9 French Beef Bourguignon Dishes for Elegant Home Cooking

Nothing says sophisticated comfort food quite like beef bourguignon. This classic French stew transforms simple ingredients into something truly magical.

These nine variations make it easy to enjoy this elegant dish any night of the week, from quick pressure cooker versions to traditional slow-braised masterpieces.

01. Pressure Cooker French Beef Stew

Rich, wine-braised beef stew made effortlessly in your electric pressure cooker. Perfect for busy weeknights when you want something fancy without the fuss.

Ingredients: 3 pounds beef chuck roast (cubed), 6 strips bacon (chopped), 1 large onion (diced), 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced), 3 carrots (chopped), 3 cloves garlic (minced), 2 cups red wine, 2 cups beef broth, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, salt and pepper to taste.

How To Make Pressure Cooker French Beef Stew

1. Season beef cubes generously with salt and pepper. Using your pressure cooker’s sauté function, cook bacon until crispy, then remove and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot for maximum flavor.

2. Brown beef cubes in batches in the bacon fat until deeply caramelized on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t overcrowd the pot or the meat will steam instead of browning properly.

3. Add onions, carrots, and mushrooms to the pot, cooking until softened and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, and herbs, cooking until fragrant.

4. Pour in wine and broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Return beef and bacon to pot, seal, and pressure cook on high for 35 minutes with natural release.

02. Traditional Burgundy Braised Beef

The classic French technique that takes time but rewards you with incredibly tender, flavorful results. This is comfort food at its most elegant and satisfying.

Ingredients: 4 pounds beef chuck roast (cubed), 8 ounces thick-cut bacon (diced), 1 bottle Burgundy wine, 2 cups beef stock, 1 pound pearl onions (peeled), 1 pound carrots (cut in chunks), 12 ounces button mushrooms, 3 tablespoons flour, 4 cloves garlic (minced), 2 bay leaves, fresh thyme sprigs, salt and pepper.

How To Make Traditional Burgundy Braised Beef

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Pat beef completely dry and season generously with salt and pepper. In a heavy Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy, then remove with a slotted spoon.

2. Brown beef cubes in the bacon fat in small batches, taking your time to get a deep golden crust on all sides. This step is crucial for developing rich flavor, so don’t rush it.

3. Remove beef and sauté pearl onions until golden, then add mushrooms and cook until they release their moisture. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

4. Slowly pour in wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add stock, herbs, and return beef and bacon to the pot.

5. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover tightly, and braise in the oven for 2.5 hours. Add carrots in the last 45 minutes of cooking until everything is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened beautifully.

03. Hearty Winter Burgundy Stew

A soul-warming stew that’s perfect for cold evenings. This version focuses on comfort and convenience while maintaining all those classic French flavors you crave.

Ingredients: 3 pounds beef stew meat, 6 slices bacon (chopped), 2 large onions (sliced), 1 pound baby carrots, 8 ounces cremini mushrooms (quartered), 1 bottle red wine, 3 cups beef broth, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, 3 cloves garlic (crushed), salt and black pepper.

How To Make Hearty Winter Burgundy Stew

1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven until crispy, then remove and drain on paper towels. Season beef with salt and pepper, then brown in batches in the bacon fat until well-seared on all sides.

2. Add sliced onions to the pot and cook until caramelized and golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. This step adds incredible depth of flavor to your finished stew.

3. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in wine, scraping up any browned bits, then add broth, herbs, beef, and bacon back to the pot.

4. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low heat for 1.5 hours. Add carrots and mushrooms, then continue cooking for another 45 minutes until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are perfectly cooked.

04. Wine-Braised Beef Meatball Stew

Tender beef meatballs simmered in rich red wine sauce with herbs and vegetables. This creative twist on the classic offers all the same flavors in bite-sized form.

Ingredients: 2 pounds ground beef, 1 egg, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 4 strips bacon (diced), 1 large onion (chopped), 8 ounces mushrooms (sliced), 2 cups red wine, 2 cups beef broth, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 pound baby potatoes (halved), 2 carrots (diced), 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, salt and pepper.

How To Make Wine-Braised Beef Meatball Stew

1. Mix ground beef with egg, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Form into 1.5-inch meatballs, making sure they’re uniform in size for even cooking. You should have about 20 meatballs total.

2. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven until crispy, then remove. Brown meatballs in the bacon fat in batches, turning carefully to get them golden on all sides without breaking them apart.

3. Remove meatballs and sauté onions and mushrooms in the same pot until softened and golden. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant and slightly darkened.

4. Pour in wine and broth, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Return meatballs and bacon to pot, add herbs, and bring to a gentle simmer.

5. Cover and cook for 45 minutes, then add potatoes and carrots. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes until vegetables are tender and meatballs are cooked through completely.

05. Merlot-Braised Beef with Herbs

A sophisticated take using Merlot instead of traditional Burgundy wine. The result is slightly fruitier and more approachable while maintaining that classic French elegance.

Ingredients: 3.5 pounds beef chuck roast (cubed), 1 bottle Merlot wine, 6 strips thick bacon (chopped), 1 large onion (diced), 12 ounces mixed mushrooms, 4 large carrots (chunked), 2 cups beef stock, 3 cloves garlic (minced), 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary (chopped), 2 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper.

How To Make Merlot-Braised Beef with Herbs

1. Pat beef dry and season well with salt and pepper. Cook bacon in a heavy Dutch oven until crispy, then remove, leaving the flavorful fat behind for browning the meat.

2. Brown beef cubes in small batches over medium-high heat, taking time to develop a deep, rich crust on each piece. This caramelization is key to building complex flavors in your finished dish.

3. Add onions to the pot and cook until softened and lightly golden. Toss in mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown around the edges.

4. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir for 2 minutes. Slowly add Merlot, scraping up all those delicious browned bits, then add stock, herbs, and return beef and bacon to the pot.

5. Bring to a simmer, cover, and braise for 2 hours. Add carrots and continue cooking for another 45 minutes until beef is fork-tender and carrots are perfectly cooked through.

06. Classic French Beef in Wine Sauce

An authentic approach that delivers restaurant-quality results at home. This version stays true to traditional techniques while being completely manageable for home cooks.

Ingredients: 4 pounds beef chuck (cut in 2-inch cubes), 8 ounces pancetta (diced), 1 bottle good red wine, 20 pearl onions (peeled), 1 pound carrots (cut in 2-inch pieces), 12 ounces button mushrooms, 3 tablespoons flour, 2 cups rich beef stock, 4 cloves garlic (crushed), bouquet garni (thyme, bay leaves, parsley), salt and pepper.

How To Make Classic French Beef in Wine Sauce

1. Season beef generously with salt and pepper. Cook pancetta in a large Dutch oven until crispy and golden, then remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

2. Brown beef cubes in the pancetta fat in small batches, ensuring each piece gets a beautiful golden crust on all sides. Don’t overcrowd the pot or the meat will steam instead of browning properly.

3. Remove beef and add pearl onions to the pot, cooking until golden all over. Add mushrooms and cook until they start to release their moisture and develop some color.

4. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add wine, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot for maximum flavor.

5. Add stock, bouquet garni, beef, and pancetta back to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and braise for 2 hours. Add carrots in the final 45 minutes until everything is beautifully tender.

07. Easy Oven-Baked Beef Burgundy

A simplified casserole version that delivers big flavors with minimal effort. Perfect for busy families who want elegant comfort food without all the fuss and monitoring.

Ingredients: 2.5 pounds beef stew meat, 1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 packet onion soup mix, 1 cup red wine, 8 ounces sliced mushrooms, 1 bag frozen pearl onions, 1 pound baby carrots, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 cup beef broth, salt and pepper to taste.

How To Make Easy Oven-Baked Beef Burgundy

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Season beef with salt and pepper, then toss with flour until evenly coated. This will help thicken the sauce as it cooks in the oven.

2. In a large casserole dish, combine cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, red wine, and beef broth. Whisk everything together until smooth and well combined.

3. Add the floured beef, mushrooms, pearl onions, and carrots to the casserole dish. Stir everything together, making sure the beef is well coated with the sauce mixture.

4. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 2.5 hours, stirring once halfway through cooking. The beef should be fork-tender and the sauce nicely thickened when done.

08. Set-and-Forget Slow Cooker Bourguignon

All the classic flavors developed slowly over hours with minimal hands-on work. Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day.

Ingredients: 3 pounds beef chuck roast (cubed), 6 strips bacon (chopped), 1 large onion (sliced), 1 pound carrots (chunked), 8 ounces mushrooms (quartered), 1.5 cups red wine, 1 cup beef broth, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 4 cloves garlic (minced), 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 3 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper.

How To Make Set-and-Forget Slow Cooker Bourguignon

1. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crispy, then transfer to your slow cooker. Season beef with salt, pepper, and flour, then brown in the bacon fat until golden on all sides.

2. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker with the bacon. In the same skillet, sauté onions until softened and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.

3. Add mushrooms to the skillet and cook until they start to release their moisture. Stir in tomato paste and garlic, cooking for another minute until fragrant.

4. Pour wine into the skillet, scraping up all the flavorful bits from the bottom, then transfer everything to the slow cooker. Add broth, carrots, and herbs.

5. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours until beef is fork-tender. Remove bay leaves before serving over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.

09. Meatless Mushroom and Eggplant Bourguignon

A hearty vegetarian version that captures all the rich, wine-braised flavors of the original. Meaty mushrooms and eggplant provide satisfying texture and depth.

Ingredients: 2 large eggplants (cubed), 1 pound mixed mushrooms (chunked), 4 strips vegetarian bacon (chopped), 1 large onion (diced), 4 carrots (sliced), 1 bottle red wine, 2 cups vegetable broth, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, 4 cloves garlic (minced), 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs fresh thyme, 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper.

How To Make Meatless Mushroom and Eggplant Bourguignon

1. Salt cubed eggplant generously and let sit for 30 minutes to draw out bitterness, then rinse and pat completely dry. This step ensures your eggplant won’t be soggy in the finished dish.

2. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven and brown eggplant cubes in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside, then cook vegetarian bacon until crispy.

3. Add onions to the pot and cook until softened, then add mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and start to brown. Stir in garlic and tomato paste, cooking until fragrant.

4. Pour in wine, scraping up browned bits, then add broth, herbs, eggplant, and bacon back to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes until eggplant is tender.

5. Add carrots and continue simmering for another 20-25 minutes until vegetables are perfectly tender and the sauce has thickened to coat the back of a spoon beautifully.

Final Thoughts

These bourguignon variations prove that elegant French cooking can fit into any lifestyle. From quick pressure cooker versions to traditional slow braises, there’s a perfect option for every occasion.

Each recipe brings its own special touch while honoring the classic flavors that make this dish so beloved around the world.