13 Classic Italian Stews (+ Easy Recipes)

These tempting Italian stews are the key to my heart.

I can’t imagine a better scenario than coming home to a kitchen full of warm, soothing aromas on a chilly evening.

If your mouth is starting to water, you’re in luck. Below, you’ll discover 13 cozy recipes perfect for any time of year.

Not to say you can’t enjoy stew in the warmer months, but to me, the steaming broth is the ideal antidote to dark nights and blustery winds. 

Amp up the comfort in your life with this guide to the best Italian stews. 

1. Easy Thick Italian Beef Stew

If you’re craving something comforting, you can’t beat this Italian beef stew.

It has all the fixings- big hunks of tender beef, potatoes, and carrots combined with an ultra-savory brown sauce.

This one-pot recipe is begging you to make it on a lazy Sunday afternoon when the forecast calls for freezing temps.

It will make your kitchen smell like pure heaven.

Every spoonful nourishes you with deep herbal flavors balanced by rich broth.

This stew makes even better leftovers and can be kept for up to 4 days. 

2. Ciambotta

Ciambotta is an Italian take on the French dish, ratatouille.

You’ll find all the same ingredients but in a more accessible presentation.

Instead of spending hours slicing veggies on a mandolin and arranging them in artful layers, you can just chop everything up in one big batch. 

It’s the ultimate fuss-free recipe with a huge payoff in the flavor department.

You’ll drool over the tasty combination of summer veggies, including tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onion, and bell peppers. 

Unlike ratatouille, ciambotta calls for potatoes, which add a nice starchy texture to offset the juicy veggie mixture. 

3. Osso Buco

Osso buco is an Italian classic representing everything I love about this country’s cuisine.

It’s so utterly rich, with tender meat that instantly falls apart as soon as you slide your fork into it.

Every bite melts in your mouth with scrumptious, buttery flavors.

The meat is divine, but the sauce is even better.

You create it by combining herbs, red wine, carrots, celery, and mushrooms, just to name a few ingredients.

If you want to impress that special someone on date night, this is the recipe to make that happen.

4. Peposo 

This hearty stew hails from the Tuscan countryside, but don’t classify it as peasant food.

It’s an uber-rich recipe with just 5 ingredients but is delicious enough to be served in a Michelin-star restaurant.

You start by searing chuck roast, then braising it in a sauce consisting of peppercorns, garlic, and an entire bottle of chianti. 

After a couple of hours, you’re left with tender pieces of beef in a red wine reduction sauce that tastes like heaven. 

You can either eat the stew on its own or serve it with some polenta, mashed potatoes, or crusty Italian bread. 

5. Slow Braised Italian Beef Stew 

This slow-braised Italian beef stew is the perfect antidote to a gray, rainy day.

It’s bursting with so many cozy, fragrant flavors in every bite that act like an automatic pick-me-up.

The rich wine sauce tastes like pure comfort and accentuates the bright rosemary herb flavor.

Don’t be intimidated by the extensive list of ingredients.

You probably already have many of them in your pantry as we speak. And the result is well worth it. 

6. Sicilian-Style Fish Stew

This recipe takes a classic fish stew and adds a Sicilian twist. 

You’ll find all sorts of interesting flavors to write home about, like the white wine tomato broth, garlicky fish, and sweet pops of raisins.

Including a side of crusty Italian bread is a must to sop up the luxurious sauce.

You’ll love sharing a bowl of this divine soup with loved ones at your next family dinner. 

7. Cassoeula

Wanna add the flavors of Milan to your next family get-together? This recipe will not disappoint.

This cassoeula is a meaty stew, perfect for carnivores who love a hearty meal.

You create it by combining multiple cuts of pork with cabbage, celery, carrots, and onion.

The silky sauce consists of butter, olive oil, white wine, and tomato puree.

I mean, how can you go wrong with that combination? 

8. Italian Beef Stew with Mushrooms 

If you have a couple of hours to kill before dinner, do yourself a favor and make this Italian beef stew.

It’s a great, effort-free recipe that requires very little prep work.

You can come home from work and spend 15 minutes putting the ingredients together.

Then, let it cook for 2 hours and 30 minutes while you relax.

When it’s ready, you can expect warm, inviting aromas wafting around your kitchen.

And the taste of this stew is even better. 

9. Bean Stew 

This 30-minute recipe helps you prepare a nourishing, healthy meal for a weeknight dinner. 

It requires one pot, so you’re tasked with endless cleanup after cooking.

Every bite of these beans has a rich and delicious taste, thanks to the combination of onion, celery, garlic, rosemary, and sage.

If you’re looking for an amazing plant-based Italian stew, you can’t beat this recipe. 

10. Easy Italian Zucchini Stew 

Do you want to enjoy all the delectable flavors of Italian stew without spending hours in the kitchen? 

This easy zucchini stew offers an easy solution to enjoying a heartwarming meal without any hassle. 

All you need is half an hour and a handful of simple ingredients to create this delectable stew.

Best of all, this recipe is completely vegetarian and makes a great addition to meatless Monday.

You can expect herbal, earthy flavors in every soothing spoonful. 

11. Italian Veal Stew 

Spezzatino is a hearty Italian stew that embodies pure comfort food.

Imagine chunks of tender veal simmered in a luxuriously thick gravy. Is your mouth watering yet?

Every bite is so decadent and succulent, but the recipe only calls for simple ingredients.

You season this soup using a combination of onions, garlic, oregano, bay leaves, and a few other pantry staples.

Let the stew simmer for a couple of hours.

You’ll be gifted with the ultimate comfort food that will thaw you out this winter.

Pair it with polenta, crusty bread, or even mashed potatoes for a heavenly meal.

12. Cioppino Seafood Stew

This recipe might look intense, but you don’t have to go to culinary school to whip it up.

You’ll learn how to create authentic cioppino, a tomato-based seafood stew consisting of cod, mussels, clams, and shrimp.

The salty, rich flavor will have you fantasizing about sunbathing on the Italian coast with a glass of vino in your hand. 

You can have this stew ready on the table in just over an hour.

It’s just what you need for a Friday night dinner with old friends. 

13. Italian Beef Stew with Zucchini, Mushrooms, and Basil 

If you have a lot of zucchini from your last harvest, I have just the recipe for you.

Put your bounty to good use with this Italian stew.

While the zucchini soaks up so much flavor in the broth, the real star of the show here is the beef.

Each meaty chunk is so succulent and rich, it’s guaranteed to melt in your mouth every time you take a bite.

Another impressive feat is that this recipe is low in carbs, making it perfect for all you keto-lovers out there.