Beef Casserole with Dumplings (Printable version)
Slow-cooked beef and vegetables in rich gravy topped with light, fluffy dumplings.
# Ingredient list:
→ Beef Casserole
01 - 2 lbs stewing beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
02 - 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
04 - 2 large onions, chopped
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 3 large carrots, sliced
07 - 2 ribs celery, sliced
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 cup red wine (optional, substitute with beef stock)
10 - 3 cups beef stock
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Dumplings
15 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
16 - 2 tsp baking powder
17 - 1/2 tsp salt
18 - 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
19 - 3/4 cup whole milk
20 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 325°F.
02 - Coat beef pieces evenly with flour, shaking off any excess.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a large ovenproof casserole dish over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, then set aside.
04 - Add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery to the pan and sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
05 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze with red wine if using, scraping up browned bits.
06 - Return browned beef to the dish. Add beef stock, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.
07 - Cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours, stirring once or twice.
08 - In a bowl, blend flour, baking powder, and salt. Rub in cubed butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in milk and parsley to form a soft dough.
09 - Remove casserole from oven and increase the oven temperature to 400°F.
10 - Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough over the casserole surface, forming about 12 dumplings.
11 - Return the dish uncovered to the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until dumplings are puffed and golden and the stew is bubbling.
12 - Remove bay leaves and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It's a complete meal in one dish, so you're not juggling pots and pans when you'd rather be relaxed.
- The slow cooking does the heavy lifting for you—the beef becomes impossibly tender without any fussing.
- Those dumplings feel like a special touch but come together faster than you'd think, turning a simple stew into something that feels homemade and impressive.
02 -
- Don't rush the browning of the beef—those dark, caramelized edges are where the deepest flavor comes from, and it's worth taking your time.
- Keep your dumpling ingredients cold and handle the dough as little as possible; overworking it makes them dense and heavy instead of light and fluffy.
- Taste the gravy before the dumplings go in and adjust the seasoning—it should taste rich and comforting on its own.
03 -
- Brown your beef properly and don't skip deglazing the pan—those two steps are what separate a good casserole from one that tastes like it came from a box.
- Cold butter and cold milk in the dumpling dough make all the difference between dumplings that are tender clouds and ones that are dense and gluey.