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Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings

Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings features tender beef simmered in a deep, savory gravy with carrots, potatoes, and a hint of turnip sweetness, finished with fluffy drop dumplings that soak up the sauce. It’s a cozy, stick-to-your-ribs dish perfect for chilly evenings or Sunday family dinners, offering rich comfort and homey nostalgia in every bowl.

  • Prep30 mins
  • Cook3 hrs 10 mins
  • Serves8
  • DifficultyMedium
Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

45 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
48 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
12 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityGood
91 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

35
Heart Health
38
Metabolic
52
Digestive
29
Inflammatory
30
Performance
46
General Wellness
  1. 1

    To prepare the beef stew: Heat oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the beef and the onion. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon steak seasoning. Stir the beef and onions well and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon steak seasoning. Add the celery; cook and stir until the beef is browned, about 10 minutes.

  2. 2

    Pour in 2 cups water, or enough to just cover the beef and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then stir and scrape up the browned bits of meat from the bottom of the pan. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the beef is very tender, about 2 hours.

  3. 3

    Remove the beef and celery pieces from the pan. Set the beef aside and discard the celery.

  4. 4

    Whisk the gravy mix with 4 cups water in a bowl. Add this gravy mixture to the juices in the pot, bring to a boil, and stir the beef back into the gravy mixture.

  5. 5

    Stir in the carrots and the turnip, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, cover, and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.

  6. 6

    To make the dumplings: Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture looks crumbly. Pour in the milk and lightly stir just until it comes together to form a dough.

  7. 7

    Remove 2 cups of gravy from the pot and reserve. Drop dumplings by heaping tablespoon onto the beef and vegetables in the pot, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes (do not peek until the time is up).

  8. 8

    Pour the reserved gravy back over the dumplings, stir lightly, and serve.

About This Recipe

Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings is an American dinner recipe made with 15 ingredients. It takes about 3 hrs 40 mins, serves 8, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include All Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Beef Stew Meat, and Brown Gravy Mix. Each serving provides about 493.04 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings?
It is an American stew recipe made with 15 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch or soup.
What is Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings made of?
The main ingredients are All-Purpose Flour, Baking Powder, Beef Stew Meat, Brown Gravy Mix, Carrot. The full list of 15 is above.
What goes well with Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings?
Explore these American side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings?
About 3 hrs 40 mins in total: 30 mins to prepare and 3 hrs 10 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 493.04 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 15 ingredients and 8 steps.
Is Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings healthy?
Mom's Hearty Beef Stew with Dumplings has an easyChef Pro health score of 45/100. Per serving, it provides 493.04 calories and 12.59 g of protein, or 25% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 1236.31 mg (54% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 3.32 g (17% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 7.47 g (15% of the Daily Value). It contains Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Celery and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

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