35 Stews From Around the World
It’s cozy season, and that means stew! Stews are hearty, versatile, and fulfilling, especially on a cold winter’s night. What is a stew, exactly? A stew is a combination of solid ingredients (such as meat, vegetables, and grains) that have been cooked in liquid and then served in the gravy created by the cooking process.
What Is the Difference Between a Stew and a Soup?
Soup and stew both satisfy the need for a comforting, nourishing meal that can be shared with family and friends. So how are soup and stew different? It comes down to the one key ingredient: liquid. For soup, the liquid is the primary “deliverer” of the ingredients. Soups can be entirely liquid, or they can include other ingredients that are fully submerged in the broth. What defines a stew? Stews tend to be much thicker and heartier than soup because they only contain enough liquid to cover the ingredients. The ingredients are typically more chunky and plentiful, too! To summarize, the difference between a soup and a stew is that soups are a combination of ingredients cooked in a liquid, while stews are any dish that is prepared by stewing, or submerging the ingredients with just enough liquid to fully cook them at a low temperature in a covered pot for long periods of time. Low, slow, and delicious!
You might guess that on a site like this, you’ll find plenty of passion for stew: Chili is a stew! So here’s a visual smörgåsbord of stews from around the world created by Chuck’s Chili Recipes to inspire new family favorites:
Here are the global stew recipes showcased in this visual feast:
- Argentinian stew: Locro
- Belgian stew: Carbonnade
- Bosnian stew: Bosanski lonac
- Brazilian stew: Feijoada
- Croatian stew: Čobanac
- Cuban stew: Ropa vieja
- Georgian stew: Lobio
- German stew: Pfefferpotthast
- Grenadian stew: Oil down
- English stew: Lancashire hotpot
- French stew: Coq au vin
- Indian stew: Korma
- Pakistani stew: Rogan josh
- Indonesian stew: Asam pedas
- Iranian stew: Gheimeh
- Italian stew: Spezzatino di manzo
- Japanese stew: Chanko nabe
- Mexican stew: Birria
- Nigerian stew: Ofada stew
- Norwegian stew: Fårikål
- Peruvian stew: Aji de gallina
- Filipino stew: Dinuguan
- Polish stew: Bigos
- Portuguese stew: Caldeirada
- Romanian stew: Mâncare de praz
- Russian stew: Beef stroganoff
- South African stew: Bunny chow
- South Korean stew: Gamja-tang
- Spanish stew: Callos
- Trinbagonian stew: Callaloo
- Tunisian stew: Lablabi
- Mexican stew: Chili con carne
- Vietnamese stew: Bo kho
- West African stew: Palaver sauce
What is the best stew in the world? That’s for you to decide! Try out some of the most popular stews for yourself and you might just find a new favorite.
35 Stews From Around the World
| Country + Stew | Description |
| Locro
Argentina |
Thick acorn squash stew with pork or beef cuts, offal (organ meat), hominy, lima beans, onions, and spices |
| Carbonnade
Belgium |
Hearty, sweet-sour beef stew with caramelized onions and dark ale |
| Bosanski lonac
Bosnia |
Chunks of beef, lamb, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, parsley, garlic, and whole peppercorns slow-cooked in a ceramic pot |
| Feijoada
Brazil |
Brazil’s national dish, a black bean stew cooked with salted and smoked pork and beef |
| Čobanac
Croatia |
Veal, beef, or wild game meat with onions and a unique blend of sweet and hot paprika, traditionally prepared by slow-cooking ingredients in a copper pot over an open fire |
| Ropa vieja
Cuba |
Shredded flank steak slow-cooked in tomato sauce, white wine, onions, and peppers. The name translates to “old clothes,” which represents the shreds of meat. |
| Lobio
Georgia |
Mashed kidney beans in a seasoned walnut sauce, often topped with pomegranate seeds and balsamic vinegar, served with mchadi (fried, polenta-like cornbread) and a strong brined cheese |
| Pfefferpotthast
Germany |
Chunks of beef simmered in pumpernickel rye bread-thickened gravy with cloves, juniper berries, allspice, and bay leaves |
| Oil down
Grenada |
The national dish of Grenada, a savory one-pot stew with chicken, pig tails, coconut milk, turmeric, breadfruit, spinach, unripe bananas, dumplings, okra, herbs, and spices |
| Lancashire hotpot
England |
Lamb or mutton and onion topped with sliced potatoes and baked in a thick pot on low heat, seasoned with butter, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves |
| Coq au vin
France |
Wine-braised chicken, strips of fatty bacon, mushrooms, carrots, and garlic |
| Korma
India |
Meat stewed in a mild creamy sauce made with saffron, yogurt, coriander, ginger, chilies, cumin, and turmeric |
| Rogan josh
Kashmir, India/Pakistan |
Aromatic curried lamb or mutton seasoned with cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, garlic, and ginger and imbued with Kashmiri chilies, giving it an inviting red color |
| Asam pedas
Indonesia |
Fish stewed in a tangy gravy made from tamarind, lemongrass, chilies, garlic, okra, coriander, and tomatoes. The name translates to “sour spicy.” |
| Gheimeh
Iran |
Diced mutton, tomatoes, split peas, onion, and dried lime, garnished with crispy golden potato slices |
| Spezzatino di manzo
Italy |
Beef chunk steak and vegetable stew enriched with rosemary and sage |
| Chanko nabe
Japan |
Robust hot pot of chicken, fish, shrimp, pork belly, tofu, mushrooms, cabbage, and other vegetables in a garlicky sake broth, traditionally eaten by sumo wrestlers to gain weight |
| Birria
Mexico |
Chili pepper goat meat adobo, garlic, cumin, thyme, and bay leaves cooked at a low heat |
| Ofada stew
Nigeria |
Braised goat meat with dried fish and shrimp, hot peppers, fermented locust beans, onions, and palm oil |
| Fårikål
Norway |
Thick-cut mutton in a flour-thickened broth with cabbage wedges and whole peppercorns |
| Aji de gallina
Peru |
Popular Peruvian comfort food with shredded poached chicken and a creamy sauce of red onion, garlic, and chili peppers thickened with milk-soaked bread, cheese, and ground nuts, often served with olives and hard-boiled egg |
| Dinuguan
Philippines |
Organ meat stewed with blood, vinegar, hot peppers, and garlic, traditionally made with leftovers from pig slaughter |
| Bigos
Poland |
Chopped meat stewed with sauerkraut, shredded fresh cabbage, puréed tomatoes, honey, and mushrooms |
| Caldeirada
Portugal |
A variety of seafood (fish, squid, octopus, clams) in a rich base of onions, white wine, olive oil, tomatoes, fresh herbs, saffron, and nutmeg |
| Mâncare de praz
Romania |
Chopped leeks and olives in a tomato and onion sauce seasoned with lemon juice, parsley, and dill |
| Beef stroganoff
Russia |
Sautéed chunks of beef and mushrooms coated with a sauce of mustard and smetana (a type of Eastern European sour cream), often served on a bed of noodles |
| Bunny chow
South Africa |
Hollowed-out loaf of bread stuffed with curried kidney beans and meats such as mutton, chicken, or lamb |
| Gamja-tang
South Korea |
Spicy pork spine and neck stew with potatoes, glass noodles, dried radish greens, hot peppers, garlic, scallions, and ground sesame seeds |
| Callos
Spain |
Beef tripe (stomach lining), chickpeas, and blood sausage slow-cooked in a spicy tomato sauce |
| Callaloo
Trinidad and Tobago |
Crab pieces simmered in a creamy mixture of coconut milk, taro leaves, onions, okra pods, Scotch bonnet peppers, pimento peppers, butter, and thyme |
| Lablabi
Tunisia |
Chickpeas seasoned with harissa paste, cumin, garlic, and lemon, often topped with an egg |
| Chili con carne
United States/Mexico |
Meat and beans in a spicy chili pepper, tomato, garlic, onion, and cumin base |
| Gumbo
Louisiana, United States |
Hearty and spicy stew made with a dark roux (flour and fat mixture), chicken, sausage, shrimp, and the Creole “holy trinity” of celery, bell peppers, and onions |
| Bo kho
Vietnam |
Pot-roasted beef and carrot stew with carrots, lemongrass, ginger, anise, cinnamon, brown sugar, coconut milk, and bone broth |
| Palaver sauce
West Africa |
Fresh and smoked meat, dried fish, leafy green vegetables (such as spinach), ground bitter melon seeds, chilies, onions, and tomatoes |
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This page was last updated by Chuck Miller