Giada beef and butternut squash stew from Giada De Laurentiis on Food Network braises floured stew beef with Marsala wine, squash, and sun-dried tomatoes. And the pot serves 4 at approximately 580 calories per serving in 1 hour and 45 minutes, since the covered simmer does all the heavy lifting.

Instead of using red wine or plain broth for the deglazing liquid, Giada pours in Marsala, which adds a nutty sweetness that pairs naturally with the butternut squash. So the broth develops a richer, more complex base than a standard beef stew without needing extra sugar or aromatics.

Tossing the beef cubes in flour before browning is what thickens the stew as it simmers. And if you skip the flour, the broth stays thin for the full hour because there is no starch to absorb the liquid and build body.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis (Food Network)

Giada Beef and Butternut Squash Stew

Recipe by medshi8Course: BeefCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hour

minutes

Calories

5800

kcal

Sautéed onion, garlic, rosemary, and thyme start the pot before flour-coated beef browns and Marsala wine scrapes up the fond. Then cubed squash and sun-dried tomatoes join the broth for a 1-hour covered simmer until everything is tender.

Ingredients

For the stew:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 pounds stew beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup Marsala wine
1 pound butternut squash, trimmed and cut into 2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
3 to 4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
For serving:
Crusty bread

Directions

Heat the oil: Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.
Sauté the aromatics: Then add the onion, garlic, rosemary, and thyme and cook until the onion is tender, about 2 minutes.
Season and flour the beef: While the aromatics cook, toss the beef cubes with salt, pepper, and flour.
Brown the beef: Then increase the heat to medium-high, add the floured beef, and cook until golden around the edges, about 5 minutes.
Deglaze with Marsala: Once browned, pour in the Marsala wine and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
Add the squash and tomatoes: Then stir in the butternut squash and sun-dried tomatoes.
Add the broth: Once combined, pour in enough beef broth to just cover the beef and squash.
Bring to a boil: Then increase the heat to high until the stew reaches a boil.
Simmer covered: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.
Season and serve: Then taste for salt and pepper, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with crusty bread.

FAQs

What kind of Marsala wine should I use?

Dry Marsala gives the stew a nutty depth without adding sweetness, and it is the more common choice for savory cooking. But sweet Marsala works too, since the sugar caramelizes during the braise and rounds out the broth.

And avoid cooking Marsala from the grocery store, because the added salt and preservatives muddy the flavor. Since a full cup goes into the pot, the quality of the wine shows up clearly in the finished stew.

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Stew beef is usually cut from the chuck, which has enough connective tissue to break down during the 1-hour simmer. And chuck roast cut into your own 2-inch cubes works just as well, since it is the same muscle with more control over the size.

But avoid lean cuts like sirloin or round, because they dry out and turn stringy during a long braise. Since the flour coating traps moisture around each cube, fattier cuts benefit more from that barrier than lean ones do.

Why does the recipe sauté the aromatics before browning the beef?

Cooking the onion, garlic, and herbs first builds a flavor base in the oil that the floured beef absorbs as it browns on top. And if you brown the beef first, the fond from the meat can burn before the aromatics have time to soften.

This approach differs from the giada pot roast, where the larger chuck roast sears first and the vegetables cook in the drippings after. But with smaller cubes that cook faster, softening the aromatics first ensures nothing burns in the crowded pot.

Can I make this stew ahead of time?

Like most braises, this stew tastes better the next day because the Marsala and rosemary soak deeper into the beef overnight. So cook it through, cool it, and refrigerate in the pot for up to 3 days.

Then reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low until simmering, and add a splash of broth if the sauce thickens too much. And the squash softens further in storage, so it may break down into the broth slightly, which actually makes the stew creamier.

What sides pair well with this stew?

Crusty bread is Giada’s serving suggestion, and it soaks up the Marsala broth at the bottom of the bowl perfectly. And polenta or egg noodles also work, since both catch the thick sauce without competing with the squash and tomatoes.

For dessert after a hearty stew, something light like the giada affogato cleans the palate with hot espresso and cold gelato. But skip heavy starchy sides like mashed potatoes, because the butternut squash already fills that role inside the stew itself.