# What vegetables would you put in a beef stew? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [October 16, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904 "2026-10-16T22:55:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/1 "2026-10-16T22:55:32Z")
I made Paula Dean’s stew yesterday and it contained onions, celery, potatoes, and carrots. That didn’t seem like very many to me. It’s good but I eventually added corn and black eyed peas. I think it’s better now. It’s also the first stew recipe I’ve made that didn’t have tomatoes in it. What goes in your stew? ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/2 "2026-10-16T23:02:06Z")
Depends on my feeling. One overlooked classic is parsnips. They stand up to the long cook well, and add a bit extra texture that might be missing depending on the rest of the roughage. I also go with semi-waxy potatoes, rather than true waxy or russets, but you didn’t specify the potatoes you used. Pre cooked mushrooms also are a nice touch. Oh, and being, well, ME, some fresh-roasted pods of a meaty New Mexico (or Pueblo Mirasol) chile or three are always welcome. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/3 "2026-10-16T23:02:20Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > onions, celery, potatoes, and carrots Those are my top picks but I would also accept some turnip and parsnip. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/4 "2026-10-16T23:02:23Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > onions, celery, potatoes, and carrots. Mushrooms. Add barley in the last 45 minutes ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/5 "2026-10-16T23:07:12Z")
Definitely potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, peas, and tomatoes. Sometimes radishes and water chestnuts, but those have to be added right at the end. You can also make a good beef stew with lentils and barley, but at that point, the beef itself is almost optional. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/6 "2026-10-16T23:27:06Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever knowingly eaten parsnips. They are not a staple of Oklahoma grocery stores. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/7 "2026-10-16T23:28:10Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > onions, celery, potatoes, and carrots She has it right. My goal for recipes that are eaten with a spoon is to balance the tastes that go into each spoonful. Put in too many vegetables and the beef is overwhelmed. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/8 "2026-10-16T23:31:31Z")
I put in 50% more beef than was called for to cancel out the extra veggies. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/9 "2026-10-16T23:35:31Z")
Then what? A spoonful of beef and then a spoonful of vegetables? Or do you use a ladle? ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/10 "2026-10-16T23:38:14Z")
> [@ParallelLines](#): > > One overlooked classic is parsnips. > [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I would also accept some turnip and parsnip No love for swedes? ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/11 "2026-10-16T23:39:29Z")
I cut the beef into fairly small pieces and cook the stew a long time so that the meat is very tender. I cut a piece of meat and then a veggie with my spoon to get both in every bite. And then I take a bite of cornbread. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/12 "2026-10-16T23:46:52Z")
Potatoes, corn, green beans,peas, lima beans, carrots. I don’t like cooked carrots but the others do- so I get crinkle cuts rather than diced so I can pick them out and throw them back in the pot, ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2026, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/13 "2026-10-16T23:59:22Z")
Personally, I add a can of tomato paste to a beef stew rather than tomatoes. I often add in an equal amount of red wine. I add onions because I pretty much add onions to everything I cook. I usually pick up a pack of frozen precut onions, peppers, and celery from Walmart. (I think they call it a seasoning blend.) Corn, peas carrots, and lima beans are my usual choices for vegetables to add. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/14 "2026-10-17T00:20:15Z")
Jalapenos. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/15 "2026-10-17T00:22:02Z")
Potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms. Nothing else, normally, although I could see parsnips or peas working. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/16 "2026-10-17T00:22:57Z")
Thick-chopped celery, carrots, tomatoes, onions, some garlic. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/17 "2026-10-17T00:29:49Z")
Meh. Sounds like something to eat off a plate. But this is literally a Chacun à son goût thread. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/18 "2026-10-17T00:37:29Z")
I do it very similar to her. I include potatoes, carrots, onions, and peas. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/19 "2026-10-17T01:08:24Z")
If I making a small amount for me: just potatoes, onions, carrots and celery If making a large amount I might add: rutabaga, turnip, parsnip, mushroom, tomatoes, chopped spinach, and green beans. AS for seasonings: Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Also garlic and basil ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2026, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904/20 "2026-10-17T01:11:55Z")
> [@Patx2](#): > > I do it very similar to her. I include potatoes, carrots, onions, and peas. Just FYI, if you mean me, I’m a guy. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-vegetables-would-you-put-in-a-beef-stew/1033904.md?page=2)