I have made a promise to myself that I was going to be trying at least one new recipe a week. I pin and cut recipes from magazines and there they sit. I’ve been using a nutritional coach for some time now and I’m finally ready to modify some recipes for healthier eating and I’m going to be sharing them with you! This dish has some Asian inspired flavors from ginger, fish sauce, and Chinese five-spice powder. Remember to check out my Pinterest Board: Mom’s Tried & True for all the recipes that I have actually tried and use on a regular basis! This was a favorite for my meat eaters!
Grass-Fed Beef Stew with Spinach:
I don’t cook red meat very often, but I could see how tender these nice cuts of grass-fed beef while they were cooking. Browning the beef for 6 to 8 minutes on medium-high heat before you actually begin the stew releases the juice which you will save and use in your stew.
This comfort dish does not use potatoes, but carrots, parsnips, and turnips! Yummy root vegetables for a hearty low-carb comfort dish. I don’t use parsnips or turnips much so I had the produce clerk at the store show me which ones were good quality. As I noted, I’m trying new things and I loved how these cooked up in this dish.
The spinach is the final touch. I love the hints of green color after it wilts into the stew.
- 1 lbs boneless grass-fed beef in 2 inch cuts for stew
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 3½ cups of soup broth ( I used Vegetable broth, but beef works!)
- 2 shallots. quartered
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1 (1 inch) piece of ginger, chopped
- 1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 Star Anise pods
- ¼ Tbs ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbs Tomato Paste
- 3 med carrots, peeled and cut 1 inch thick
- 1 large parsnip peeled and cut 1 inch thick
- ½ large purple-topped turnip, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 15 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 large bunch of spinach
- 2 Tbs Fish sauce
- Salt and pepper beef while oil is heating in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook beef until browned about 6 - 8 minutes. Transfer beef to bowl.
- Add ½ cup of broth to Dutch Oven and scrap any remaining juices and bits of browned beef. Cook for about 1 minute and pour into bowl with beef.
- Add more oil to the pot and cook shallots until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Then add the garlic, ginger, five-spice, star anise, and cinnamon. Continue to cook while stirring for 2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute then add the beef and juices back into the pot with the carrots, turnips, parsnips and tomatoes. Add the remaining soup broth.
- Bring to a boil then cover and bake at 325 degrees for 1½ to 2 hours or until beef is tender.
- Once removed from the oven, stir in spinach and fish sauce.
- Serve over rice or with some crusty bread as a meal.

Enjoy! Let me know if you try it!
Beef stew is perfect comfort food! I love that you swapped the potatoes for turnips and parsnips, root veggies need more love 🙂
Mmmm can’t go wrong with beef and spinach! This sounds (and looks!) absolutely delicious.
It’s a cold and rainy day here in California. We don’t have many of these, so I just want to hide inside with comfort foods and a movie. This beef stew sounds like a hearty and healthy way to enjoy the rainy day.
Lovely idea beef stew is such a classic dish. Very comforting and so flavorful. Great to enjoy anytime. I need to make it soon at home.
This sounds yummy. It has been a little chilly lately and a good bowel of stew would be perfect!! This version I have to admit sounds a little more healthier.
YUMMY!! I need a good bowl of stew today with it being cold. Florida weather just had to give us some cool temps before spring was officially here.
This sounds like the perfect cold weather meal! Thanks for sharing!
Yum! I love soups and they are always a hit for my kids too. In spring we get a lot of rain so a warm soup is the perfect dinner option to warm us up.
Now that looks like a crowd pleaser! I just love grass fed beef and this recipe looks to be right up my alley!
beef stew is something that I have never introduced my family too, in fact, I have only had it once in my lifetime as well. but your recipe looks really tasty and worth trying out
I love this idea of trying something new each week. I have to start doing this. The stew looks delicious and hearty.
Looks like a hearty beef stew! I love to cook but find it hard to find the time! Have you tried this recipe in an Instant Pot?
This looks amazing! It started raining last night! I love stew and soup on rainy days! This would be great with grilled cheese sandwiches.
This looks tasty. Very hearty and the spinach is healthy too.
Looks amazing can’t wait to make this for my family thank you for sharing
Now that summer is almost over this kind of dish is just what I have been looking for. I have been trying to cut down on my huge carb intake without feeling like I am missing something.
My goodness this recipe sounds amazing and so healthy thanks for sharing this one it is perfect for this cooler weather.