• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Closet Cooking

Cooking adventures in a small, closet sized, kitchen. - I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.

  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Top Recipes
    • 30 Minute Meals
    • 6 Ingredient Meals
    • Slow Cooker Meals
    • One Pan Meals
    • By Course
      • Main Course
      • Side Dish
      • Dessert
      • Appetizer/Snack
      • More
    • By Diet
      • Gluten-free
      • Low-carb
      • Vegetarian
      • More
    • By Meat
      • Beef
      • Chicken
      • Lamb
      • Egg
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Turkey
      • More
    • By Cuisine
      • Cajun and Creole
      • Chinese
      • Greek
      • Italian
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Mexican
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
      • More
    • By Type
      • Burger
      • Cake
      • Cookie
      • Dip
      • Pasta
      • Pizza
      • Salad
      • Sandwich
      • Soup
      • More
    • By Ingredient
      • Avocado
      • Bacon
      • Cauliflower
      • Mushroom
      • Pumpkin
      • Quinoa
      • Shrimp
      • Strawberry
      • More
  • Cookbooks
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
Never miss a recipe! Subscribe to the email Newsletter!

Italian Style Beef Stew with Butternut Squash

[heart_this] · Dec 10, 2008 · 47 Comments

Italian Style Beef Stew with Butternut Squash

While I was eating my squash chili mole I was thinking about what else I could use squash in and I eventually arrived at a beef stew. I had recently made a Japanese style beef stew (nikujaga) using pumpkin so I wanted something a little bit different. I was thinking that an Italian style beef stew would be nice. The first thing I did of course was search the web for recipes and came across this one for a beef and butternut squash stew that sounded like a nice place to start. I felt that an Italian style beef stew would have to contain more tomatoes but I wanted there to be more of a broth than a sauce so I used diced tomatoes with red wine and beef broth to form the base of the stew. To add some more flavour I added some pancetta and browned the beef and sauteed the onions in the pancetta grease instead of olive oil. I like to save the rinds from parmigiano reggiano to throw into sauces to add flavour while simmering and I thought it would work in a broth as well. I wanted to braise the beef until it was nice and tender and since I did not want my squash to be mush I held off on adding it until the meat was almost fully cooked. The Italian style beef stew was a great success! The beef was fall apart in your mouth tender and the squash was nice and al dente; cooked and tender but still having a firm texture. The broth was super flavourful and I did not let any of it go to waste by sopping it up with some cheesy garlic bread .

Italian Style Beef Stew with Butternut Squash

Italian Style Beef Stew with Butternut Squash

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes Servings: 6
ingredients
  • 2 ounces pancetta (diced)
  • 1 pound beef (cut into 1 inch cubes)
  • 1 onion (chopped)
  • 3 cloves garlic (chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, to taste)
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary (chopped)
  • 1 tablespoon thyme (chopped)
  • 1 cup Italian red wine
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 splash balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes (chopped)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • * parmigiano reggiano rind (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 pound butternut squash (peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes)
  • * parsley (chopped)
directions
  1. Cook the pancetta in a large pan on medium heat.
  2. Add the beef and brown on all sides in the grease from the pancetta and set aside.
  3. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
  4. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
  5. Add the wine and deglaze the pan.
  6. Add the beef, broth, balsamic vinegar, sun-dried tomatoes, diced tomatoes, parmigiano reggiano rind, oregano, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
  7. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the beef is nice and tender, about 1-2 hours.
  8. Add the squash and simmer until it is tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Slow Cooker: Implement step 1, optionally implement steps 2-5, place everything except the parsley in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-10 hours or high for 2-4 hours before adding the parsley.
Similar Recipes:
Nikujaga (Japanese Beef Stew)
Squash Chili Mole
Beef and Barley Stew
Kare (Japanese Curry)
Beef Rendang
Steak and Guinness Pie
Pumpkin and Chicken Tagine
Jamaican Style Jerk Beef Stew
Pot Roast Beef Stroganoff
Beef Massaman Curry
Irish Beef Stew

Bacon, Beef, Crockpot, Food, Gluten-free, Italian, Main Course, One-Pan, One-Pot, Recipe, Slow Cooker, Soup, Stew

eCookbook Bundle Cover

Get ALL 16 Closet Cooking eCookbooks in a bundle for 70% off! Enjoy some of the tastiest recipes from Closet Cooking along with exclusive cookbook recipes!

Get the Cookbook Bundle Now!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. [eatingclub] vancouver || js says

    December 10, 2008 at 1:49 am

    I would kill for a bowl for your beef stew right now. I’m freezing and it looks amazing!

    Reply
  2. MaryBeth says

    December 10, 2008 at 1:55 am

    Your stew looks so hearty and scrumptious. I would love a big bowl of it to keep me warm.

    Reply
  3. mikky says

    December 10, 2008 at 2:33 am

    hi kevin, you did it again… everything looks so great… the dinner roll, the chicken soup’s so comforting, and the stew, my, just perfect… you are really something… i envy whoever enjoys these meals with you… 🙂

    Reply
  4. Lori says

    December 10, 2008 at 3:20 am

    That looks like comfort in a bowl Kevin!

    Reply
  5. niya says

    December 10, 2008 at 3:42 am

    Hi Kevin

    Thanks

    Presentation of beef stew with garlic bread’s nice with an amazing photo.

    Cheers

    Reply
  6. Marjie says

    December 10, 2008 at 3:42 am

    This is one nice looking stew! I often put sweet potato chunks in mine shortly before it’s finished cooking, but have never tried butternut squash.

    Reply
  7. soulchocolate says

    December 10, 2008 at 3:42 am

    Oh wow! This is a fantastic picture!!!!!

    Reply
  8. Mary says

    December 10, 2008 at 3:42 am

    Peter, this looks really good. Great idea to use squash in the stew. Comfort in a bowl.

    Reply
  9. Manger La Ville says

    December 10, 2008 at 3:43 am

    Sounds delicious, so hearty and warm, plus a nice side of garlicky bread. Yummy

    Reply
  10. Chocolate Shavings says

    December 10, 2008 at 3:46 am

    What a heart-warming dish Kevin!

    Reply
  11. Juanito Burrito says

    December 10, 2008 at 4:28 am

    That looks fantastic. Great idea with the squash!

    Reply
  12. Pam says

    December 10, 2008 at 6:29 am

    Very tasty and creative recipe Kevin. I love how hearty it is.

    Reply
  13. Nina Timm says

    December 10, 2008 at 6:38 am

    You are really filling up on your yellow veggies, very healthy Kevin! I love the Japanese twist!

    Reply
  14. Rosa's Yummy Yums says

    December 10, 2008 at 7:21 am

    That stew looks incredibly yummy!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

    Reply
  15. Manggy says

    December 10, 2008 at 8:06 am

    Yum… The stew looks so hearty and flavorful! You’ve gotten really good mileage out of those cucurbits! 🙂

    Reply
  16. MeetaK says

    December 10, 2008 at 9:31 am

    oh look at the color of that stew! i love this – hearty and good!

    Reply
  17. HoneyB says

    December 10, 2008 at 9:54 am

    Sounds awesome Kevin!

    Reply
  18. Happy cook says

    December 10, 2008 at 10:11 am

    The bowl of stew looks so inviting . I am sure if one eats it, we will have a really good feeling as it looks so hearty.

    Reply
  19. Lorraine E says

    December 10, 2008 at 11:33 am

    That sauce looks so delicious rich and deeply flavoured. Gorgeous stuff Kevin!

    Reply
  20. Cheryl says

    December 10, 2008 at 11:55 am

    That looks really yummy, great for a cold winter day!

    Reply
  21. Dhanggit says

    December 10, 2008 at 12:41 pm

    What a great idea of using butternut squash! i’ll definitely try this recipe!

    Reply
  22. Natashya says

    December 10, 2008 at 12:58 pm

    You have some great flavours going on there!
    I am looking at my counter that has 3 different kinds of squash on it and I am thinking “this is all Kevin’s fault!”

    Reply
  23. Robin Sue says

    December 10, 2008 at 1:23 pm

    Now this is one big pot-o-love! Loved the chicken noddle soup recipe too. IT is that time of year to break out the soup pot!

    Reply
  24. ttfn300 says

    December 10, 2008 at 1:46 pm

    love your additions to the soup 🙂

    Reply
  25. Debbie says

    December 10, 2008 at 2:18 pm

    Your recipes are always so interesting. This one looks great!

    Reply
  26. Dana McCauley says

    December 10, 2008 at 3:01 pm

    Nice Italian touches – looks like the meat is cooked perfectly!

    Reply
  27. Carmen Cooks says

    December 10, 2008 at 4:20 pm

    yum this looks like a great winter recipe!

    Reply
  28. Maria says

    December 10, 2008 at 4:45 pm

    Perfect for a cold day!

    Reply
  29. [email protected] says

    December 10, 2008 at 5:07 pm

    that looks amazing Kevin. I may have found my weekend project.

    Reply
  30. Dawn says

    December 10, 2008 at 7:01 pm

    Kevin do you have a pumpkin & butternut squash garden? LOL
    Another fine creation here. I love that pancetta is in here too.

    Reply
  31. Joy the Baker says

    December 10, 2008 at 7:34 pm

    This looks unbelievably comforting! I think I’ll make it this weekend to eat all next week. Just beautiful Kevin!

    Reply
  32. Pam says

    December 10, 2008 at 10:23 pm

    You can just see how rich and flavorful that broth is!

    Reply
  33. Paula says

    December 10, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    Oh Yum! Both this stew and your previous post of Chicken Soup are killer! This stew looks very hearty and sounds quite flavorful with the pancetta and balsamic vinegar! That cheesy garlic bread is terrific, too!

    Reply
  34. meeso says

    December 10, 2008 at 10:34 pm

    Gorgeous bowl of stew!

    Reply
  35. Suzer says

    December 11, 2008 at 9:55 am

    You do like your stews don’t you. Try Mafe some time (recipe on my blog).

    Reply
  36. Deborah says

    December 11, 2008 at 4:41 pm

    We have snow coming in this weekend, so I’m betting this would be perfect for a snowy winter’s night!!

    Reply
  37. Anonymous says

    December 12, 2008 at 8:11 am

    Wow..the stew looks really delicious! I may try this with potatoes though.

    Reply
  38. LyB says

    December 22, 2008 at 7:20 pm

    Kevin, I was just wondering what to make for dinner and I think this is gonna be it! Thanks for the recipe, it sounds delicious! 🙂

    Reply
  39. Anonymous says

    December 10, 2009 at 3:27 am

    This stew taste as delicious as it looks! Just a hint of spice from red pepper flakes, and the wine and balsamic vinegar gave it a unique flare! It was perfect for a cold December evening! I will definitely make again!!!

    Reply
  40. Shell says

    January 1, 2010 at 11:02 am

    I made this dish last night…WOW! I added a couple of things, 1 more cup of wine and whole mushrooms with the squash…it was scrumpdillious! Thanks!

    Reply
  41. Shell says

    January 1, 2010 at 11:05 am

    I made this dish last night..it was great…I added 1 more cup of wine and whole mushrooms with the squash…scrumpdillious!

    Reply
  42. Mike says

    January 4, 2010 at 7:02 pm

    The stew was very good and I would make it again except everyone agreed that the amount of rosemary was excessive. But that down to about a teaspoon and this is a winner. The squash was a great counterpoint.

    Reply
  43. Anonymous says

    January 31, 2011 at 6:09 am

    I loved this stew and the way all the flavors came together. Delicious. I did add some cubed potatoes in the stew which I thought fit perfectly with the stew.

    Reply
  44. Heather says

    October 16, 2012 at 4:02 am

    Question for you Kevin: by any chance do you know of a substitution for the pancetta? Thanks!

    Reply
  45. Kevin says

    October 18, 2012 at 2:44 pm

    Heather: Bacon can be used as a substitute for the pancetta. Enjoy!

    Reply
  46. Rachel says

    January 2, 2013 at 10:46 pm

    Kevin, should the diced tomatoes be drained or undrained? Thanks!

    Reply
  47. Kevin says

    January 4, 2013 at 1:59 pm

    Rachel: The diced tomatoes should be undrained. Enjoy!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to the free Closet Cooking email newsletter and get a FREE copy of the eBook:
The Best of Closet Cooking!

About Me

Kevin: I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.
Read More

The Best of Closet Cooking 2023 – FREE eCookbook

The Best of Closet Cooking Book Cover

eCookbook Bundle

eCookbook Bundle

Top Recipes

Chicken and Avocado Burritos
Ham and Potato Corn Chowder
Mexican Street Corn Nachos
Balsamic Garlic Grilled Mushroom Skewers
Baked Firecracker Chicken
Caprese Balsamic Grilled Chicken
Balsamic Soy Roasted Garlic Mushrooms
Cheesy Beef Enchilada Tortellini Skillet
Parmesan Roasted Carrot Fries
Asiago Roasted Onions
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
About | Contact Us | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy
Copyright © 2007-2023, Closet Cooking Ltd. All Rights Reserved.