Veal Stew with Wine, Zest and Thyme
“This is a winner in my fall/winter rotation. Always comes out so well. And it’s great for dinner with friends – a nice wine, some crunchy bread and hopefully the guests brought dessert”. April
Plump tender morsels of veal in a rich sauce of wine, tomatoes, thyme, garlic, carrots and onions, brightened with lemon zest and freshly chopped parsley. That’s Veal Stew with Wine, Zest and Thyme in a nutshell…. minus how downright delicious it is.
What to expect
I’ve been making this veal stew for years, and it always comes out great. I’ve also served it a couple of times at dinner parties and got several recipe requests (a good sign). I don’t use exact measurements anymore, but instead, taste and adjust the flavors at the end. A pinch more salt, a bit more thyme, a pinch of sugar, etc.
The method to cook this full bodied veal stew recipe is similar to most stews: brown the meat; sauté your vegetables until tender; add the liquids and seasonings; simmer until the meat and vegetables are tender and the broth thickens. This is the old-fashioned way. The aromas, the flavors, the memories cannot be underestimated.
If you’re an instant pot convert, though, feel free to check out our Instant Pot veal stew version. Also yum and you can save yourself a half hour or so.
I love how the lemon zest and capers give the stew a whole new flavor profile – a lift and zing – but you can always leave them out and make a more traditional tasting stew.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute rosemary for the thyme.
- Add mushrooms or baby potatoes when you add the diced tomatoes.
- Add a 1/2 cup heavy cream at the end for a creamier, less intense flavor.
- Just before serving, add 2 cups of roughly chopped baby spinach for color and extra nutrition.
Step by step instructions
What to serve with veal stew
Keep it simple and serve the veal stew with some warm crusty bread or cheesy garlic bread on croissants (for dipping). It’s also delicious over mashed potatoes or polenta with a nice fig salad. For dessert, try an easy no-bake Berry Crumble or step it up with Orange Polenta Cake.
Make Ahead
The veal stew can be made several days ahead, stored in a sealed container and warmed up gently on the stove. The taste is just as good or better, making it a great potluck recipe.
Other hearty meals in a bowl you might like
- Beef barley soup recipe
- Meatball stew
- Shrimp chowder Thai-style
- Sausage and bean soup
- Vegetable bean and barley soup
- Instant pot cabbage rolls unstuffed
Please leave a 5 star rating ***** with a comment in the recipe card below if you like the recipe, Thank you so much!
Veal Stew with Wine, Zest and Thyme
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound veal stew meat, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoon flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1/2 spanish onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- chicken broth, up to 1 cup as needed enough to cover veal and vegetables
- 1 cup (rounded) diced canned tomatoes with little to no juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed (optional)
- zest, grated from 1 lemon (about 1 teaspoon)
- 3 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- salt and black pepper to taste (and pinch of sugar if needed)
Video
Instructions
- SAUTE VEAL: Put flour, salt and pepper into a plastic bag. Add veal and shake to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in saucepan to medium high heat. Add veal and brown on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove veal to a plate.
- SAUTÉ VEGETABLES: Add another tablespoon of oil to pan. Add onions and carrots. Sauté until softened and fragrant, about 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté foran additional 1-2 minutes.
- COOK STEW: Add wine and boil until almost completely evaporated. Add diced canned tomatoes, veal, thyme, capers (if using) and just enough chicken broth to ensure the liquid to cover the meat and vegetables. (add a bit more tomatoes or chicken broth if needed). Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 1 hour and 15 minutes until veal is very tender.
- FINISH STEW AND SERVE: Stir in lemon zest and parsley. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding salt, pepper and extra thyme as needed. Add a pinch of sugar if needed as well to balance the acid in the tomatoes. Ladle into serving bowls and serve with crusty bread and a salad on the side. Or serve over noodles, rice, polenta or mashed potatoes.
Recipe Notes
- Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute rosemary for the thyme.
- Add mushrooms or baby potatoes when you add the diced tomatoes.
- Add a 1/2 cup heavy cream at the end for a creamier, less intense flavor.
- Just before serving, add 2 cups of roughly chopped baby spinach for color and extra nutrition.
- Make Ahead: The stew can be made 4-5 days ahead, stored in an airtight container and warmed up gently on the stove.
Nutrition
This veal stew recipe, originally posted in Dec 2016, has been updated.
I made this last night and followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great!
Oh my God, this stew was so good I could have eaten the whole thing in one sitting.first time I made this recipe.will definitely will make it again.
Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it Carmen!
This is a winner in my fall/winter rotation. Always comes out so well. And it’s great for dinner with friends – a nice wine, some crunchy bread and hopefully the guests brought dessert.
I like the ‘guests bring dessert’ part, haha. Glad you like the recipe April 🙂
My kitchen smelled so wonderful! A good recipe. Many thanks.
You’re very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
First time on this site and glad I landed here. As many noted, found some veal in the freezer that needed to be used. I followed this recipe without tweaks and it was quite good. For my taste, it needs a bit more thyme to balance the tomatoes & zest. Take 2 will incorporate this minor tweak as this recipe was voted as a “keeper”. It worked nicely for surprise company as it simmered for an hour while preparing the starch and veggies and cleaning up a bit.
Glad you are doing a take 2! To me, almost all recipes need adjustments to personal preferences. We are honored to be on the ‘keeper’ list!
This Veal stew recipe I make ALL the time, as Veal is a meat I grew up on – we raised and slaughtered our own Calves and it is delicious, quite simply. As a senior, I make a large stew and give it to other seniors – we help each other out. One goes shopping for those who find it difficult to get out and this is how we pay back with dinners and desserts. Every one loves it. It’s easy and it really is delicious ‼️
Thank you ?
That is so kind of you Lizzie. I am honored you are making our veal stew recipes for the community. And happy others like it! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.
I made this veal stew on Easter Sunday ..2024…added a pkg of baby bella mushrooms…one can of fire roasted tomatoes…and a hand full of baby potatoes…….ended with heavy cream and tapioca beads to thicken….= DELICIOUS..!!
Thanks so much for sharing Kelly. We really appreciate it. I like the tweaks you made 🙂
I love this recipe and make it frequently. For those out there that love bone-in meat, I sometimes add 4-6 pieces of Osso bucco ;veal shank) to the stew meat for a richer taste.
What a great tip! Thank you Fran!
Made many veal stews but the lemon zest in this one really amped up the flavor. Family enjoyed it and will be happy to make it again. Thanks
So glad you liked it 🙂
That’s the ingredient, lemon, that drew me to this recipe over all the others. This is a delicious Veal stew, versatile, easy. Veal is a meat people don’t eat enough of.
The lemon adds a nice little twist –
Hello Ladies! It’s cold. It’s snowing. I had veal in the freezer and we wanted soup. Hubby and I are so glad this recipe popped up when I searched Pinterest!. This soup is filling, yummy and easy to put together! Thank you so much for posting. I will definitely be fixing it again.
Glad you enjoyed it 🙂