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Looking for creative ways to use beef stew meat besides traditional stew? Discover 20+ delicious recipes using beef stew cubes, from stir-fries to hearty casseroles. Find your next favorite beef dinner today!
About once a month I stock my freezer with a variety of meats. Chicken thighs, chicken breasts, whole chicken, ground beef, chuck roast, and beef cubes, to name a few staples. I find that if I have a well-stocked fridge and pantry, I am much more likely to want to cook dinner after work rather than order takeout.
So, let’s talk stew meat! Or beef stew cubes, stew beef, beef cubes, or whatever you want to call it…
As much as I love a good rich and hearty beef stew, I like to keep things interesting. I’m always looking for ideas on what to make with stew meat besides stew.
Additionally, it’s hard to want to eat a piping hot stew during the summer months, especially here in Florida. If you have other recipe ideas up your sleeve, you can enjoy this cut of meat year-round.
I put together a list of some of the best non-stew dishes with beef cubes. This cut is as versatile as it is budget-friendly, and there is a huge variety of meals to cook with stew meat! In this article, you’ll find a range of options from fragrant beef curries, to braised beef meals, beef rice dishes, savory meat pies with beef, and a few different beef goulash recipes.
Beef cubes turn out great with low and slow cooking, as well as with high pressure cooking, so here you’ll find a few slow cooker and Crockpot recipes, in addition to several Instant Pot stew meat recipes.
Pro Tip: Easy Substitute
If you’re making a recipe that calls for stew meat only to find you don’t have it on hand, you can substitute with chuck roast, top round roast, or bottom round roast. Simply trim off the excess fat and cut the roast into 1-inch meat cubes.
What to Make with Stew Meat Besides Stew
Start going through the meat stash in your freezer! Bookmark these delicious meals when you’re planning your weekly dinner menu. And many of these dishes are perfect for meal prep because they freeze well and leftovers are even better.
Rogan Josh Recipe (Kashmiri Red Curry with Meat)
This Rogan Josh recipe is a beautiful red-colored, complex-flavored curry dish with Persian origins that's a staple in Kashmiri cuisine.
Lubia polo is a delicious Persian green bean rice dish made with tomatoes, green beans, and chunks of beef stew meat. It can easily be prepared vegetarian style.
Japanese Beef Curry Recipe with Homemade Curry Roux
Japanese Beef Curry is a richly spiced curry stew with tender pieces of beef, as well as potato, carrot, and onion in a balanced sweet and savory gravy. The secret to the depth of flavor is the curry roux, which you can easily make yourself or use store-bought if you prefer.
If you're looking for a comforting and delicious meal that's perfect for any occasion, you won't want to miss this Boeuf Bourguignon recipe! This classic French dish features tender beef stew meat cooked to perfection with savory mushrooms, red wine, and crispy bacon. The result is a rich and flavorful meal that's sure to impress your friends and family.
Persian Okra Stew (Khoresh Bamieh) is a classic Iranian dish of meat stewed with tomatoes, okra, and spices. It’s delicious enough to convert even the most adamant okra haters!
Bite-sized chunks of beef are rendered fork-tender after cooking low and slow in a richly seasoned sauce. This Smoky Chili Braised Beef, also known as Carne Guisada, is a flavorful, satisfying meal that will have everyone going back for seconds!
If you’re looking for quick and easy weeknight recipes using beef chunks, the Instant Pot is the way to go! An electric pressure cooker lets you cook things quickly that normally need to be cooked low and slow. It’s perfect for tougher cuts of meat! I use the Instant Pot for several of my favorite beef cubes recipes.
Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff Recipe
This Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff recipe has tender pieces of beef and egg noodles in a savory creamy sauce. It's a quick and hearty one-pot meal in the electric pressure cooker that is sure to become a favorite family dinner!
This Instant Pot beef tips and gravy recipe features tender pieces of beef with a flavorful savory gravy. It’s homestyle dinner at its finest, but in a fraction of the time!
Instant Pot Stew Meat Beef and Broccoli is an easy and quick dinner that won’t heat up your kitchen. It has amazing flavor and your whole family will love it.
Indulge in this rich and flavorful beef rendang, a traditional Indonesian dish made with beef stew meat cooked in the Instant Pot with a fragrant blend of spices and coconut milk. You'll want savor every bite of this mouthwatering recipe!
Do dinner right with this tasty beef tagine with potatoes made in the Instant Pot. This Moroccan-inspired dish is full of flavor, made with simple ingredients, and loaded with heart-healthy potatoes.
This Instant Pot Beef Paprikash is a quick and easy recipe that's packed with flavor, is oh-so-filling, and is certain to be a hit with your entire family! Few things simplify recipes as much as the Instant Pot, and this tasty dish is no exception.
When you’re looking for recipes using beef stew cubes that aren’t stew, the slow cooker is an excellent place to turn! Put your Crockpot to good use; come home to a house that smells amazing and a delicious hot meal waiting for you.
Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles with Mushrooms
If you're looking for a hearty and delicious meal that practically cooks itself, you found it! Check out this amazing Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles with Mushrooms recipe! Tender beef, savory mushrooms, and flavorful sauce pair with noodles in one mouth-watering dish that's sure to become a family favorite.
Chile Colorado features chunks of tender beef cooked in a mildly spicy flavorful chile sauce. This recipe has step-by-step instructions for the stovetop, slow cooker, and Instant Pot!
There’s just something about a savory pie with a flaky butter crust and a rich hearty filling that says comfort food to me. Tender cubes of beef makes these meaty pastries satisfying, and they’re the perfect choice if you want to try something new.
Beef Pasty Recipe
Inspired by Cornish Pasties, this savory herbed beef pasty recipe features meat and vegetables in a flaky, buttery crust. It's the perfect hand-held portable meal, and is surprisingly easy to make!
Scottish steak pie is a classic all year long, but is the traditional dish for New Year's Day. It's super easy to make, especially when you use store-bought puff pastry!
This steak and ale pie recipe is classic comfort food: flaky butter crust and a savory vegetable beef stew filling served up in individual portions. Hearty dishes like this British meat pie are traditional pub fare, and for good reason: they help take the chill off winter!
There are so many different beef goulash recipes out there! Many European countries have their own version of this classic beef dish, and of course it’s not to be confused with American Goulash. Try a new type of goulash today!
Gulaschsuppe Recipe (German Goulash Soup)
Gulaschsuppe (German Goulash Soup) is a rich beef soup that’s spiced with paprika and seasoned with thyme, caraway, marjoram, onion, and garlic.
Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash is an easy dish that's made entirely in the Instant Pot! This easy dinner has pieces of tender stew beef in a rich paprika tomato sauce.
This Instant Pot Czech Goulash is also known as Cesky Gulas or Hovězí Guláš (Beef Goulash). It’s often found in the pubs in Prague. This recipe is passed down from my mother in law and converted to the Instant Pot.
A lot of people ask if this is just cut up steak! And I guess that really depends on what you consider “steak”.
Stew meat is chunks of meat (also called beef cubes) that typically come from tougher cuts of meat with lots of connective tissue, such as chuck or round. Cooking this meat low and slow with liquid (aka, the cooking method known as braising) breaks down connective tissue. This results in melt-in-your-mouth-tender meat.
Its versatility lies in its ability to absorb flavors and become tender in various recipes beyond traditional stews.
What cut of beef is used for stew meat?
This is frequently “chuck” (which comes from the shoulder of a cow), and/or “round” (including both top and bottom round, which comes from the back leg of the cow).
Can I cut up a chuck roast for a recipe that calls for beef stew meat?
Yes! Get a chuck roast, trim off the visible fat, and cut the roast into bite-sized chunks.
How do I make stew meat tender?
The key is slow cooking. Methods like braising, simmering in a flavorful liquid, or using a pressure cooker can break down the connective tissues, resulting in fork-tender meat.
How long does it take for stew meat to get tender?
Because stew meat comes from a tougher cut, it’s usually best cook it low-and-slow with liquid until tender. However, the exact amount of time this will take depends on the specific cut of meat and the size of the meat chunks. If you’re braising on the stovetop, usually around 2 hours will result in tender meat.
Of course, cooking it takes longer in the slower cooker and is faster in the Instant Pot!
Can I use stew meat for quick recipes?
Yes! Thinly slice or tenderize it with a marinade or a Chinese cooking process called velveting. (Learn how to velvet meat in this Mongolian beef recipe.) This makes it ideal for stir-fries, tacos, and even pasta dishes.
This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on March 10, 2023 and updated on January 17, 2025.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Faith spent a significant amount of time living in Syria, Jordan, and Kuwait where she immersed herself in Middle Eastern culture and cuisine. Her first cookbook is a celebration of authentic Middle Eastern recipes made approachable for home cooks.
