Paraben Free Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

Total time2 hr 30 min

Prep time20 min

Cook time2 hr 10 min

4.7

(17)

This hearty, deeply warming stew is the kind of one-pot meal that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible — earthy turmeric, fragrant cinnamon, and fresh rosemary layering up as the beef slowly braises into something truly special. The chuck is seared in batches to build a rich, caramelized crust before everything comes together in bone broth with a splash of apple cider vinegar, which brightens the whole pot without any processed additives. Sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips soak up all that savory depth as they simmer, turning tender and almost silky by the time the stew is done. For anyone navigating paraben sensitivities, packaged convenience foods and heavily processed sauces can be a minefield of preservatives and synthetic additives. This recipe sidesteps all of that entirely — every ingredient is a whole food, a fresh herb, or a simple pantry staple, with nothing hidden in a label. Coconut oil stands in as the cooking fat, and the aromatics — ginger, garlic, onion — do all the heavy lifting for flavor without any shortcuts. A scatter of fresh flat-leaf parsley at the end adds a bright, clean finish that feels effortless. It's the kind of nourishing, from-scratch cooking that's as good for peace of mind as it is for the dinner table.

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Ingredients

4 servings

2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 ½-inch cubes
1 ½ tsp fine sea salt, divided
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ceylon cinnamon
4 cups bone broth
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary

For serving

2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

1
Pat the beef cubes thoroughly dry with paper towels and season with 1 tsp of the salt.
2
Heat the coconut oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, add the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 3–4 minutes per side, until a deep brown crust forms and the pieces release easily from the pot. Transfer the seared beef to a plate and repeat with the remaining batch.

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