The 20 Best Stews in the World
Every cuisine’s deepest wisdom lives in its slowest pot. Indonesia reduces coconut milk to rendang’s dark intensity, France buries beans and confit under a cassoulet crust, Senegal builds silk from peanuts. These are the 20 best stews in the world — patience, ranked, with authentic recipes.
-
Rendang
IndonesiaBeef simmered in spiced coconut milk until the sauce becomes a dark, clinging intensity — Minangkabau patience made edible.
Step into the warm, aromatic world of Indonesian cooking with Rendang, a dish so beloved it is often called one of the most delicious in the world. Tender chunks of beef are slowly braised in coconut milk and a fragrant tangle of …
-
Gulyás
HungaryThe paprika-laced herdsman's kettle stew that became a national symbol.
Discover Goulash, the dish that more than any other stands for Hungary at the table. Simple, generous and deeply savoury, it brings together tender beef, sweet onions and a bold spoonful of paprika into something far greater than …
-
Cassoulet
FranceWhite beans, sausage and confit under a breadcrumb crust broken seven times — southwest France's monument.
Discover Cassoulet, the hearty soul of southern French cooking! This slow-cooked stew brings together creamy white beans, succulent cuts of meat and rich, garlicky sausage into one deeply comforting pot. Born in the rolling …
-
Feijoada
BrazilBlack beans and pork in their richest possible form — Brazil's Saturday institution.
Discover Feijoada, the rich and soulful national dish of Brazil! This hearty stew brings together tender cuts of meat and earthy black beans, simmered slowly until everything melts into one deeply satisfying pot. It is the kind of …
-
Mafe
SenegalMeat stewed in deep peanut sauce — West Africa's velvet classic, endlessly copied inland.
Discover Mafé, the beloved national dish of Senegal! This hearty West African stew wraps tender chicken in a rich, creamy peanut sauce that is at once warming and deeply satisfying. With its exotic blend of local spices and the …
-
Lamb Tagine
MoroccoLamb, almonds and prunes under the cone-lidded pot that gave the dish its name.
Discover Lamb and Almond Tagine, one of Morocco's most treasured dishes! Tender, slow-cooked lamb meets freshly toasted almonds and a fragrant blend of warm spices in this North African classic. Cooked gently in the iconic conical …
-
Irish Stew
IrelandLamb, potatoes, onions and restraint — proof that great stews need nothing to hide behind.
Discover Irish Stew, the comforting national dish of Ireland! This humble one-pot supper brings together tender lamb, earthy potatoes and sweet carrots, all gently simmered with fragrant thyme until everything turns meltingly …
-
Bigos
PolandThe hunter's stew of sauerkraut, sausage and forest mushrooms — better on day three, by law of nature.
Discover Bigos, the rich, slow-cooked hunter's stew that many Poles regard as their national dish. Built on tender sauerkraut and generous helpings of braised meat, it is warming, deeply savoury and famously forgiving — the kind …
-
Pepperpot
GuyanaBeef slow-braised in bitter-sweet cassareep — Guyana's Christmas morning in a pot.
Discover the authentic national dish of Guyana: Pepperpot, a deeply spiced meat stew simmered slowly in rich, dark cassareep until the flavours are irresistible. This Caribbean classic is famous for its glossy colour and warming …
-
Ghormeh Sabzi
IranHerbs fried to darkness with kidney beans, dried lime and lamb — Iran's beloved green stew.
Meet Ghormeh Sabzi, the fragrant herb stew that many Iranians will name without hesitation as their country's national dish. A slow-simmered tangle of fresh greens, tender meat, kidney beans and the unmistakable sour note of dried …
-
Chakapuli
GeorgiaLamb drowned in tarragon, sour plums and white wine — Georgia's taste of spring.
Meet Chakapuli, the spring stew that Georgians wait all year for. Tender lamb simmers slowly with armfuls of fresh herbs, tart young plums and a good splash of dry white wine until the whole pot smells like a hillside garden. It …
-
Carbonnade Flamande
BelgiumBeef braised in dark Belgian beer with mustard bread melted in — Flanders' answer to bourguignon.
Discover Carbonnade Flamande, the deeply savoury beef and beer stew that sits at the heart of Belgian home cooking. Tender chunks of beef simmer for hours with sweet onions and a bottle of dark, malty ale until the sauce turns …
-
Oxtail Stew
JamaicaOxtail braised sticky with butter beans and allspice — Jamaica's Sunday-best pot.
Meet Oxtail Stew, one of Jamaica's most soul-warming dishes! Slow-braised meat turns meltingly tender in a deeply savoury sauce, layered with allspice, thyme and a medley of fresh vegetables. It is hearty, generous and …
-
Stifado
GreeceBeef and whole pearl onions in cinnamon-scented wine sauce — Greek mountain-village warmth.
Meet Stifado, one of Greece's most comforting classics! This rich, slow-cooked stew brings together tender beef and a generous tumble of small onions, simmered gently in red wine until everything melts into a deeply savoury sauce. …
-
Sancocho
PanamaChicken, yuca and culantro simmered into Panama's national cure for everything.
Discover Sancocho, the soul of Panama served up in a single pot! This hearty chicken stew brings together tender meat, chunks of yuca and sweetcorn in a fragrant, golden broth scented with fresh coriander. Warming, homely and …
-
Domoda
GambiaThe Gambia's mellow peanut stew over rice — humble ingredients, regal depth.
Fancy a culinary journey to West Africa? Domoda is Gambia's beloved national dish — a rich, warming peanut stew built around tender meat or hearty vegetables simmered in a velvety, nutty sauce. Comforting and deeply satisfying, it …
-
Potjiekos
South AfricaLayered meat and vegetables in a three-legged iron pot over coals — never stirred, always discussed.
Say hello to Potjiekos, one of South Africa's most cherished dishes and a true celebration of slow, sociable cooking. This hearty stew layers tender meat, colourful vegetables and warming spices in a heavy cast iron pot set over …
-
Seswaa
BotswanaBeef simmered for hours and pounded soft with little more than salt — Botswana's ceremonial centrepiece.
Meet Seswaa, the pride of the Tswana table and a dish that turns the simplest of ingredients into something unforgettable. Little more than beef, water and salt, it rewards patience above all else: hours of gentle simmering leave …
-
Tochitură
RomaniaPork stew with polenta, cheese and a fried egg on top — Romania's rustic indulgence.
Meet Tochitură moldovenească, a hearty Moldavian stew that sits at the very heart of Romanian home cooking. Tender chunks of pork and beef are slowly braised in a fragrant, garlicky sauce until meltingly soft, then served with a …
-
Nikujaga
JapanBeef and potatoes in sweet soy dashi — Japan's 'mother's taste' in stew form.
Discover Nikujaga, one of Japan's most cherished comfort dishes! This homely stew brings together tender beef, soft potatoes and sweet onions in a glossy, lightly sweet soy broth. With the gentle warmth of mirin and soy sauce, it …
Disagree with our order? The only valid rebuttal is cooking — start with another ranking or browse all 194 countries.