Traditional Italian Beef Stew (Spezzatino) – Our Tuscan Nonna’s Recipe

Last updated on July 28th, 2024

There is nothing quite like a stick-to-your-ribs beef stew on chilly evenings. Where I live in Tuscany, we find ourselves craving hearty stews and braises that will warm us to the bones from November through March. This traditional Italian beef stew recipe from my mother-in-law always does the trick. 

If you are looking for a reliable one-pot beef stew recipe, this is the one for you! Italian beef stew takes a bit of work upfront (about 30-40 active minutes of browning meat and chopping), but once the prep work is done, pop the stew in a crockpot, in the oven, or over the stovetop – and let time work its magic. 

In this Italian spezzatino recipe, I will share my foolproof technique for making authentic Italian beef stew, just as my Italian family has been making it for generations here in Tuscany. 

So roll up your sleeve, grab your apron and let’s get cooking!

Check out more Delicious Dinner Recipes That We Make in Italy.

Italian Beef Stew In Italian

Beef stew in Italian is called spezzatino, pronounced spehtz-zah-tee-noh.

Listen to the pronunciation of spezzatino:

What Is Italian Beef Stew?

Italian beef stew is a slow-cooked stew made from beef, red wine and flavored with local herbs and plenty of root vegetables. It’s a one-pot meal that needs nothing more than a slice of crusty bread and a hungry soul.

Fan of Stews? For another type of Italian beef stew, consider cooking peposo. 

Italian Beef Stew Ingredients

Beef

Use 2 lbs good stewing beef such as chuck, cut into 1-1 ½ inch pieces (roughly). 

Red Wine

Use 1 ½ cups of any red wine that is good enough to drink. It doesn’t have to be fancy by any means but it should be something you would actually enjoy drinking. 

Carrots

Use 7 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces. I like to cut my carrots on the diagonal but you can do rounds or square pieces – whatever you prefer. 

Onion

Use 2 large onions, diced or thinly sliced. The onions cook for so long that they dissolve, making it different how you cut them. 

Other Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cups olive oil 
• 3 large potatoes, cut into ¾-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or apple cider)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs of rosemary 
• 3 cups beef broth (homemade or canned)
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper 
• 2 tablespoons butter 

How To Make Traditional Italian Beef Stew

Combine the flour and pepper in a bowl, add the beef chunks and toss to coat well being sure all sides of the cubes are covered in flour.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Knock off any excess flour and add the beef pieces without overcrowding and brown, a couple minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon or tongues and continue browning the beef in batches, adding more olive oil between batches. 

Chop the onion into a small dice or in thin slices and add to the empty pan along with a tablespoon more of olive oil, if need be, scraping the pan with a spoon to remove any brown bits stuck to the bottom. Cook until the onion is translucent and soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the wine, vinegar, broth, bay leaf, rosemary and salt (if you are using canned broth, reduce the salt to 1 teaspoon and test for seasoning later) and bring to a boil. Return the meat and its juices to the pan and reduce to a very low simmer. 

Cover and simmer gently until the beef is tender and fork tender, anywhere from 2-4 hours over the lowest heat possible (cook time will depend on pan and cut of beef). You can also do this in a crockpot or in the oven at a low temperature, around 220° F. Meanwhile, clean and cut the potatoes and carrots. Leave the potato skins on if you prefer. 

When the meat is tender, add the chopped carrots and potatoes, cover again and simmer for another 40 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Add broth or water if the stew is dry. 

Remove the beef and vegetables and reduce the sauce uncovered for 10 minutes or until thickened. Finish with 2 tablespoons of butter and test for salt and pepper. 

Return the meat and vegetables into the sauce, gently mix and serve. If you plan on serving later, gently reheat over a very low flame, mixing frequently to prevent it from sticking and burning. 

Traditional Italian Beef Stew Notes and Tips

Keep these tips in mind when making Italian spezzatino:

• Italian beef stew freezes well so don’t be afraid to make a double batch and freeze one meal for another night. 
• If the meat becomes dry when cooking, add a bit more water or broth. This can happen depending on what cut of beef you are using or if you decide to add extra vegetables (which I sometimes do when feeding a crowd).
• The amount of salt and pepper you will need to add at the end will depend on what type of broth you used (homemade tends to be less salty while canned will have a high sodium content). 

Substitutions & Variations For Traditional Italian Beef Stew

• Use any kind of onion (red, white, yellow)
• Use other root vegetables that you have on hand or are seasonal such as parsnips.
• Instead of slowly cooking the Italian beef stew on the stovetop over low heat, you can slowly braise the meat in a low temperature oven, about 220° F until tender. This is a better option if you need to leave the house. 
• You can also use a crockpot to make Italian beef stew as long as it has a saute setting to brown the beef and onions. 

How To Serve Traditional Italian Beef Stew

Authentic Italian beef stew is best served on its own with a chunky corner or bread or at most some steamed rice. We always have bread on our table to fare la scarpetta or mop up all that good sauce on our plates when we are done.

Another favorite way to serve Italian beef stew, or any stew of braised meat, is with gremolata, a dry herb finishing condiment used to lighten and brighten stewed meat. It’s easy to make with my Italian Gremolata Recipe – Italy’s Easiest 5 Minute Condiment . Alternatively, you can simply brighten up the Italian spezzatino with some parsley (frozen parsley works well here). 

How To Store Traditional Italian Beef Stew

Classic Italian beef stew can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days or up to three months in the freezer. 

Keep in mind that when you defrost a stew like this with cooked potatoes and carrots, they do fall apart a bit with re-heating. If the stew is lacking in vegetables upon re-heating, add pre-cooked steamed carrots and potatoes to the stew for extra bulk.