy red wine sauce, a rich French comfort dish that tastes even better the next day.

★★★★½ 4.8 (287 ratings)

30 minPrep time165 minCook time8Servings512 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 3 lb (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 oz (170 g) thick-cut bacon or pancetta, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red Burgundy or Pinot Noir
• 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 8 oz (225 g) cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 10 oz (280 g) frozen pearl onions, thawed
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

📋 Instructions

1. 1Preheat and prep — Heat oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the beef cubes completely dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
2. 2Render the bacon — In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the bacon 6 to 8 minutes until crisp and golden brown, then transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
3. 3Brown the beef — Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot and raise heat to medium-high. Sear the beef in three batches, 4 to 5 minutes per batch, until deeply golden brown on all sides, then set aside with the bacon.
4. 4Soften the vegetables — Lower heat to medium, add the remaining oil, onion, and carrots, and cook 6 to 8 minutes until the onion is translucent and the edges are golden, scraping up browned bits as you go.
5. 5Bloom the paste and thicken — Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 60 seconds until the paste darkens to brick red. Sprinkle in the flour and stir 1 minute until no dry flour remains.
6. 6Deglaze with wine — Pour in the wine and broth, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon until every browned bit dissolves. Return the beef and bacon to the pot and add the thyme and bay leaves.
7. 7Braise low and slow — Cover and transfer to the oven. Braise 2 hours 30 minutes, until the beef shreds easily with a fork and the sauce bubbles gently at the edges. Check at 2 hours to make sure the liquid covers the meat halfway.
8. 8Sauté the mushrooms and onions — About 15 minutes before the stew finishes, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms and pearl onions 8 to 10 minutes until browned and glossy.
9. 9Finish the sauce — Discard the thyme and bay leaves, stir in the mushrooms and onions, and simmer uncovered on the stovetop 5 to 8 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Taste and adjust salt.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Note: For the deepest flavor, cool the stew completely and refrigerate overnight, then lift off the solidified fat and reheat gently; the sauce will be noticeably richer.

Servings: 8

Cuisine: French

Course: Main Course

Nutrition (per serving): 512 kcal · 38g protein · 18g carbs · 28g fat