Serves 6
150 min
Spanish Beef Stew With Pimentón and Piquillo Peppers
Recipe GLPR5d3761cdbe5981
A rich, savory Spanish beef stew flavored with smoked paprika and studded with roasted piquillo peppers, mushrooms, and tender beef chunks braised until fall-apart soft. The wine-enriched broth is balanced with tomato and thyme, then finished with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt for creaminess.
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Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds beef stew meat or brisket, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 (12-ounce) jar piquillo peppers or roasted red peppers, drained
12 baby carrots or 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into rough chunks
8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered if large
1½ teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
1 cup dry red wine such as Rioja
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2½ tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving
Directions
Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef chunks generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the beef on all sides until deeply caramelized, about 3–4 minutes per side. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
In the same pot, add the chopped onion and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Stir in the smoked Spanish paprika, coating the onions and garlic evenly. Cook for about 30 seconds to bloom the spice and release its flavor.
Pour in the dry red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot using a wooden spoon. Let the wine simmer for 2–3 minutes to cook off some of the alcohol.
Return the browned beef to the pot, along with any accumulated juices. Add the canned diced tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and thyme sprigs. Stir well to combine.
Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour to begin tenderizing the meat.
Add the drained piquillo peppers, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot. Stir to incorporate evenly. Return to a gentle simmer, cover, and continue cooking for another 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beef is very tender and breaks apart easily with a spoon.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Ladle the stew into serving bowls and top each portion with a generous dollop of sour cream or yogurt before serving.
