Belgian Beef Stew (Carbonnade) with Meatballs in Beer Sauce πŸ‡§πŸ‡ͺ

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Belgian Beef Stew, (Carbonnade Flamande / Carbonnade de Boeuf), is a traditional dish made with beef chunks and onions braised in beer, and this version features meatballs for a tasty twist on the classic.

This dish traditionally calls for chunks of beef, but when I first discovered the recipe, I only had beef mince on hand, so I decided to make it with meatballs instead. It added a bit of extra work, but the results were well worth it! Of course, you can stick with the original and use beef pieces – the steps remain the same.

Belgian Beef Stew Ingredients

Meatballs

  • minced beef
  • breadcrumbs
  • parsley, thyme
  • egg
  • salt, pepper

Notes

Use lean minced beef, ideally around 5-10% fat.
If you don’t have breadcrumbs, you can easily substitute with a day or two old bread – crumble it well for the same effect.
Finely chop fresh parsley leaves to avoid large chunks in the meatballs, as this gives them a smoother texture.

Sauce

  • onions
  • garlic
  • dark beer
  • mustard
  • beef stock
  • prunes
  • flour
  • red wine vinegar
  • brown sugar
  • nutmeg
  • herbs
  • unsalted butter
  • oil


Use a mix of yellow and red onions for the best flavour.

Buy a Belgian-style dark ale, such as a dubbel or brown ale. Avoid stout or Guinness-style black beers, as their intense bitterness can overpower the stew. Belgian ales provide a rich, balanced flavour that enhances the dish. I used Leffe Brune, which worked perfectly for this dish, providing a rich, malty flavour that enhanced the stew without being too bitter.

Use Dijon mustard for its sharp and tangy flavour that complements the stew.
The herbs for this dish include fresh or dried parsley, bay leaves, and thyme.

How to make Belgian Beef Stew?

Preparing Meatballs

Add all the ingredients for the meatballs in a bowl and mix well until you get a smooth meat mixture. Shape into meatballs and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
You can shape the meatballs to your preferred size, making them smaller or larger according to your preference.

Once the meatballs have rested, add oil to a pan to cover the bottom and fry them for about 3 minutes until they develop a golden-brown crust. They don’t need to be fully cooked through at this stage, as they will continue to cook and become tender in the sauce. This method ensures they retain their shape and texture while absorbing flavours from the sauce.

When frying the meatballs, do so in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, which can prevent them from browning evenly and may result in steaming rather than frying. This ensures each meatball gets a proper, golden-brown crust.
Once cooked, remove them to a paper towel and cover.

Making beef meatballs.
Perfectly shaped small beef meatballs resting before frying.
Beef meatballs frying in a pan.
Fried beef meatballs on a kitchen towel.

Preparing the Sauce

In a large pot, add the oil used for frying the meatballs and the butter. Add the sliced onions and cook gently over low heat for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring, then add sugar and continue frying for 3 minutes, until they are completely caramelised.
It’s important to cook the onions at a low temperature to avoid burning the butter and the onions.

Once onions are caramelised, add the garlic, fry for 1 minute and then add flour, stirring well for about 30 seconds. Now pour in the beef stock and add the vinegar. Allow it to come to a simmer, then add the meatballs and slowly pour in the beer.

Frying onions.
Close up of caramelised onion on a wooden spoon.
Pouring Belgian brown ale Leffe into the pot with onions and meatballs.

Add all remaining ingredients except the mustard and half of the parsley. Cook for 20 minutes until the liquid has reduced and you have a thick, rich sauce.

Stir in the mustard during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Finally, add the remaining parsley. Cover and let it sit for 30 minutes before serving.

Note:
In some traditional versions of Carbonnade Flamande, slices of mustard-coated bread are placed on top of the stew during the final stage of cooking. This helps to thicken the sauce as the bread dissolves. I skipped the sliced bread in my version but feel free to add it for a more authentic touch!

Enjoy your delicious Belgian beef stew meatballs!

White bowl with Belgian beef stew meatballs served with a sliced toasted bread.

What to serve with Belgian Beef Stew?

Belgian Beef Stew is typically served as a comforting main course, perfect for colder months and festive gatherings.

Close up of delicious Bealgian beef stew meatball on a fork.
Belgian Beef Meatball stew served with toasted slices of plain homemade white bread.
Belgian beef stew meatballs served with french fries and a glass of beer.
Belgian beef stew meatballs served over boiled potatoes.

Serving Suggestions:

  • Boiled or mashed potatoes, which help to soak up the rich sauce.
  • Belgian fries, or frites, are a popular choice. Their crispy texture pairs well with the stew’s thick, gravy-like sauce.
  • A crusty baguette or rustic bread is ideal for dipping into the stew.
  • Steamed or roasted vegetables like carrots, green beans, or Brussels sprouts.

Why not try it with this delicious leek and potato side dish

Recipe Card

Belgian Beef Stew with Meatballs

A rich Belgian beef stew made with meatballs as a delicious alternative, caramelised onions, and dark ale for a hearty and flavourful dish.
Servings 4 people
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

MEATBALLS

  • 500 G lean minced beef
  • 2-3 tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley - finely chopped leaves
  • 1 egg - beaten
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt

SAUCE

  • 2 yellow onions
  • 2 red onions
  • 500 ml dark Belgian ale
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 500 ml beef stock
  • 3 tbsp plain white flour
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2-3 prunes
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 3 tbsp parsley
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 2-3 tsp thyme
  • 25 g unsalted butter
  • sunflower oil - for frying
  • salt, black pepper - to taste

Instructions

PREPARE THE MEATBALLS

  • Mix all meatball ingredients in a bowl until smooth.
    Shape into meatballs and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
    Heat oil in a pan and fry meatballs in batches for about 3 minutes until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel and cover.

THE SAUCE

  • In a large pot, heat the oil used for frying the meatballs together with the butter. Add sliced onions and cook gently over low heat for 7-10 minutes until soft but not browned.
  • Stir in sugar and continue cooking for 3 minutes to caramelise.
  • Next, add finely chopped garlic and fry for 1 minute, then add flour and continue frying for 30 seconds.
    Pour in beef stock and vinegar. Bring to a simmer.
  • Add the meatballs and then slowly pour in beer.
  • Add all remaining ingredients except mustard and half of the parsley. Cook for 20 minutes until the sauce is thick.
  • Stir in mustard and the remaining parsley in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  • When done, cover and let sit for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

This dish has a total of approximately 2,080 kcal. The calorie count is an estimate and may vary depending on specific ingredients and measurements. The recipe makes about 4 servings, with roughly 520 kcal per serving.
Calories: 520kcal
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Belgian
Diet: Low Fat

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