Give Beef Stew A Bold Makeover With This Everyday Condiment

There's nothing quite like a hearty beef stew to warm the soul. This timeless dish is the epitome of home-cooked comfort, and across the globe, countless variations celebrate local flavors and traditions with their own twists. From the rustic elegance of France's iconic beef bourguignon (Julia Child's favourite stew) to Indonesia's fragrant and fiery beef rendang, beef stew proves itself as a dish that's not bound to a single recipe. So, in the spirit of flexibility, one everyday ingredient that can seriously elevate your next beef stew is ketchup. To find out why this condiment is such a game-changer, Food Republic spoke with Meghan Yager, ​​recipe developer and food photographer at Cake 'n Knife.

"With its combination of sweet, acidic, and umami, you'll find that [ketchup] boosts the savoriness of the stew to layer in more flavor when you use it," says Yager. The tomatoes in ketchup are rich in natural umami, adding depth and complexity. Its vinegar contributes a tangy acidity that helps tenderize the meat and cuts through its richness. The sugar balances the acidity with a subtle sweetness, preventing the flavor from becoming too sharp, and the seasonings often found in ketchup — such as onion, garlic, and cloves — bring in added complexity, layering in warm and aromatic notes.

Adding ketchup to your beef stew is incredibly simple, but you want to avoid overpowering the dish. The key, according to Meghan Yager, is to add it early. "The best time to stir it in is right after you've sauteed the aromatics, but before you add in any liquid," she recommends. Letting the ketchup cook briefly — Yager suggests for up to two minutes — allows its flavors to mellow and sweeten. This ensures it blends harmoniously with the other ingredients, adding subtle depth and complexity instead of a sharp, dominant flavor.

Yager emphasizes that you only need a small amount of ketchup — around one to two tablespoons per pot of stew — to elevate the dish. This careful balance allows the ingredients to enhance the richness and savoriness of the stew while preserving its original character. "It's one of my favorite shortcuts because it's usually in most people's pantries and it only takes a little bit to go a long way," she says. This rings true — ketchup offers an easy way for home cooks to experiment with flavors using something they probably already have on hand. The final key is to nail how long to cook your beef stew for the best texture — generally about 2.5 hours or longer — and you'll have a bold, flavorful meal on your hands.