Beef, Pea and Carrot Stew

Busy weeknights have me turning to this quick meal time and time again. Most of the ingredients are staples in my fridge/freezer and it comes together in about 30 minutes. Wholesome, hearty and enjoyed by all, I love cooking this and my family loves eating it. Typically it is served with white rice, but I always cook it with bulghur and vermicelli instead to really provide some whole grain nutrition. The sauce soaks up into the bulghur really well for a very satisfying dinner.

Ingredients
---------------
-1/2 large onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
-1 lb lean ground beef
-1 tablespoon ground coriander
-1 tablespoon allspice or 7-spice
-2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
-2 cups chopped fresh carrots (sweet potatoes are a great alternative)
-1 lb frozen peas
-1 6 ounce can tomato paste
-6 cups beef broth or water (I like to make my own broth and freeze it for easy access, if I don't have any handy I use water)
-salt and pepper to taste

To make
-----------
-Heat a large pot on the stove and add onions and ground beef. Break up the beef into small chunks as you cook. After about 2 minutes add the coriander, allspice, salt and ground cardamom. When the meat is about halfway cooked add the fresh carrots and let them soften as  the beef juices dry up.  Cooking the meat should take a total of 10 minutes or less.
-Once the meat is cooked, add the frozen peas, tomato paste and broth (or water) and bring to a boil. At this point taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your liking, adding more of the spices listed in the ingredients if you find it necessary. If you are using water instead of broth you will likely need to add more seasoning.
-Lower the boiling mixture to medium low heat and let it simmer until the carrots are soft and the sauce has thickened up a bit. If your sauce is too thick add more broth, and if your stew is too runny let it boil a little longer.
-Serve with rice or bulghur.  I like to add freshly cracked black pepper or hot sauce to the adult servings for an extra kick.
-Enjoy!

I'd love to connect with you! Like SavvyChef on facebook and follow Savvy_Chef on instagram. Tag Savvychef in your creations and pin the recipes on pintrest :)