Best Beef Bourguignon Recipe
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Our recipe for the Best Beef Bourguignon is a flavorful classic French dish you can make right in your own kitchen with our perfect step-by-step instructions. We’ve created the ideal recipe that features tender chunks of beef simmered in a hearty Burgundy wine sauce with herbs and mushrooms.
Easy Beef Bourguignon Recipe
You might think this is a recipe that only Julia Child can pull off, but we’ve tested and retested this Beef Bourguignon recipe so you can make it with ease. It’s filled with pieces of perfectly seasoned beef, seared to caramelized perfection with tender carrots and onions. They’re simmered in a velvety sauce infused with the rich flavors of red wine, garlic, and herbs.
As the beef and veggies simmer away, the most amazing savory aroma fills your kitchen. The beef is so flavorful and tender that it will just melt in your mouth. You can serve it as a classic French stew or over al dente noodles, rice, or fluffy mashed potatoes. One taste and you see that this dish is about so much more than cooking, it’s truly a dining experience.
For other hearty beef dishes, make sure you check out this recipe for Beef Tips and this Ground Beef Stroganoff.
Why You’ll Love This Classic Beef Bourguignon
- Great dish for entertaining – A French classic recipe that’s easy to make but is fancy enough for a dinner party.
- Feeds a crowd – It’s hearty comfort food that is sure to impress your guests.
- Classic dish you make at home – Similar to the iconic dish from Julia Child’s recipe in her cookbook, The Art of French Cooking.
Beef Bourguignon Recipe Ingredients
- Bacon strips – cut in half so they’ll fry easier in the pan.
- Beef sirloin tip roast – patted dry with paper towels
- All-purpose flour – helps create the hearty red wine sauce
- Olive oil helps brown the beef chunks
- Vegetables- Yellow onions, medium carrots and cremini (baby bella) mushrooms are classic veggies in traditional beef bourguignon.
- Fresh garlic cloves, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper- adds flavors to the dish
- Tomato paste- adds flavor and helps create the hearty red wine sauce
- Dry red wine – use a red burgundy wine that you enjoy.
- Beef broth – you can use homemade broth or a good quality store-bought broth.
- Uncooked egg noodles – for serving
- Chopped fresh parsley – for garnish
Best Wine for Beef Bourguignon
You’ll want a full-bodied red wine with good acidity. Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Merlot are my top choices.
Best Meat for Beef Bourguignon
The best meat for Beef Bourguignon is typically beef chuck roast or stewing beef. You’ll want meat that has enough marbling to become tender when simmered.
How to Make Beef Bourguignon (Dutch Oven Style)
Step One: Cook the Bacon
- Preheat the oven to 325 F.
- In a large Dutch oven or large pot, cook bacon over medium heat on the stove top until crispy. Once done, remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate and chop into bite-size pieces. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.
Step Two: Brown the Beef
- Sprinkle beef with flour, salt, and pepper. Rub on all sides.
- Add beef to the hot pan, and brown on all sides in bacon grease over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate.
Step Three: Add Vegetables and Wine
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and mushrooms. Sauté them for 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and cooked bacon. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
- Pour in red wine and beef broth. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil.
Step Four: Simmer and Serve
- Put beef back in pot, cover and transfer to oven; bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours.
- Cook noodles according to package directions about 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve over noodles, garnished with fresh, chopped parsley. Bon Appetit!
What is Beef Bourguignon?
Beef Bourguignon (Boeuf Bourguignon) is a classic French recipe that originates from the Burgundy region of France. It features fork-tender beef simmered in a rich red wine sauce with onions and carrots.
Boeuf Bourguignon Recipe Substitutions
- Pearl onions – Instead of diced yellow onions, you can add a handful of peeled pearl onions.
- Herbs – Experiment with fresh herbs like fresh thyme, rosemary, or bay leaf.
- Bacon lardons – Instead of just using bacon strips, consider adding diced bacon lardons directly to the stew for an extra layer of smoky richness.
- Red wine vinegar- Add a splash of red wine vinegar towards the end of cooking to brighten the flavors and add a subtle tanginess to the dish.
- Dijon mustard – Stir in a spoonful of Dijon mustard for a touch of tangy flavor.
- Root vegetables – Feel free to add root veggies like red potatoes, parsnips, turnips, or celery root.
- Wine – You can make this without red wine and use 3 cups of beef broth instead.
Best Beef Bourguignon Recipe Tips
- Browning the beef will ensure a crisp outer layer. Do not skip this step.
- Avoid overcrowding the pot when browning the beef. Searing the meat in batches ensures each piece gets a golden crust.
- For the best results, you’ll want to use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven.
- Make sure you pat the meat dry with paper towels before cooking. This will remove any excess moisture and get a nice crust on the meat.
- Wine is a primary flavor in the sauce, so you’ll want to use a bottle of red wine you have tried and enjoy sipping.
What to Serve with Beef Bourguignon
Beef Bourguignon pairs wonderfully with a variety of side dishes that complement its rich flavors. Mashed potatoes, a chunk of crusty bread, buttered egg noodles, creamy polenta, rice, or mashed cauliflower are all great options.
How to Store This Recipe for Beef Bourguignon
Allow the dish to cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then the next day, reheat on the stove until warmed through.
Recipe for Beef Bourguignon FAQs
Beef bourguignon is a thicker, richer beef stew with a wine sauce. Regular beef stew doesn’t include wine, but beef bourguignon always does.
Beef Bourguignon is traditionally served with a thick and rich sauce that coats the tender pieces of beef and vegetables.
Red wine is a key ingredient in Beef Bourguignon, but if it’s cooked for too long or at too high a temperature, it can become bitter. Make sure you add the wine early in the cooking process and let it simmer gently to allow the alcohol to cook off without becoming overly bitter.
More Hearty Dinner Recipes
- Slow Cooker Pickle Chicken
- Homemade Chicken Alfredo
- Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs
- Leftover Turkey Casserole
- Fajita Burgers
- Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Beef and Broccoli
- Easy Taco Bake with Crescent Rolls
Recipe for Beef Bourguignon (Dutch Oven)
Ingredients
- 3 bacon strips cut in half
- 2 pounds beef sirloin tip roast patted dry
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots coarsely chopped
- 8 ounces cremini baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups dry red wine
- 1 cup beef broth
- 8 ounces uncooked egg noodles for serving
- chopped fresh parsley for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plated and chop into bite-sized pieces. Reserve bacon grease in the pan.3 bacon strips
- Sprinkle beef with flour, salt, and pepper. Rub on all sides.2 pounds beef sirloin tip roast, ¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Add beef to the hot pan, and brown on all sides in bacon grease over medium-high heat.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and mushrooms; saute for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add garlic, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and cooked bacon. Cook and stir for 1 minute.1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 large yellow onion, 2 medium carrots, 8 ounces cremini baby bella mushrooms, 4 garlic cloves, 1 Tablespoon tomato paste, 1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Pour in red wine and beef broth. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil.2 cups dry red wine, 1 cup beef broth
- Return beef to pot, cover and transfer to oven; bake for 2 to 2 ½ hours.
- Cook noodles according to package directions about 10 minutes before serving.8 ounces uncooked egg noodles for serving
- Serve over noodles, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.chopped fresh parsley
Nutrition
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