Classic Beef Bourguignon is a traditional French dinner dish worthy of a date night in or serving at supper parties. It's the ultimate, rich, hearty comfort food.
I love my Instant Pot and Ninja Foodi. They make dinnertime so easy and fast! But there are also days when I want - and sometimes, I need - the comforting, soothing act of cooking over a hot stove. Of slow cooked comfort food. Of the richness and depth of flavor that comes with longer simmering, braising, and sautéing.
If you're in a hurry and you want similar flavors, try my Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe. If you've got a little more time, try this classic Beef Bourguignon recipe. It's absolutely 150% worth the extra time and effort.
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🌟 What makes this recipe work
This classic French dish (spelled boeuf bourguignon in French) dates back to at least the 19th century. The first mention of it appears in an 1878 French travel guide.
Since then, the French have perfected the art of this national treasure. It is a delicious, rich, comforting dish that celebrates Burgundian wine, beef, and vegetables. Traditionally, it cooks on the stove for 2 to 4 hours, developing full flavors and a thick stew.
The inimitable Julia Child made this French dish popular in the United States when she first published it in her cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, in 1961. In a 2017 Toluna Institute survey, the French voted Boeuf Bourguignon as their national dish - but it had long been the unofficial dish for quite some time.
I am absolutely in love with beef bourguignon. It's one of those dishes that just has so much flavor in every bite. It's truly the ultimate comfort food, and it's easy enough for any home cook to make with just a few tools and simple ingredients.
🥩 Ingredient notes
Bacon - because everything's better with bacon! Starting this dish with a base of salty, tasty bacon helps infuse tons of flavor from the beginning.
Beef - for this recipe, I use stewing beef (sometimes labeled as "beef for stew"). It's relatively inexpensive and easy to find at most grocery stores. However, you could also try this recipe using chuck steak or beef brisket meat.
Carrots - chop the carrots into even pieces so that they cook evenly.
Mushrooms - I use cremini mushrooms to add umami to this dish. You could also use baby bella mushrooms or portobello mushrooms chopped into smaller pieces.
Onions - use yellow or white onions for this dish.
Garlic - I use three cloves, but you can reduce this amount to 1 or 2 cloves if you prefer less garlic.
Salt and pepper - be sure to taste and season as it cooks.
Flour - all-purpose flour helps slightly thicken the sauce. Some people prefer to leave this out, and you can do so if you'd like to make a gluten-free beef bourguignon.
Red wine - a Burgundian red wine is what makes this dish beef bourguignon versus just another beef stew. You can use any dry red wine you like, but a red wine found in Burgundy, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot noir, are traditionally used.
Beef stock - more rich flavors to the sauce.
Tomato paste - to add a hint of tang to the dish
Thyme - you could also add oregano
Bay leaves - I add two bay leaves while it's cooking. Be sure to remove the bay leaves before serving!
✅ Step-by-step instructions
Full instructions and measurements are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here are some cooking tips to help you along the way.
- Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the bacon slices. Cook the bacon until crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Drain all but one tablespoon of bacon grease and oil from the Dutch oven. Add the beef and brown on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. Once the meat is evenly browned on all sides, remove and transfer to a separate plate.
- If there is more than one tablespoon of excess liquid in the pot, drain all but one tablespoon, then add half the onions, garlic, carrots. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the vegetables have softened slightly.
- Add the beef back to the pot. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir with a wooden spoon to coat the beef. Add the remaining onions.
- Pour in the red wine and beef broth. Add the tomato paste, thyme, mushrooms, and bay leaf.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2½ hours.
- Once the beef bourguignon is cooked, return the bacon to the pot, season with salt and pepper, stir, and serve.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Yes! These two names are interchangeable to describe this recipe. Often, beef bourguignon is made with red wine from Burgungy, hence, it is sometimes called Beef Burgundy.
While very similar, the main difference between beef stew and beef bourguignon is the addition of red wine. Red wine is integral to the added richness of flavor to beef bourguignon.
Red wine is the main ingredient that separates beef bourguignon from regular beef stew. However, you can substitute with equal parts of additional beef broth if you prefer. Or, try a non-alcoholic red wine.
This recipe calls for stewing beef, as it's fairly common and inexpensive. You can also use beef brisket and chuck steak.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
Yes! Store in airtight, freezer-safe containers or bags in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw completely and then for best results, reheat in a Dutch oven on the stovetop.
🍽 What to serve with Beef Bourguignon
This hearty dish tastes delicious with:
- Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Paprika Pasta
- Air Fryer Broccoli
- Green Beans with Shallots and Bacon
- Mushroom Marsala
- Garlic Rosemary Focaccia Bread
🍷 Wine pairing for beef bourguignon
As one might guess, you can serve the red wine used to make beef bourguignon with dinner. Any Burgundian red wine would be a good pairing: Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon. You could also go with a Syrah/Shiraz or even a Tempranillo.
⏲ Tools and equipment
To make this classic Beef Bourguignon recipe, you'll need:
A Dutch oven. I use my Staub Coq au vin Cocette 5.75 quart Dutch oven.
A wooden spoon. It helps to always have several wooden spoons on hand to mix, stir, and serve!
🥘 More hearty dinner recipes
- Slow Cooker Mongolian Beef
- Instant Pot Potato Corn Chowder
- One Pan Garlic Rosemary Beef Roast with Potatoes
- Instant Pot Moroccan Chicken
- Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi African Peanut Stew
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Beef Bourguignon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds stewing beef, cut into 1½ - 2-inch pieces
- 1½ cups thickly sliced carrots (about 3 medium carrots)
- 1½ cups halved pearl onions, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups (1 14.5 ounce can) beef stock
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons fresh or dried thyme leaves
- 2½ cups quartered cremini mushrooms
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the bacon slices. Cook the bacon until crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the Dutch oven with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Set aside.
- Drain all but one tablespoon of bacon grease and oil from the Dutch oven. Add the beef and brown on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes. Once the meat is evenly browned on all sides, remove and transfer to a separate plate.
- If there is more than one tablespoon of excess liquid in the pot, drain all but one tablespoon, then add half the onions, and all of the garlic and carrots. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the vegetables have softened slightly.
- Add the beef back to the pot. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir with a wooden spoon to coat the beef. Add the remaining onions.
- Pour in the red wine and beef broth. Add the tomato paste, thyme, mushrooms, and bay leaves.
- Cover and cook on low for 2 to 2½ hours.
- Once the beef bourguignon is cooked, return the bacon to the pot, season with salt and pepper, stir, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
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Mary W says
How much thyme? I don’t see the amount in the recipe. Thanks.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hi Mary - about 2 teaspoons of thyme. You can use a little more or less if you wish. Thanks for catching that. I just updated the recipe with the amount!
Sara Welch says
Served this for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! So bold, hearty and delicious; easily, a new family favorite!
Beth says
Yummy! My family and I absolutely loved this, and we can't wait to have this again. So delicious and full of so much flavor!
Mindee Taylor says
Hearty and delicious! Perfect for a chilly fall night!
Jamie says
This is my kind of comfort food! I love all the flavors here and how satisfying this is as a family meal!
Julie says
I'm with you. Sometimes we need to let food simmer to perfection. Like this delicious, classic beef bourguignon.