How Much Beef Stew Per Person Should You Make?

Beef stew is the ultimate comforting, hearty dish. With tender, juicy beef and veggies simmered in a rich, savory broth, it’s a crowd-pleasing one-pot meal. If you’re making beef stew for a group, how much should you prepare per person? Read on for a handy beef stew calculator and tips for getting the portions just right.

Key Ingredients and Nutrition

The great thing about beef stew is that it packs multiple food groups into one dish. Your basic beef stew contains:

• Beef – 3 ounces cooked per serving
• Potatoes – 1 medium potato per serving
• Carrots – 2-3 carrots per serving
• Onion – 1/2 onion per serving
• Celery – 1-2 stalks per serving
• Stock or broth – 2 cups per 3-4 servings
• Flavorings like garlic, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, etc.

Beef provides protein, vitamins and minerals like iron and zinc. The veggies add fiber, vitamins A C, and K, potassium and more. And the broth offers hydration. Altogether, a one cup serving of beef stew delivers around

• 200 calories
• 17 g protein
• 13 g carbs
• 5 g fiber
• 7 g fat

So with a balanced nutritional profile, beef stew makes for a hearty, satisfying meal Now let’s look at how much to make per person

Determining Serving Size

The standard serving size for cooked stew meat is about 3 ounces. This equals around 1/2 cup of chunks of beef without broth or veggies.

For a full beef stew meal, plan on approximately:

• 3 ounces beef
• 1 cup cooked vegetables
• 1 cup beef broth

This makes a generous 2 cup total serving size of stew with all components included.

If you’ll also serve a side dish like bread or rice, you may be able to get by with slightly smaller servings. But it’s generally better to have extra than run short.

Buying Your Beef

To arrive at the cooked 3 ounce serving size, allow about 4 ounces raw beef per person. This gives you a cushion for cook down during braising.

Beef stew meat is often sold pre-cut into 1-inch chunks. Look for shoulder, chuck, bottom or top round, or sirloin cuts.

For a smaller group, simply multiply the servings needed by the raw weight per serving. For example, for 4 people:

• 4 people x 4 ounces raw beef per serving = 16 ounces or 1 pound raw beef

For a larger party, get 10-20% extra to account for second helpings. It’s easy to use up leftover stew throughout the week too.

Rounding Out Your Ingredients

Along with 1 pound beef for 4, you’ll need:

• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 large carrots, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups beef broth
• Herbs and seasonings

Adjust vegetable amounts accordingly if serving more or fewer people. Plan for 2 cups broth for every 3 to 4 servings.

Cooking Your Stew

Browning the beef first enhances flavor. Then simmer everything together in a Dutch oven or slow cooker until the beef and veggies are fork tender – usually 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Letting the stew sit overnight in the fridge allows flavors to further develop. Then reheat gently before serving.

Aim for roughly 2 heaping cups of finished stew per person. Adjust amounts as needed based on appetites and if serving with sides. Freezing extra portions makes for quick future meals too.

Sample Serving Suggestions

Here are some example serving size calculations:

• 4 people = 1 pound beef, 4 potatoes, 4 large carrots, etc.

• 8 people = 2 pounds beef, 8 potatoes, 8 large carrots, etc.

• 12 people = 3 pounds beef, 12 potatoes, 12 large carrots, etc.

When in doubt, remember the basic 3 ounces beef, 1 cup vegetables, and 1 cup broth per serving guideline. This takes the guesswork out of how much beef stew to make and ensures you cook up the perfect batch for any crowd.

Tips for Leftovers

Leftover beef stew keeps well for about 3-4 days refrigerated, or 3-6 months frozen. Here are some tasty ways to use up extra stew beyond bowlfuls for lunch:

• Stuff into a baked potato or sweet potato
• Make beef stew shepherd’s pie with mashed potato topping
• Add to scrambled eggs or an omelette
• Use as a filling for tacos or enchiladas
• Make stew chili with beans and tomatoes
• Toss with pasta or rice for an easy casserole
• Layer into a pie crust for hearty pot pie
• Top a pizza crust and add cheese for a meaty pizza

With endless possibilities for leftovers, cook up a big batch so you can continue enjoying this comforting classic. Follow the handy beef stew calculator, and you’ll never have to wonder how much to make again.