This hearty beef and chickpea stew combines tender beef, filling chickpeas, vegetables, and a rich, savory broth in one comforting pot.

It is packed with protein and fiber, making it a satisfying dinner for cold evenings or busy weeknights.

The chickpeas help stretch the beef, so this easy stew is also budget-friendly and perfect for feeding the whole family.

Make a large batch for meal prep, freezer meals, or an easy Sunday dinner that tastes even better the next day.

If you’re into slow-simmered, one-pot dinners like this one, these are worth bookmarking too:

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• Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
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Ingredients You’ll Need

This recipe leans on a few pantry staples to build big flavor without much fuss. Canned chickpeas mean you skip the soaking, and cutting the carrots julienne-style (thin matchsticks) helps them cook through at the same rate as the beef instead of lagging behind in big chunks. A single bay leaf simmering in the broth is doing a lot of the work here, so don’t skip it.

Important Recipe Notes

• Sear the beef in batches. Crowding the pot steams the meat instead of browning it, and you lose out on the deep flavor that comes from the fond left at the bottom of the pot.
• Don’t skip the bay leaf. It’s a small ingredient, but it rounds out the broth in a way you’ll notice if you leave it out (just remember to fish it out before serving).
• Cut the carrots julienne-style. Thin matchsticks cook at nearly the same rate as the beef, so you won’t end up with undercooked wheels of carrot in an otherwise finished stew.

• Chuck roast is the right cut here. It has enough fat and connective tissue to turn tender after a long simmer. Leaner cuts like sirloin will just turn dry and stringy.
• Make it ahead if you can. This stew tastes even better the next day once the flavors have had time to sit together in the fridge overnight.
• Freeze it in portions. Beef stew with chickpeas freezes well for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Just leave a little room at the top, since the broth expands as it freezes.
• Thicken it more if you like. A cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked with 2 tablespoons cold water) stirred in during the last 10 minutes will make the broth cling to the meat more.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving:

Ladle the stew into wide bowls and top with the reserved parsley for a little color. It’s filling enough on its own, but a piece of crusty bread or white rice.

Storage:

Let the stew cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

The carrots stay firm since they’re cut thin, but the broth will thicken as it chills. That’s normal, just loosen it with a splash of broth or water when you reheat it.

Customization:

Swap the chuck roast for boneless short ribs if that’s what you have on hand, they hold up just as well to the long simmer.

For a lower-sodium version, use low-sodium broth and season with salt to taste at the end instead of up front. If you like heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes added with the thyme works well.