Beef Stew with Butternut Squash and Chickpeas

Comfort food with a yummy twist, this Beef Stew recipe is hearty and warm. I changed up the usual ingredients to add butternut squash and chickpeas and the result is delicious! You can easily double this recipe for a crowd. Beef Stew with Butternut Squash and Chickpeas is perfect for a chilly evening meal.

I am not a cold weather gal. I like it for a few days here and there, but over all, I prefer a warm, sunny day. So, I am not sad to say goodbye to winter. I finally see signs that Spring is coming!

But this week we have had days of cloudy, cool blah-ness. I know we are not completely out of the woods as far as cold goes, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

One of the things that helps bring a little warmth to my life when it’s cool and dreary is comfort food. Chili, stews and stews show up on the menu frequently in my house during the colder months. This winter I discovered an amazing recipe for Beef Stew with Beer from The Pioneer Woman. Pretty much everyone in my household swooned over this delicious dish. The flavor is amazing!

So, when we invited some friends over for dinner a couple of weeks ago, I immediately thought of making this dish. Then I remembered that one of my guests is allergic to potatoes. Ack! How do you make beef stew without potatoes? Isn’t that a sin?

I went back to my recipes to look for potato-less meals, but I just kept coming back to that beef stew. I like a challenge, especially when it involves food. So, I started trying to come up with alternatives to potatoes. My first thought was…sweet potatoes. But, my hubby nixed that right away. I did some googling and found beef stew recipes with butternut squash. It sounded great to me, so I went with it. I also decided to add chickpeas because a) I had them and b) I thought they would give an earthy flavor like potatoes do.

It turned out so good that I may never make it any other way again. True story. I did not miss the potatoes one bit.

Here are a few more great meal ideas: Asian Chicken Rice Bowls and Grilled Chicken Shawarma.

Print Recipe

Beef Stew with Butternut Squash and Chickpeas

Delicious, simple beef stew. Grab some bread to soak up the broth because you are not going to want to miss a drop of this deliciousness.

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 30 mins

Servings: 6

Author: Kim Daniels (adapted from The Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

• 3 T Olive Oil
• 1 T Butter
• 2 lbs of Beef stew meat
• 1 whole onion chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 12 oz. can of beer
• 2 cups of beef stock
• 1 T Worcestershire Sauce
• 2 T Tomato Paste
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• Ground Pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1.5 cups of baby carrots chopped
• 1 can of chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 2 cups of butternut squash cubed
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• 2 T corn starch
• 1/2 cup cool water

Instructions

• Heat oil and butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown meat in two batches, setting aside on a plate when brown. Set aside.
• Add diced onions to the pot. Stir and cook for until softened, then add garlic for another minute. Pour in beer and beef stock, then add Worcestershire, tomato paste, paprika, salt, pepper, and sugar. Add beef back into the pot. Stir to combine. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Add carrots, chickpeas, squash and lemon juice. In a small, jar mix the corn starch and 2 T of cool water. Shake to combine. Add to pot and stir. Cook another 30 minutes until veggies are soft and stew has thickened.
• If stew is too thick, thin with warm water or beef stock.