This hearty beef stew recipe cooks low and slow on the stove with pumpkin (or butternut/acorn squash) added when the beef is tender. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every last drop!
Beef Stew with Pumpkin
When the temperature starts to drop, I love to warm up with a comforting bowl of beef stew. Therefore, this Pumpkin stew hits the spot! It’s made with chunks of beef brown with onions and garlic and then cook on low in a mixture of broth and red wine until tender. The stew is flavored with oregano, thyme, and bay leaf, and fresh pumpkin or winter squash is added halfway through. For some different beef stew recipes, try this Beef and Kabocha Squash Stew and Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew).
There’s no flour in this stew which makes it naturally gluten-free.
What is the best meat for beef stew?
The best beef stew meat is beef chuck roast. It conveniently is one of the more budget-friendly cuts of meat since it’s so tough – making it perfect for stews. Since it’s higher in fat, I like to pair it with plenty of vegetables to balance the dish.
Do I have to brown the meat for beef stew?
Yes, I highly recommend it! Browning the beef before you simmer it gives it a much deeper flavor.
How can I make my beef stew tender?
Stews are all about low and slow cooking. The tough chuck roast is cut into small one-inch cubes and cooks on low heat for almost two hours. As it cooks, the beef will break down and get more tender. It’s definitely worth the time. Don’t use lean beef here, it will never become tender even if you cook it for hours.
Pumpkin Stew Variations:
- If you’d like your beef stew without wine, swap it for more beef broth.
- Use acorn squash or butternut squash if you can’t find pumpkin.
- If you want to add more veggies, carrots and tomatoes can be added.
- Save on prep time, and buy pre-cut butternut squash.
- To make in a slow cooker, brown the meat and onions first, then cook 8 hours on low heat with 1/4 cup less broth.
- To make in the Instant Pot, brown the meat and onions first then cook on high pressure for 35 minutes with 1/4 cup less broth.
More Stew Recipes You’ll Love:
- Paprika Chicken Stew
- Slow Cooker Chickpea Sweet Potato Stew
- Pressure Cooker Pozole (Pork and Hominy Stew)
- Slow Cooker Moroccan Chickpea and Turkey Stew
- Portuguese Seafood Stew
Beef Stew with Pumpkin
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, from 1 large
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 pounds beef chuck, cut in 1 inch cubes
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups cubed pumpkin,, acorn or butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute the onion in oil on medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add meat and 1 teaspoon salt, brown 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomato paste, cook 1 minute.
- Add remaining ingredients except pumpkin, cover and cook on low heat until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Add the pumpkin (or squash) and cook and additional 30 to 35 minutes, until pumpkin is tender.
- Taste for salt and adjust as needed, discard bay leaves and serve.
Last Step:
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Beef Stew Variations:
- If you’d like your beef stew without wine, swap it for more beef broth.
- Use acorn squash or butternut squash if you can’t find pumpkin.
- To save on prep time, buy pre-cut butternut squash.
- To make in a slow cooker, brown the meat and onions first, then cook 8 hours on low heat with 1/4 cup less broth.
- To make in the Instant Pot, brown the meat and onions first then cook on high pressure for 35 minutes with 1/4 cup less broth.
Soooooo delicious! Hard to believe it’s skinny. Great meld of sweet and savory! Will definitely make again . . . Often. Thanks for all your fabulous skinny recipes, each one better than the last!
Ok, but not something I would use again. Missed the celery, carrots and potatoes I grew up on, and when I want to cook stew, it’s those flavors I long for.
I have a classic beef stew recipe if that is what you prefer!
I made this tonight and it is absolutely amazing!!!! I literally threw in a random assortment of veggies from the fridge. Will definitely be a repeat this season.
Like all of your recipes, this one is top notch. I used butternut squash from our garden and it turned out fantastic.
Perfect!
I love this recipe! It is very similar to an old WW recipe I made in the 80’s. Only difference is the addition on black beans. So good!
Can you add the butternut squash in at the end if making in a slow cooker?
Sure
could this be made with venison? i know it’s a leaner cut of meat so just wondering how that would change the times. also, what is the tip on balsamic as opposed to red wine?
Can you use red potato’s instead of pumpkin?
Back in the day (I was young, read Bon Appetit religiously and energetic), I made a beef stew that baked inside small pumpkins. My guests were each served their masterpiece after drinking copious amounts of wine (this was the very early 80’s after all). I lost the recipe but your version replicates the Bon Appetit recipe nicely. It might not meet you ‘skinny’ rule but I added a few carrots, small cubes of potato and frozen green peas. The pumpkin was divine.
Ugh. Hope this turns out ok! Had to start and stop my Instapot three times because I didn’t read the comments first. Loll First to add balsamic instead of red wine (I’d forgotten that tip) and then to pull out the squash and potato to put in for 7 minutes at the end. I just looked at Gina’s IP instructions, which didn’t mention the meat going in before the squash. Haha I use most recipes as inspiration and don’t follow them really, adding our preferred foods and spices, but usually try to replicate the cooking methods, if possible. So, read the comments if ever trying a conversion to a different cooking method (even if a very experienced cook loll). Thanks for all the inspiration, Gina!
Why isn’t this recipe considered “gluten-free”? Is it because you use the words “crusty bread” just for soaking up sauce? This would be a great GF addition.
Yes this is GF!
Can i use frozen squash?
I made this in the instant pot and used butternut squash. It is absolutely delicious. I made it right before the program changed this week and it came out to 11 SP per serving for the blue plan which was 1 cup/serving. I added the squash at the beginning and it cooked perfectly. It is tender and isn’t falling apart or mushy. The only thing I would change when I make it again, is to add more squash. The meat is what makes this so high in points which reduced the serving size for me. Adding more veggies will satisfy me more. Happy cooking!
This was absolutely delicious, my husband didn’t even realize it was pumpkin!
It was a tad watery, so I whisked 3 tablespoons of flour into 2 cups of the liquid (after cooking) and mixed back in and it seemed to thicken it up.
I will be making this again!
Also- made this in the crock pot, hence the watery problem!
This was so yummy! Made it with red kuri squash (strangely our store didn’t have anything else)-35 minutes in the instant pot and 5 minutes with the squash. So delicious
Delish! Made as directed in instapot (35 min for meat natural release and 8 for squash quick release) I used butternut as I was too lazy to cut and peel pumpkin. Served with some rice. All 5 of us liked it! Thanks for a great alternative to standard stew.
Great!
When do I add the Pumpkin when cooking with the slow cooker?
I made this last night in the slow cooker and I added at the beginning, came out soft, didn’t fall apart.
Excellent. I cut the beef to 1 pound and added baby carrots and quartered onion. I replaced the wine with two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Added marjoram as well. Next time I will add mushrooms. Absolutely delicious. I was able to get six 1.25 cup servings out of this at 5 green points by adding the veg and cutting the beef down. This is a keeper.
What other veggies would go with this? I am going to do it in the slow cooker. Would appreciate a quick reply b/c I am getting groceries this evening.
Thanks
Maybe add potatoes and carrots?
Very easy and tastes great! Perfect for fall and winter.
Could the number of servings be reflected incorrectly?
Made this tonight. It was outstanding! My only changes were that in our area the boxed beef broth is yucky – so I used one can of beef broth and one of beef consume’. Yes I know the sodium and probably fat kicked up a tad but oh well. Seriously this was a very nice dish…oh and I used butternut squash. Thanks!
I made this tonight for dinner in IP. Cooked for 30 minutes then did a quick release, added butternut squash, and then cooked for another 7 minutes. I didn’t have any red wine on hand so added balsamic vinegar instead. I served it over egg noodles and the whole family loved it. My 2 year old cleared his plate!
Awesome
2 LBS. BEEF CHUCK ROAST. 4 SERVINGS? That’s a lot of meat for just 4 servings. PLEASE REVISIT. Your recipe doesn’t mention type, arm, blade. I am unable to come up with your point count. This truly sounds good and want to prepare once I know more. Really enjoy all your recipes and have all but the most recent air fryer cookbook. Look forward to your response.
Thank you
I mean it’s nearly 500 calories per serving, 2 lbs for 4 servings sounds right.
2 lbs. is not a lot as it shrinks quite a bit, I used a cubed lean beef stew from Costco, also divided into 6 servings as I share with my WW friends and it was only 6 points a serving this way I can have some rice or potato to soak up the sauce, BTW Emily this was absolutely delicious! Thanks for all the delicious recipes that keep me on track!
Hi, I’m calculating 738 calories per serving. Am I doing something seriously wrong here?
Nutritional info has been updated. 🙂
2 lbs of meat for 4 people is the correct. The rule always was 1/2 lb of meat per person. At least that’s what I was taught.
Make this for dinner last night, Very tasty. Will definitely add to my list of favourite recipes.
Hi! I wanted to ask you if you understood what Gina meant about 7-10 minutes? After the beef is finished cooking and in the warm step? Or throw it in with the beef and cook on pressure ? I guess I’d cook the beef and other ingredients according to directions and just throw in the squash when the beef is done and the IP turns to warm. Then cook on warm mode for 7-10 minutes… thanks… Geri E.
I cooked in my IP for 30 minutes then natural release then I used butternut squash/added back and pressured 5 minutes again then natural release.
Delicious. I made this last night!
When do I throw in the squash when cooking with the IP?
I think 7 to 10 minutes in the instant pot.
7-10 minutes when? At the beginning, before you start the cooking process, or when it’s done and in the keep warm step?
This is delicious! I had a similar recipe I got in a WW magazine back in the 80’s, and it included black beans. I think they would be a nice addition to this recipe!
I have pumpkin puree i froze last year would I be able to use that instead of chunks of pumpkin?
Hi,
I do not eat beef. Can I use boneless chicken pieces or chicken sausage?
Maybe chicken thighs on the bone.
Can I do regular potatoes instead of squash or pumpkin? When do you add them?
Sure add them the same time as mentioned, then cook until they are tender.
Would frozen butternut squash cubes work?
For IP version, squash and beef are cooked for 35 mins. TOGETHER with 1/4 cup less broth?
I wondered the same re IP or slow cooker, when to add the squash/pumpkin.
For the IP version I believe she answered above and said that 7 to 10 minutes so I guess once the beef is done then you throw in the squash and pressure cook for another 7 to 10 minutes, 35 minutes would be too long the squash will disappear.
If I’m making this in the slow cooker, when should do I add the pumpkin? Half way through?
recipe says when meat is tender, about 30-35 minutes before done.
Those directions were given with the stovetop version, but it would probably work with the Slowcooker version..
Hi! Super excited to make this but question: for instapot, I see your note, is it that you brown the meat and onions, dump all the other ingredient in, and click start? Or do you follow the steps like in the recipe? Can the pumpkin/butternut go in at the same time as the meat or, like in the recipe, does it have to be added at the end?
I would add it after the beef is cooked, for 7 min. Otherwise it will be mush.
This looks great, planning on making it soon. If we wanted to make this in the slow cooker, when do you suggest we add the cubed pumpkin or butternut squash?
Id probably add them in the beginning, they will be very soft.
Hi! I’m new here. When you say this is a freezer meal, does that mean I can dice up my pumpkin and freeze it with cubes of beef, or that I can freeze the leftovers afterwards? Either way I’m trying it this week. Thanks!
This is to freeze after.