Italian Beef Stew over Parmesan Polenta

This dish contains 2 parts: Beef Stew and Parmesan Polenta.

Prepare Polenta While Stew Cooks:

1. In a saucepan, combine Parmesan Polenta with 2 1/2 cups water.
2. Bring to a light boil, stirring frequently.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 2–3 minutes, until polenta thickens.
4. Remove from heat, stir, and let sit 10 minutes to thicken further.
5. Serve hot, topped with beef stew.

Beef Stew Cooking Method – Choose One:

Freezer to Instant Pot: Run warm water around the outside of the plastic container for 30 seconds to loosen the entrée. Add 1 cup water to Instant Pot. Remove frozen entrée from container and place onion-side down in Instant Pot. Lock lid into place and make sure valve is in sealing position. Pressure cook on high for 55 minutes. Quick Release carefully — the steam will burn. Once pressure has fully released, open Instant Pot and stir.

To thicken stew, turn Instant Pot to Sauté and simmer uncovered for up to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until desired consistency is reached.

Optional: Natural Release + Keep Warm may also be used if more convenient. Follow thickening instructions above before serving.

Important Instant Pot Tip: Occasionally, the pressure valve may not pop up even though the timer starts. If the valve has not popped up, the Instant Pot has not reached pressure and the dish will not cook properly. If this happens, press Cancel, carefully open the Instant Pot, stir the dish, scrape up any bits from the bottom of the inner pot, and restart the cooking process.

Crock Pot Option: Thaw stew completely. Add 3/4 cup water to the bottom of the crock pot and stir in beef stew. Slow cook on high for 3–5 hours, until beef is fork-tender. Crock pots vary significantly; if beef is not tender after 5 hours, continue cooking. Before serving, stir to mix well. If stew is too thin, pour into a saucepan and simmer, stirring frequently, until it thickens to desired consistency.

Internal temp: 165°F.

Serving Suggestions: Serve beef stew over polenta with green salad. Cabernet.

Please Note: Cooking times are estimates and vary based on your actual stovetop, Instant Pot, or slow cooker, as well as item thickness and starting temperature. For best results, always verify the internal temperature of your meals. We recommend instant-read pocket thermometers – they are inexpensive, convenient, and very easy to use.

Per Serving: Stew: 290 cal, 9g fat (3g sat), 95mg chol, 585mg sodium, 9g carb, 2g fiber, 29g protein. Polenta: 200 cal, 10g fat (6g sat), 25mg chol, 670mg chol, 24g carb, 5g protein.

Contains: Dairy.

Lifestyle: Gluten-Free. Nut-Free.

At-Home Keto-Friendly Modification: Omit the polenta.

Ingredients: Stew: beef, sauce (onion, red wine, celery, butter, rice flour, tomato paste, gluten-free beef base, garlic, apple juice, salt, pepper), baby carrots, sliced onions, mushrooms, celery, thyme, spring onion. Polenta: polenta, parmesan cheese, butter, salt, pepper.

Please Note: Because Dinner Done dishes are hand-crafted, exact information may vary. Nutritional information calculated based on 3 servings per entrée.