Hong Shao Rou (Red-Braised Pork Belly)
Red-braised pork belly simmered until tender and glossy
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
Stoofvlees met Friet (Belgian Beef Stew with Chips)
Belgian beef stew with dark beer, served with chips
Seco de Pollo (Ecuadorian Chicken Braised with Beer and Tomato)
Ecuadorian chicken braised with beer, tomato, peppers and coriander
Tonno alla Siciliana (Tuna Steaks with Tomatoes and Capers)
Tuna steaks simmered in a tomato and caper sauce
Sudderlappen met Jus (Dutch Slow-Cooked Beef with Gravy)
Dutch slow-cooked beef served with glossy gravy
Lentejas con Chorizo (Spanish Lentil and Chorizo Stew)
Spanish lentil stew simmered with chorizo, tomato and smoked paprika
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
Stifado (Greek Beef and Shallot Stew with Red Wine)
Slow-simmered stifado with tender beef, soft shallots, bay and warm spices
Zrazy Wołowe (Polish Stuffed Beef Rolls with Bacon and Gherkins)
Polish beef rolls stuffed with mustard, smoked pork belly and gherkins in gravy
Kerststoofvlees (Flemish Beef Stew with Dark Beer)
Traditional Flemish beef stew with dark beer, onions, thyme and bay
Portuguese-Style Vegetable Stew with Chickpeas and Tomatoes
Portuguese-style vegetable stew simmered with chickpeas, tomatoes, paprika, garlic and bay leaf
Hachee (Dutch Braised Beef and Onion Stew)
Slow-cooked Dutch beef and onion stew flavoured with bay, cloves and vinegar
Osso Buco alla Milanese (Braised Veal Shanks with Gremolata)
Osso buco braised with wine, stock and tomato, topped with gremolata
Beef Rouladen (German Stuffed Beef Rolls)
Stuffed beef rolls braised until tender, served sliced with a rich gravy
Steckrübeneintopf (German Swede and Potato Stew)
Swede and potato stew simmered with bacon, onions, marjoram and pepper
Ratatouille Niçoise with Poached Eggs
Provençal vegetable stew with aubergine, courgette and tomatoes, finished with poached eggs
Cazuela de Rape y Almejas (Spanish Monkfish and Clam Stew)
Monkfish and clams simmered in a light tomato and white wine broth
Pork Loin Steaks with Red Pepper Sauce
Pork loin steaks topped with blended red pepper, onion and sherry vinegar sauce
Vegan Cazuela de Lentejas (Chilean Lentil Stew)
Chilean-style vegan lentil stew with pumpkin, potatoes, coriander and lime
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.
French
Tuna and Potato Gratin (Gratin de Thon)
Tuna and potato gratin with garlicky crème fraîche and Gruyère
British
Venison Stew with Root Vegetables
Venison stew with root vegetables in a rich gravy
Mexican
Ensalada de Nopales (Cactus Paddle Salad)
Nopales salad with tomato, lime and queso fresco
French
Salade Niçoise Végétarienne (Vegetarian Niçoise-Style Salad)
Niçoise-style salad with potatoes, eggs, tomatoes and olives
Boil
Piri-Piri Veggie Bowl
Roasted veg and piri-piri chickpeas over brown rice
Deep fry
Kaki Fry (Panko-Breaded Fried Oysters)
Crisp panko-breaded oysters fried until golden
Bake
Enchiladas Navideñas (Chicken Enchiladas with Red and Green Sauces)
Chicken enchiladas baked with red and green chilli sauces
Boil
Thai Green Curry Bowl with Chicken and Jasmine Rice
Thai green curry chicken bowl with jasmine rice
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.
