Beef stew with mushrooms and zucchini

Step 1

Cut the beef into 3 cm cubes. Slice the onion into half rings. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Fry the meat over high heat until golden brown on all sides. Add the onion and cook for another 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Pour the broth and chopped tomatoes into the meat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until tender, 40–45 minutes.

Step 3

Dice the bell pepper. Cut the zucchini into half-moons. Cut the mushrooms into halves or quarters. Add to the stew.

Step 4

Simmer for 12–15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Classic beef stew is a truly versatile dish that can be made year-round – fortunately, a wide variety of vegetables are readily available at the store or market. When we talk about a classic stew, we're more concerned with the cooking method: first, you need to thoroughly braise the meat until it's tender, then cook the vegetables until they're half-cooked, and only then combine them. There are practically no strict rules here. The only important thing to consider is the order of addition – the potatoes shouldn't be added before the tomatoes, and the herbs should be added at the very end. Furthermore, how you cut the vegetables is crucial – even with the same ingredients, the flavor can vary depending on the cut. This gives you plenty of room for experimentation, and every one of them is sure to be a success!

Beef in pots is a delicious and mouth-watering dish that's equally suitable for a casual meal at home or for entertaining. Winter and late fall are the perfect time to cook meat in pots, as we all crave hearty and warming food. Along with the meat, various vegetables are added to the pots, most often potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Simmering in the oven, the meat becomes very tender and juicy, and the vegetables not only absorb the aromas of the spices but also retain their vitamins thanks to the gentle cooking. Before adding the meat, it's first browned in olive oil, and a little butter is added to the pots, giving the dish a particularly mild flavor.

Vegetable stew with zucchini, potatoes, and meat is a dish in which the main ingredients pair perfectly. The vegetable stew itself is a source of numerous vitamins, while the meat is rich in protein, amino acids, and minerals. The dish originated in France, but in different countries, it has many variations according to national preferences: pork, lamb, chicken, or mushrooms are often added to the stewed vegetables. In our recipe, we use beef, which imparts a rich, meaty flavor.