Why is it called Hawaiian Beef Stew? It’s not because of pineapple or anything unusual – it’s just how beef stew is made in Hawaii.
Hawaii’s mix of Pacific and East Asian cultures has shaped simple dishes like this one. What makes it different from mainland stews is the tomato-based broth, which is rich, tangy, and slightly sweet.
Fresh tomatoes are often used in Hawaii, but we’re using canned ones here -they’re picked at peak ripeness, so they’re just as tasty!
You might also like my recipe for Instant Pot Beef Stew, or a Beef Stew made in the oven. And for another Hawaiian classic, try Garlic Shrimp with a side of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad.
This is a hit! The beef is so tender and so tasty. One of my favorite comfort food. Must-try!
Journa Liz Ramirez
Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Beef Chuck: Well-marbled chuck roast is always my choice when it comes to making beef stew. This will give you the most tender meat. Other types of beef stew meat can also be used.
- Beef Broth: Packaged broth or beef stock works just fine in this recipe, but if you have some homemade stock or bone broth, feel free to use it.
- Potatoes: Unlike classic beef stew, which is served with mashed or roasted potatoes on the side, this stew includes diced potatoes simmered along with the meat. Yukon Gold or red potatoes work best, they hold their shape and stay creamy after simmering.
- Canned Tomatoes and Tomato Paste: Canned diced tomatoes give fresh flavor; tomato paste adds extra depth.
- Soy Sauce: Hawaiian Aloha shoyu is great if you can find it, but Japanese or Chinese soy sauce works too.
How To Make Hawaiian Beef Stew (Full Recipe Below)
- Coat Beef: Season with salt, pepper, and flour.
- Sear: Brown in hot oil, then set aside.
- Sauté: Cook carrots, onion, and celery. Add broth and scrape the pot.
- Simmer: Add beef, potatoes, tomatoes, soy sauce, Worcestershire, bay leaf. Simmer 1.5–2 hrs.
- Thicken: Remove bay leaf. Stir in cornstarch slurry.
- Finish: Adjust seasoning. Serve over rice.
- Serve: Spoon over rice – just like they do in Hawaii!
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Hawaiian Beef Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck trimmed, patted dry with paper towels and diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 medium potatoes peeled and diced 1 inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce preferably hawaiian shoyu sauce
- 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
Instructions
- In a bowl, toss the beef with salt and pepper and then flour. Shake off any excess.
- In a dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat olive oil and when it’s hot, add the beef and brown it from all sides (do not overcrowd the pan, and work in batches if needed) you want to create a crispy outer layer. Remove from the dutch oven onto a plate.
- To the same dutch oven, add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 3 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add beef broth, and deglaze the pot, scraping off any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Add the beef, potatoes, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and a bay leaf (you want the broth and the liquid from the diced tomatoes to almost cover everything. If needed, add about half cup more broth). Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1.5-2 hours or until the beef is tender and almost falling apart.
- Discard the bay leaf, and thicken the soup by adding the slurry then cook for one more minute. Adjust seasonings to your preference. Add more salt or soy sauce if needed. If you like the stew thicker, add 1-2 more tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with water.
- Serve over cooked white rice
Notes:
- This stew is almost always served over rice in Hawaii, but you can also serve it with bread or rolls on the side instead.
- Be sure to remove the bay leaf before serving. It’s not edible.
- To make this recipe gluten-free: Replace the flour with all-purpose gluten-free flour, and use tamari instead of soy sauce. You should also be sure that your Worchestershire sauce is gluten-free.
- To Store: Keep leftover beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I don’t suggest freezing beef stew with potatoes, as the texture of the potatoes will change, giving the stew a grainy consistency.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Recipe Tips
- Use Quality Ingredients: Because the ingredients in this recipe are very basic, it’s important that each of them is fresh! The better your ingredients, the better your beef stew will taste.
- Plan Ahead: To save money, consider purchasing a large chuck roast when it’s on sale, cubing it, and keeping it in the freezer. If you find a good sale, pick up a few of them! This way, you will have stew meat on hand whenever the craving for a hearty beef stew strikes.
Storing Tips
To Store: Keep leftover beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
I don’t suggest freezing Hawaiian beef stew with potatoes, as the texture of the potatoes will change, giving the stew a grainy consistency.
What To Serve With Hawaiian Beef Stew
This tasty tomato beef stew is best served over rice. Any kind of rice will do, but I like to use long-grain white rice.
- I love to use the Instant Pot to make basmati or jasmine rice for meals like this one.
- If you’d rather not make rice, try serving your stew with freshly baked bread, dinner rolls, or even flatbread.
- Try Hawaiian beef stew with an easy and healthy salad like my Kale Salad with lemon vinaigrette.
- Ding Dong Cake, Custard Pie, or Blackberry Cobbler all sound perfect for dessert!
More Homestyle Stew Recipes
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Frequently Asked Questions
Shoyu sauce technically is soy sauce, but shoyu is the word specifically used for Japanese-style soy sauce. Shoyu is typically fermented longer and will have a richer, deeper flavor.
If you have some very excellent, ripe, juicy, and flavorful tomatoes, and you’d like to peel and chop them up, you can use them in this recipe in place of the canned tomatoes. Otherwise, canned tomatoes are the easiest way to get the tomato flavor we’re looking for here.
Replace the flour with all-purpose gluten-free flour, and use tamari instead of soy sauce. You should also be sure that your Worchestershire sauce is gluten-free. Otherwise, the rest of the ingredients in Hawaiian beef stew are already free from gluten.
If you visit Hawaii, be sure to order Hawaiian stew while you’re there! But if a trip to Honolulu isn’t on your calendar yet, then make this easy recipe at home instead.
Laur says
really liked it. More flavor and thickness of the sauce then expected. I did have to add more broth 2x
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you for the feedback, Laur! Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Definitely feel free to add broth if you want a thinner sauce.
Journa Liz Ramirez says
This is a hit! The beef is so tender and so tasty. One of my favorite comfort food. Must-try!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you for the great review, Journa! So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Abby says
The best beef stew I’ve had in a long time! I dipped some butter bread to get all the sauce and wow was it good. Adding this to my recipe book.
Little Sunny Kitchen says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Abby! Thank you for taking the time to write this kind review!
Jessica says
Yum!! This was really easy to make and had great flavor, thank you!
Little Sunny Kitchen says
Thank you for the great review, Jessica! So glad that you enjoyed this recipe!