Garbanzos con Espinacas (Spanish Chickpeas with Spinach)
Spanish chickpea stew with spinach, cumin and paprika
What makes a stew a stew
A stew is a dish of pieces cooked in liquid until both the main ingredients and the cooking liquid are ready to eat together. It is usually thicker than a soup, but it does not have to be heavy or opaque. What matters is the relationship between solids and sauce: the liquid is seasoned, reduced or lightly thickened so it clings to the spoon and coats the ingredients. Stews can be meat- or vegetable-led, and they can be made on the hob, in the oven, or in an electric cooker. They are distinct from braises mainly by scale and serving style: a braise often centres on one large piece, while a stew is built from bite-sized pieces meant to be shared out evenly.
Top picks in Stew
Beer-Braised Pork Shoulder
Pork shoulder slow-braised in lager with onion and caraway
Bauerntopf (German Minced Beef and Potato Stew)
Minced beef and potato stew in a paprika-tomato broth
Hong Shao Rou (Red-Braised Pork Belly)
Red-braised pork belly simmered until tender and glossy
Lapin à la Moutarde (Rabbit in Dijon Mustard Sauce)
French rabbit stew with Dijon mustard and double cream
Stoofvlees met Friet (Belgian Beef Stew with Chips)
Belgian beef stew with dark beer, served with chips
Method choices that change the final bowl
Some stews start with browning. Searing meat or vegetables before adding liquid builds a deeper, roasted base and gives the sauce a darker colour. Others begin with sweating aromatics, then simmering gently for a cleaner, lighter profile where herbs and spices stay more prominent. The cooking vessel matters: a wide pot encourages evaporation and a naturally thicker sauce; a tight lid keeps things brothy and can help delicate ingredients stay intact. Thickening can come from reduction alone, from starchy ingredients breaking down, or from a small amount of flour or other starch added early. Each route changes the texture: reduction gives gloss, starch gives body, and flour can make the sauce feel more velvety.
All recipes in Stew
Moroccan Wedding Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives
Wedding-style Moroccan chicken tagine with preserved lemons and green olives
Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon
Chicken thighs braised with preserved lemon, olives, spices and fresh coriander
Holiday Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew with Coconut Milk)
White fish gently simmered in coconut milk with peppers, lime and coriander
Thịt Kho Trứng (Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly and Eggs in Coconut Water)
Caramelised pork belly and eggs gently braised in coconut water and fish sauce
Haemul Tang (Korean Seafood Hot Pot)
Spicy Korean seafood hot pot simmered with vegetables, then finished with tofu
Dongpo Pork, Hangzhou Style (Classic Red-Braised Pork Belly)
Dongpo pork with silky braised pork belly and a rich, glossy red-braised sauce
Bacalao a la Vizcaína Navideño (Christmas Salt Cod Stew)
Salt cod stew in guajillo and tomato sauce with potatoes, olives and capers
Bacalao a la Vizcaína (Salt Cod Stew with Tomato, Pepper and Olives)
Salt cod simmered in tomato and red pepper sauce with potatoes, olives and capers
Pescado a la Veracruzana (Fish in Tomato Sauce with Olives and Capers)
White fish gently cooked in a tomato sauce with olives, capers and oregano
Kerala Chicken Stew (Mild Coconut Milk Stew with Potatoes and Carrots)
Coconut milk chicken stew with potatoes, carrots, curry leaves and whole spices
Sarson ka Saag (Punjabi Mustard Greens)
Slow-cooked mustard greens blended coarsely, then tempered with ghee, garlic and spices
Stifado (Greek Beef and Shallot Stew with Red Wine)
Slow-simmered stifado with tender beef, soft shallots, bay and warm spices
Serving a stew like you meant it
Because the sauce is part of the dish, think about what will catch it. Bread, rice, potatoes, polenta and noodles all do the job, but they change the experience: bread keeps the stew centre-stage; grains and mash turn it into a complete bowl. A bright finish helps, especially with long-cooked flavours. That might be a squeeze of citrus, a spoon of yoghurt, a handful of herbs, or something pickled on the side. If you are serving guests, keep the garnish separate so everyone can adjust. Stews also benefit from a short rest off the heat before serving, when fat rises and flavours settle, making the sauce taste more integrated.
Where to look next
If you want to steer the flavour profile, browse by Cuisine to see how different regions build stews with their own aromatics, spices and staples. For a more technical choice, Cooking method helps you compare stovetop simmering with oven cooking or other approaches that change evaporation, tenderness and sauce texture.
Italian
Crostini con Ricotta e Miele (Ricotta and Honey Breakfast Crostini)
Toasted bread with ricotta, honey, lemon zest and walnuts
German
Geschnetzeltes (Creamy Veal Strips with Mushrooms)
Creamy veal strips with mushrooms in a white wine sauce
British
Queen of Puddings (Breadcrumb Custard with Jam and Meringue)
Breadcrumb custard baked with jam and meringue
British
Clotted Cream Fudge with Golden Syrup
Rich clotted cream fudge set into smooth squares
Blended
Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup)
Portuguese potato soup with kale, olive oil and chouriço
Bake
Matcha Castella Cake (Japanese Green Tea Sponge)
Matcha castella sponge cake with honey
Deep fry
Revithokeftedes (Greek Chickpea Fritters with Herbs)
Greek chickpea fritters with herbs, fried until crisp
Boil
Kongnamul Muchim (Korean Seasoned Soybean Sprouts)
Blanched soybean sprouts tossed with soy sauce and sesame
Frequently asked questions
Is a stew always thick?
Not necessarily. Many stews are spoon-coating rather than heavily thickened. The key is that the liquid is meant to be eaten as part of the dish, not just as a cooking medium.
What’s the difference between stew and soup?
Soups are typically more liquid-forward, often served as a broth or purée. Stews usually have larger pieces and a sauce that clings to the ingredients, with a higher ratio of solids to liquid.
Do I have to brown the meat for a stew?
No. Browning adds roasted depth and colour, but a stew can be built around gentle simmering for a cleaner taste where herbs, spices or vegetables lead.
Why did my stew sauce turn watery?
It often comes down to evaporation and starch. A tight lid, a narrow pot, or adding watery vegetables late can keep the liquid thin. Simmering uncovered for part of the cook, or letting starchy ingredients break down, can add body.
Why can stew meat be tough even after a long cook?
Some cuts need enough time at a gentle heat for collagen to convert and soften. If the heat is too high, the meat fibres can tighten and dry before the connective tissue has had time to relax.
Can a stew be vegetable-based and still feel satisfying?
Yes. Body can come from beans, lentils, potatoes, squash or other ingredients that naturally thicken the liquid as they cook, alongside a well-seasoned base.
Choose your stew by the sauce you want
When you are deciding between stews, picture the final spoonful: glossy and reduced, brothy and herb-led, or softly thickened and velvety. That one choice will guide the method, the pot and what you serve alongside.
