Beef Stew with Cocoa Powder
This old-fashioned beef stew with cocoa powder is warm, deep, and rich. It doesn’t taste like chocolate — the cocoa just adds an earthy twist that makes it cozy, comforting, and deeply flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs 900g beef chuck or stew meat, trimmed & cubed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 large yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 to 3 carrots chopped
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder Dutch-processed preferred
- ½ cup dry red wine or more beef broth
- 3 cups beef broth low sodium
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 –2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or ½ tsp dried
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Optional: Crushed red chili flakes for a kick
Instructions
Classic Stovetop Method:
Step 1 – Sear the Beef
- Pat beef cubes dry. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in flour.
- Heat oil in pot, sear beef in batches. Remove and set aside.
Step 2 – Sauté the Base
- In the same pot, cook onions until soft.
- Add garlic, stir for 30 sec.
- Mix in tomato paste + cocoa powder. Cook for 1 min until it smells warm and deep.
Step 3 – Add Wine
- Pour in red wine, scrape up the browned bits, and simmer for 2–3 minutes.
Step 4 – Build the Stew
- Add broth, Worcestershire, herbs, carrots, celery, potatoes, and the seared beef.
- Bring to a simmer.
Step 5 – Let It Cook
- Cover and cook on low heat for 2 to 2½ hours.
- Stir occasionally. Uncover last 20 mins if gravy is too thin.
- Add broth if too thick.
- Taste, adjust salt, pepper, chili flakes.
- Remove bay leaves before serving.
Slow Cooker Version:
Step 1 – Optional Sear
- Sear beef in a pan for flavor. Or toss raw beef with flour and seasoning.
Step 2 – Make Sauce Base
- In a bowl, mix tomato paste, cocoa, wine, Worcestershire, garlic, onion, and herbs.
- Pour over beef in slow cooker.
Step 3 – Add Veggies + Broth
- Add carrots, celery, potatoes, and broth. Stir everything.
- Cook on LOW 7–8 hours or HIGH 4–5 hours.
- (Thicken with cornstarch slurry if needed at the end.)
- Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve warm.
Notes
Don’t skip the cocoa powder — it won’t make your stew taste chocolatey. Instead, it gives warmth, richness, and a deep earthy note. It’s like adding depth without the wine, perfect if you're skipping alcohol.