• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
All Our Way
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Life
  • Wild Game
  • Contact
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Life
  • Wild Game
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Life
    • Wild Game
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Soups and Stews

    Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew Hearty Comfort Food

    Beef, Venison, Lamb, Pork, Eating Italian, Recipes, Soups and Stews

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Share
    Jump to Recipe
    Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef stew is filled with vegetables in a rich tomato broth. Good any time of year. #beef_stew,#vegetable_beef_stew, #hearty_soup, #Italian_stew, #allourway

    Beef stew, there must be thousands of recipes for this hearty dish and Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew is just one of them. Every family in every country seems to have a version of beef stew. Our Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew contains lean meat, nourishing vegetables, creamy Pinto beans, and ditalini pasta all in a rich tomato broth. Think of a big pot of hot aromatic thick vegetable beef soup on the stove, waiting to welcome you and your family in from the cold. Our stew features cabbage instead of potatoes but you may add potatoes to your beef stew if you like, use venison meat, or make it vegetarian. We know you'll love this stew. 

    For this recipe, you'll need: beef, cabbage, onion, celery, carrots, green beans, garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, pinto beans, beef broth, bay leaves, parsley flakes, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, pepper, small pasta. 

    Two bowls of Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew with a loaf of bread on a wooden cutting board and a knife on the side.
    Jump to:
    • History of Beef Stew
    • First Beef Stew
    • Beef Stew today
    • Beef Stew in a slow cooker or Dutch Oven
    • Rustic Italian Vegetable Stew Hearty Comfort Food
    • Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew

    History of Beef Stew

    To call a dish beef stew, it has to cook in a pot with a liquid base, and it must have beef as the main ingredient. Stewing meat, as a method of cooking, goes as far back as the discovery of fire.

    I can picture how stewing meat evolved. A caveman enters the family cave dragging something behind him. "Wife," he bellows. "I've got meat. I'm hungry."

    Cartoon of a Caveman bringing home meat for beef stew @allourway.com

    The wife turns from the steaming cauldron that's over the fire and looks at what her husband dragged in. "Huh!" she says. " That meat is the same as you brought me last time. The last time I cooked it over the fire it was as tough as your shoes. We couldn't swallow it."

    Caveman responds, "I'm tired of berries and nuts. I need meat!"

    "Then bring me some meat I can cook over the fire."

    First Beef Stew

    As the caveman leaves the cave, he's mumbling about ungrateful wives.

    The woman, in the meantime, looks at the bloody mass on the ground. She's grumbling about leathery meat. With a sigh of resignation, she grabs the container of water then rinses off the dirt and grass from the hunk of flesh. What should she do?

    Cartoon of Cave Woman Dreaming of Cooking Beef Stew

    She looks at her water-filled cauldron; she looks at the meat at her feet. Why not she thinks to herself? A hot soak in water couldn't hurt the tough meat. She smiles to herself as she puts a big chunk of meat into the simmering water.

    Beef Stew today

    Today this delicious comfort food comes in many forms. It can be . . .

    • Texas-style chili
    • Burgoo a Kentucky stew.
    • French Boef Bourguignonne.
    • Beef Stroganoff.
    • Hungarian Goulash.
    • Flemish Carbonnade à la Flamande
    • Italian Spezzatino di Manzo, and more.
    Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew cooking in Dutch oven @allourway.com

    Beef Stew in a slow cooker or Dutch Oven

    Now that most homes have a slow cooker or crock-pot, it's even easier to whip up a delicious beef stew any day of the week. We don't have to spend hours in the kitchen tending the stew on the stove, the slow cooker does the work.

    The only thing that we would do if using a slow cooker instead of a Dutch oven, is lightly sauté the meat first. Then we would sauté the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and green beans and proceed with the rest of the recipe.

    Two Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew Ready in white bowls with a spoon in one bowl. A baguette is on a wood board with a knife. @allourway.com

    We made our Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew in our Dutch oven. Smelling a wonderful stew simmering on the stove is so homey and enticing,  no scented candle can ever match that smell.

    This stew is versatile. You can use chicken or even make it vegan by eliminating the meat and adding more beans for the protein. If you like, add more broth and make it into Vegetable Beef Soup.

    Beef Stew Seasoning

    • Italian seasoning -- oregano, basil, parsley leaves. bay leaves.
    • spice -- black pepper, red pepper flakes.
    • soffritto -- onion, celery, carrots.
    • and garlic.

    These seasonings aren't etched in stone. They are just some of our favorites.

    Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew with Parmesan on top. @allourway.com

    However you make it, we know you'll be happy with the taste. We're already planning our next vegetable beef stew, although this time, we may make it a venison stew.

    Be sure to sign up for our newsletter, we enjoy sharing with you what we're cooking up in our kitchen.

    Tutti a tavola è pronto!

    Un caro saluto e alla prossima.

    Here's a video of another soup you may like.

     

    The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    Thank you very much for being a part of All Our Way!

    We just couldn't do without our Dutch Oven! It is such a work horse. Heavy and dependable we let our soups and meat cook slowly without fear of burning. We can even fry in it. We've hat the pot for years and I know it will last us forever.  

    What's new? check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy. 

    Two bowls filled with vegetable beef stew with spoon sticking out of stew. Baguette on a cutting board with knife.

    Rustic Italian Vegetable Stew Hearty Comfort Food

    This hearty and tasty stew is very versatile and satisfying. You can make it thick as a stew or thin as a soup. It's all up to you. Whichever way you make it, you will be happy with the taste and seasoning. Guaranteed!!

    Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew comfort food any time of year @allourway.com

    Rustic Italian Vegetable Beef Stew

    A hearty spicy vegetable beef stew that's loaded with iron-rich beef, nutritious vegetables, high fiber pinto beans, comforting pasta, all in a rich tomato broth. Excellent any time of year but especially so in the cold winter months.
    4.86 from 27 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: beef, comfort food, main dish, Soup, Stew
    Cuisine: American, Italian
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 3 hours
    Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 291kcal
    Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
    As An Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ pounds chuck roast cubed
    • 3 Tablespoons olive oil divided
    • 1 cup diced onion
    • 1 cup sliced celery
    • 1 cup sliced carrots
    • 2 cups shredded savoy cabbage
    • 1 cup fresh green beans cut in 1-inch pieces may use frozen
    • 3 cloves garlic minced
    • 1 can 16 ounces diced tomatoes
    • 1 can 15 ounces tomato sauce
    • 1 can 15 ounces pinto beans(drained)
    • 1 can 14 ounces beef broth (or more if you prefer a thinner stew)
    • 3 bay leaves
    • 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
    • ½ teaspoon oregano
    • ½ teaspoon basil
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes -use less if you don't like spicy
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ¾ cup dried ditalini may substitute any small pasta cooked to under al dente. It will finish cooking in stew.
    • Parmesan cheese

    Instructions

    • Place a Dutch oven or large pot on medium high heat sauté beef in 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Lightly salt and pepper the meat as it sautés. Remove meat with juices and set aside.
    • In the same pot add the rest of the olive oil and sauté the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, green beans, seasonings over medium-high heat until the carrots and green beans are semi-soft.
    • Add beef broth, beef cubes and juice,diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and bring to a boil then turn down to simmer. Cover with lid and continue to simmer until meat is tender about 1 hour.
    • Stir in the drained beans and the savoy cabbage. Place the lid back on the pot and continue to cook for another 15 minutes.
    • Check the meat for doneness. The beef should be tender.
    • Stir in the cooked ditalini, cover the pot with lid, turn off the heat and let it rest.
    • If you prefer a thinner stew, add more beef broth.
    • Serve with shaved Parmesan cheese.

    Notes

    This is a very versatile stew. Add your favorite vegetables. This recipe can be a starting point. Add more liquid if you like it thinner. We thought it was excellent as is. Your cut of meat will determine the cooking time. Taste as you go along.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 101mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3050IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2.4mg

    Sign up for the emails and never miss another recipe!!

      Powered By ConvertKit
      We'll never share your email or send you spam. Promise

      Note: Recipes and content from © 2016 All Our Way are copyright protected. Please do not use content or recipe without prior written permission. If you want to share the information, please link to this post. Grazie.

      Pin
      Share
      Tweet
      Share
      « Spicy Baked Venison Meatballs:Appetizer to Main Dish
      Italian Pork Roast Braised with Milk,Fresh Herbs, Lemony Polenta »

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Dee | Grammy's Grid

        January 03, 2020 at 1:23 pm

        5 stars
        Visiting again to say thanks so much for linking up at #AThemedLinkup 8 for Soup Recipes. Pinned.

        Reply
      2. Dee | Grammy's Grid

        January 15, 2019 at 1:07 pm

        5 stars
        Enjoyed your history of beef stew and the images 🙂 Your recipe sounds just yummy! Shared ♥

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          January 15, 2019 at 1:59 pm

          Thank you, Dee! You're such a sweet friend.

          Reply
      3. Susie

        January 11, 2019 at 7:59 pm

        5 stars
        Like you and hubby, we look forward to hot soups and stews starting in the fall season. It’s been our family tradional to have soup on Christmas and New Years Eve....night before the big Holiday meal the next day. Thanks MARISA for another tasty recipe????

        Reply
      4. Michelle

        September 30, 2018 at 11:11 pm

        5 stars
        the caveman cartoons crack me up 😀 This beef stew looks delicious, saved and pinned!

        Reply
      5. swathi

        September 30, 2018 at 7:05 pm

        5 stars
        I like the history behind the beef stew, You made it delicious with beef and veggies and made whole some. Love it. Great for busy weekdays.

        Reply
      6. Valerie

        September 30, 2018 at 6:20 pm

        5 stars
        Stew is always a hit here in the fall and this sounds very hearty. I love ditalini in soup but haven't tried it in stew.

        Reply
      7. Tammy

        September 30, 2018 at 5:44 pm

        5 stars
        Such a cute story, Marisa! This stew though looks amazing!!!! I wish I could have a bowl of this right now for dinner. This is food for the soul <3

        Reply
      8. Jenni LeBaron

        September 30, 2018 at 12:18 pm

        5 stars
        Yum! A good beef stew with plenty of veggies is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. I think this is one of those dishes that is always even better the following day. Perfect cold weather food and a great way to feed the whole house!

        Reply
      9. Catalina

        September 30, 2018 at 11:20 am

        5 stars
        This is so cute that you wrote about stew's history. 🙂 It is so interesting to know more about culinary history! And your beef stew look so inviting! I need to buy the ingredients!

        Reply
      10. Jyothi (Jo)

        September 30, 2018 at 4:01 am

        5 stars
        Stew is my first most favorite comfort food and stew loaded with vegetables is absolutely delicious! With cold weather this stew will warm tummy and soul. So good!

        Reply
      11. Lauren Vavala @ DeliciousLittleBites

        September 29, 2018 at 6:26 pm

        5 stars
        Beef Stew is one of my favorites - love the big chunks of meat and veggies - yum!

        Reply
      12. Veena Azmanov

        September 29, 2018 at 6:19 pm

        5 stars
        Now that looks like comfort food in a bowl. Love stews this time of the year and this sounds perfect with all that goodness. My kids would feast over this one Marisa. So hearty and wholesome.

        Reply
      13. Dan Zehr

        September 29, 2018 at 12:57 pm

        5 stars
        Wow and wow, this is so delicious and it makes my mouth watering. I want to try this recipe for dinner. I think that my family will like it.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          September 29, 2018 at 3:13 pm

          Hi, Dan! It certainly is very tasty!!

          Reply
      14. Jovina Coughlin

        September 29, 2018 at 10:00 am

        Delicious one pot meal.

        Reply
      15. Susie

        September 29, 2018 at 9:56 am

        5 stars
        Hi MARISA, Like you, we love stews and soups.....especially, going into the cooler months. This stew recipe is on my menu list. Our thoughts and prayers are with you finding the perfect house SOON. We can totally relate to your house hunting experience. Hang in there.....prayer is powerful!! Xoxxo

        Reply
      16. Mahy Elamin

        September 29, 2018 at 5:45 am

        5 stars
        This tasty, easy and colorful vegetable beef stew is calling my name! I was always a fan of comfort food and I am pinning this recipe for later!

        Reply
      17. Denise

        July 23, 2018 at 7:40 am

        5 stars
        I love stew! It was a staple back when I got my first apartment many, many years ago. I don't put in as many ingredients as you do so I can't wait to try your version. It looks so hearty and delicious! Great post!

        Reply
      18. Jolina

        July 18, 2018 at 9:39 pm

        5 stars
        We love a good beef stew. Especially my dad. He can eat beef stew all day everyday (though I'm sure he shouldn't lol!). This looks so delicious.

        Reply
      19. Michelle

        July 18, 2018 at 12:20 pm

        5 stars
        I love stew and don't make it nearly often enough. This version looks so good and hearty!

        Reply
      20. Gloria

        July 17, 2018 at 8:42 am

        5 stars
        When it comes to comfort food season....I look for food in bowls. Love wrapping my hands around a warm bowl of goodness. I love stew, and this looks delicious. When I make stew at home, I make a HUGE batch. I love the leftovers, and my kids and grandkids always want to take some home.

        Reply
      21. Claudia Lamascolo

        July 13, 2018 at 3:47 pm

        I have just been starting to look for some great stew recipes for fall and wow this one is a keeper and must make!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          July 14, 2018 at 8:27 am

          I sure your family will enjoy it, Claudia. Have a great weekend.

          Reply
      22. Alexis

        July 13, 2018 at 12:28 pm

        5 stars
        We love a hearty stew in our family, thank you for the new recipe! I'll be adding it to our meal plan next week.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          July 14, 2018 at 8:29 am

          Hello, Alexis! I think stew is a great dish any time of year - our family loves it.

          Reply
      23. Christine - Jar Of Lemons

        July 13, 2018 at 10:59 am

        5 stars
        This is my kind of dinner recipe! So yummy and perfect for my entire family. They would love this beef stew!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          July 14, 2018 at 8:30 am

          Hi, Christine! If you make a big pot, it's great reheated!! Great for a busy family.

          Reply
      24. Gloria

        April 16, 2018 at 2:56 pm

        5 stars
        Well the calendar says SPRING...but the weather outside is an ICE STORM (for 2 days now). This is the perfect comfort food...and it will go with the wine to drown our weather headache. You can NEVER go wrong with a delicious bowl of stew and fresh baked bread for dinner any night of the week.

        Reply
      25. Julie

        January 13, 2018 at 6:39 pm

        5 stars
        My family and I loved it

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          January 14, 2018 at 7:16 am

          Hi, Julie!! Thank you for commenting -- I appreciate the feedback and I'm so happy you enjoyed it. Have a wonderful day. xoxo

          Reply
      26. Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy

        August 23, 2017 at 9:56 pm

        5 stars
        With comfort food season just around the corner, this looks totally delicious. When I make stew...I usually end up making a HUGE batch. Some for us, some for the freezer (hopefully)...and some for my daughter!!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          August 26, 2017 at 7:17 am

          Ciao, Gloria! We do the same. It's just as easy to make a huge batch then a small one. It's so nice to have something good in the freezer. And our kids the benefit too. Perhaps that's why the grandsons are always so excited for us to visit. ????

          Reply
      27. J @ Bless Her Heart Y'all

        December 21, 2016 at 7:16 am

        Hehe! I love your caveman story and illustrations! Made me laugh! I love a good beef stew and you are right, there are tons of them out there. I really tend to like beef stews like yours..... chunky, hearty, and rustic. This one looks absolutely delicious!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 21, 2016 at 8:08 am

          Thank you! In winter it seems like we need something hearty! I wonder how the caveman liked what his wife made 🙂

          Reply
      28. Elizabeth

        December 21, 2016 at 6:51 am

        Oh my goodness this sounds AMAZING! The perfect comfort food. I've just come back from a hill walk where I got hailed on in gale force winds, and I could seriously use a bowlful of this as I defrost!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 21, 2016 at 7:11 am

          Hello, Elizabeth! Wish I could pop some in the mail and send it to you. We are ready to make our second batch - it's cold here too. Hope you've defrosted - have a Merry Christmas.

          Reply
      29. Ciao Chow Linda

        December 20, 2016 at 9:13 pm

        A good beef stew is always so comforting on a cold winter day. Time to head to the store for ingredients before i get snowed in.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 21, 2016 at 6:20 am

          Hi, Linda! Your neck of the woods gets a heck of a lot colder weather than we do. Stay warm and have a very Merry Christmas! Abbracci!

          Reply
      30. Heather @Boston Girl Bakes

        December 20, 2016 at 8:13 pm

        Oh I love a hearty stew! And this one looks scrumptious :)...and love the cartoons!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 21, 2016 at 6:23 am

          Thank you, Heather! I enjoy writing the stories. Have a Merry Christmas.

          Reply
      31. Laura | Wandercooks

        December 20, 2016 at 6:44 pm

        5 stars
        Oh Marisa that's a fantastic story hahaha. I love making up origin stories for dishes too, it's always fun to wonder things like 'How did people decide that eating eggs, or drinking milk was a good idea??' Love your beef stew, it looks absolutely gorgeous, and any stew with pasta always has my vote!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 20, 2016 at 6:47 pm

          Hi! I'm glad you enjoyed the story. It's like you guys going around the world finding recipes and then making them. They all have stories, don't they?

          Reply
      32. Chiara

        December 20, 2016 at 4:42 pm

        lovely post Marisa, this beef looks so delicious !I wish you a Merry Christmas, un abbraccio !

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 20, 2016 at 6:50 pm

          Buon Natale, Chiara! The stew was delicious. I was raised on soups and stews. Brings back great memories. Un abbraccio forte?

          Reply
      33. Hannah Healy

        December 20, 2016 at 3:20 pm

        This looks like the perfect winter stew!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 20, 2016 at 3:45 pm

          It certainly is, Hannah!

          Reply
      34. Emily

        December 20, 2016 at 2:37 pm

        This really does look like the perfect comfort food! Delicious!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 20, 2016 at 3:45 pm

          Hi, Emily! It is so good and versatile too.

          Reply
      35. Helene D'Souza

        December 20, 2016 at 1:01 pm

        that post is fun. =D
        I always enjoy a hot bowl of beef stew. Sometimes it's hard to get beef around here. We use beef shank for goulash and ragout in general because it's best suited for longer cooking periods and it doesn't get chewy and yet gives flavor.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 20, 2016 at 1:05 pm

          Hi, Helene! You can use chicken for the recipe or even make it vegan by adding more beans to substitute for the meat protein. We love our comfort stew 🙂

          Reply
      36. Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs

        December 20, 2016 at 12:37 pm

        I love posts like this where you get to learn a bit more about the history and art of cooking! I love beef stew as much as the next person and your take on it looks fab!

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 20, 2016 at 1:06 pm

          Hi, Emma! Thank you. I am always curious about how recipes start adds so much knowing something about it.

          Reply
      37. RossC

        December 19, 2016 at 10:58 am

        This will be delicious... Its uncommonly cold for the west coast and my tummy is warmer from just reading your description and recipe...

        Oh... For whatever reason I have never seen ditalini on my grocers shelves.. I've always found plain old salad mac, usually on the bottom shelf, which I use frequently in the summer to make mac salad... Now I can put an Italian name to it... :O)

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 19, 2016 at 11:50 am

          Hi, Ross! I think it's cold everywhere! Make some beef stew and warm up from the inside out 🙂 Sometimes you have to really search to find different pasta. I'm a sucker for something new and unusual. Hope you're having a wonderful Christmas season.

          Reply
      38. Jovina Coughlin

        December 19, 2016 at 9:49 am

        Perfect timing. It is cold here in the south today and beef stew would be very warming. Your recipe looks fantastic.

        Reply
        • Marisa Franca

          December 19, 2016 at 11:48 am

          Thank you, Jovina. I guess we better make up a big batch when we head south! Hopefully it will start warming up soon.

          Reply

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      Primary Sidebar

      I’m Marisa Franca, a home chef, food writer, and photographer who believes that you can make gourmet quality food at home with simple seasonal ingredients. I’m passionate about family, food, friends, everything Italian, and happy endings.

      More about me →

      Italian Pasta Side Dishes

      Italian Pasta Side Dishes

      Categories

      Archives

      • About
      • Recipes
      • Life
      • Wild Game
      • Contact

      Summer Outdoors

      • Crispy Golden Fried Chicken
      • Three Bean Salad
      • Million Dollar Dip
      • Lemon Basil Farfalle Salad

      Summer Sweets (Dolci)

      • Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake
      • Coconut Pineapple Delight
      • Lemon Dump Cake
      • Panna Cotta With Strawberry Sauce

      Reader Favorites

      • Chop Suey | Classic Chinese-American Recipe Like Mom Made
      • Old-Fashioned Hearty Beef Barley Soup - The Way Mamma Used To Make
      • Homemade Italian Ravioli with Meat & Cheese Filling Tutorial
      • Grilled Marinated Venison Steak Tasty And Tender
      How to Make Hamburger Steak |Onion Gravy

      Footer

      ↑ back to top

      About

      • Privacy Policy
      • About
      • Accessibility

      Newsletter

      • Subscribe for emails and updates

      Contact

      • Contact

      As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

      Copyright © 2021 All Our Way