The Unexpected Meat Replacement That Will Give You Beef Stew In A Flash

Beef stew is one of those dishes that evokes both nostalgia of childhood and the elegance of a classic French recipe. Plus, beef stew's composition of rich beef, tender root vegetables, and savory broth make it a complete one-dish meal. The only thing is, it takes a bit of planning. Stew meat needs to cook a while to break down the fatty connective tissue that makes it so delicious after slowly braising for multiple hours. Plus, many recipes start with dredging the meat in flour and searing it before starting the rest of the aromatics and stew, which takes additional time. All things considered, this isn't a dish you can decide to make on the fly. Unless, that is, you have a secret ingredient in your back pocket. It's so simple, you might have it ready to go in your fridge right now and could make beef stew ready in time for dinner tonight.

We're talking about meatballs. The humble meatball, that favorite addition to everything from spaghetti sauce to sandwiches to pizza, is the ideal way to imitate the flavors of your favorite beef stew recipe without the planning ahead or extra trip to the butcher. If you have ground beef in your fridge or even freezer (need a defrosting tutorial? Look no further), you're just about an hour away from a delicious and filling recipe that's practically a whole meal on its own. The key is using the flavors and aromatics you would normally use in beef stew. Adding some thyme or marjoram to your meatballs makes them earthy, along with breadcrumbs to keep them soft. The meatballs cook quickly because it's ground beef and doesn't require hours to break down the connective tissues as stew meat does. All you need to do is decide your flavor profile and get your other ingredients into the pot.

If you want to stick with that classic French boeuf bourguignon flavor profile, you know the way to go. Pearl onions, sweet carrots, and a splash of red wine have you part of the way there already. But there's no reason to let that be your sole inspiration. Add some tomato juice or even soup for a more sweet and tangy American-style flair (peeled and quartered Russet potatoes or even whole, small, thin-skinned new potatoes are nearly a mandatory addition here). And when it comes to serving the stew, let your pantry be the guide. Serve with buttered noodles, sourdough bread, a green salad, or whatever else you need to use before it goes bad. Feel free to jazz up the soup with a smattering of fresh herbs before serving – parsley or chives would be especially complementary to the meatballs' rich flavor. And if you did use some red wine in the dish, serving a glass of it alongside would certainly be the way to go.