Can you make air fryer beef stew? Yes! You can air fry beef stew with a few tweaks to classic beef stew recipes. In this air fryer stew recipe, we’re using air fryer steak bites in place of traditional stew meat. Stew is one of those things everyone says you cannot cook in an air fryer. However, this delicious beef vegetable stew air fryer recipe proves them wrong!
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I recently had a reader ask if they could make air fried stew. I replied that the problem with a beef stew air fryer recipe is cooking air fryer stew meat.
Stew meat is usually chuck roast or another cheap, tough cut of beef. The stew meat benefits from a long braise cook time over low heat. This allows the collagen and connective tissue in the meat to break down, and the stew meat to tenderize.
A stew meat air fryer recipe would basically be doing the opposite. Air fryers cook fast with dry heat. Beef stew meat in the air fryer ends up unpleasantly tough as a result.
Here are the ingredients for air fryer beef stew:
- 8 ounces ribeye steak
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder (or garlic powder)
- ½ carrot (2 ounces)
- ½ small peeled potato (4 ounces)
- ¼ onion (2 ounces)
- ½ rib celery (1 ounce)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon double-concentrated tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon red wine
- ½ cup hot beef stock
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 5 small Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits from a can (optional)
- Cooking oil spray (optional)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (optional)
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
- Salt and pepper (optional, add to the beef stock if homemade)
I tested this recipe with a Kalorik Air Fryer Oven, an Okaysou Air Fryer, and I also made Ninja air fryer beef stew. (Yes, I tested it using 3 different air fryers!) You can make air fryer stew in a Ninja Foodi, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, or another air fryer too.
However, cooking times will need to be adjusted depending on the air fryer you use. Always check the food early the first time you try any new air fryer recipe. I'll give you tips on using everything from an air fryer oven to a small air fryer basket below.
Some other things that are helpful in this recipe are:
- Good knife
- Pastry brush
- Meat thermometer
- Baking dish for the stew
You need to find an oven-safe baking pan or dish that fits in your air fryer. I use an 8x8-inch aluminum baking pan in my air fryer oven, and a 2-cup ramekin in my small air fryer. (If you use a small ramekin, you won’t be able to fit all the optional biscuits on top.)
Can you air fry stew meat?
You can make air fryer beef cubes for stew, but they should not be traditional chuck stew meat. Instead, cook beef tips in the air fryer, steak, or another quick-cooking cut of meat for stew.
In fact, you don’t even have to use beef in air fryer stew. Make chicken stew in air fryer with meat leftover from air fryer frozen chicken thighs. Or try lamb stew in air fryer with cubes of leftover air fryer lamb chops.
➕ How to Make Air Fryer Stew
How long to air fry stew? What's the air fryer stew temperature? Once the meat and vegetables are air fried separately, you can finish the air fryer stew at 325 degrees Fahrenheit (163C) for 3-5 minutes.
If you’re serving stew with optional biscuits, I recommend starting those first. Spray your air fryer basket or tray with non-aerosol cooking spray. Place the biscuits in a non-touching single layer on your air fryer tray.
Air fry biscuits at 325F (163C) for 6-8 minutes, carefully flipping them over halfway through cooking time. You want them to be about 1 minute underdone, as they’re going back in the air fryer later.
Note that some air fryers do not do a good job cooking biscuits and croissants. If your air fryer leaves biscuits doughy in the middle, either skip the biscuits in this recipe or cook them in the oven using the package directions.
After cooking the biscuits, set them aside. Now we’re ready to air fry the vegetables and beef in our stew.
How Long to Cook Stew Meat in Air Fryer
How to cook steak strips in air fryer? I adapted my easy air fryer rib eye steak recipe to use as meat in our stew. You need to air fry the meat for 13-20 minutes at 400F (200C). Here are the step-by-step instructions:
- Combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and onion powder. Brush this mixture on the steak. You can marinate the steak in the fridge, or pop it right in the air fryer if you’re short on time.
- Air fry the steak at 400F (200C) for 10 minutes. Use the top rack position if you have an air fryer oven. Then flip the steak, and air fry 5-10 minutes more, checking after 3 minutes. Cook the steak to whatever doneness you prefer (I recommend medium-rare), using a meat thermometer to check it.
- After air frying, set the beef aside to rest for 10 minutes, then cut it into 1-inch cubes (2.54 cm). (We’re cutting the beef after air frying to keep it extra juicy.)
- While the cooked beef rests, work on the veggies. Cut the carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery into ½-inch dice (1.27 cm). Mix with the oil.
- Air fry the vegetables for 10 minutes at 375F (190C). Add additional time as needed to soften them. You’re not looking to brown them much. If you cut the veggies larger than ½ inch, they may take longer and cook unevenly. Set the cooked veggies aside.
- Whisk the tomato paste, red wine, hot beef broth, thyme, and xanthan gum together. This is our beef stew gravy, which we’re thickening with the xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is the perfect thickener for air fryer stew, since (unlike flour) it thickens at any temperature.
How Long to Cook Casserole in Air Fryer
Now that the steak cubes, vegetables, gravy, and biscuits are ready, we can assemble our air fryer beef casserole. Stir the beef, veggies, and gravy together and put in a baking dish. Top with the biscuits (if using), and brush the biscuits with butter. Air fry at 325F (163C) for 3-5 minutes.
This last step will finish cooking the biscuits and thicken the stew gravy a little more. Use the middle rack if you have an air fryer oven.
After the stew is finished, you can sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with parsley. This air fryer recipe serves two, perfect for couples!
🌡️ How to Store Leftover Stew
You can store leftover beef stew in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Keep the biscuits in a separate container for up to one day. They’ll get soggy if left on top of the stew.
You can reheat the stew in the microwave (in a microwave-safe bowl) on high for 1½-2 minutes. Reheat the biscuits in the air fryer at 400F (200C) for 3-4 minutes. Top stew with biscuits and serve.
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces ribeye steak (227 grams)
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ medium carrot (about 2 ounces or 57 grams)
- ½ small peeled potato (about 4 ounces or 113 grams)
- ¼ medium onion (about 2 ounces or 57 grams)
- ½ rib celery (about 1 ounce or 28 grams)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon double-concentrated tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon red wine
- ½ cup beef bone broth (hot; add salt and pepper if using homemade broth)
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 5 small canned biscuits (optional)
- cooking oil spray (optional, non-aerosol cooking spray)
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (optional)
- grated Parmesan cheese (optional, for serving)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Spray your air fryer basket or tray with cooking spray. Place the biscuits in a non-touching single layer on your air fryer tray. Air fry biscuits at 325°F (163°C) for 6-8 minutes, carefully flipping them over halfway through cooking time. You want them to be about 1 minute underdone, as they’re going back in the air fryer later.
- Combine the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and onion powder. Brush this mixture on the steak. You can marinate the steak in the fridge, or pop it right in the air fryer if you’re short on time.
- Air fry the steak at 400°F (200°C) for 10 minutes. Use the top rack position if you have an air fryer oven. Then flip the steak, and air fry 5-10 minutes more, checking after 3 minutes. Cook the steak to whatever doneness you prefer, using a meat thermometer to check it.
- After air frying, set the beef aside to rest for 10 minutes, then cut it into 1-inch cubes (2.54 cm).
- While the cooked beef rests, work on the veggies. Cut the carrots, potatoes, onion, and celery into ½-inch dice (1.27 cm). Mix with the oil.
- Air fry the vegetables for 10 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Add additional time as needed to soften them. You’re not looking to brown them much.
- Whisk the tomato paste, red wine, hot beef broth, thyme, and xanthan gum together for the stew gravy.
- Stir the beef, veggies, and gravy together and put in an oven-safe baking pan or ramekin that fits in your air fryer. Top with the biscuits (if using), and brush the biscuits with melted butter. Air fry at 325°F (163°C) for 3-5 minutes. (Use the middle rack if you have an air fryer oven.)
- After the stew has cooked, sprinkle with a little grated Parmesan cheese if desired, and serve.