Swedish Beef Stew (Kalops)

Kalops (or Swedish Beef Stew) is proof that you don’t need tons of ingredients to make a delicious serving of comfort food!  Made with tender chunks of beef, onion, and flavored with allspice, it’s a must-try Swedish dish that delivers warmth and tradition in every bite!

Perfect for cooler days or cozy Sunday dinner, kalops is part of Sweden’s traditional home cooking, known for using simple ingredients and delivering satisfying flavors.

It’s rich and filling — the kind of meal that comforts from the inside out, especially when served with boiled potatoes and pickled beets.

Do you know what the secret is? It’s allspice.  

So, if you have not used allspice before, you are in for a treat. 🙂

And if you enjoy a good and no-fuss beef stew, you will surely add this to your recipe collection!

Ingredients

• Beef – cut your stewing beef into chunks.

• Flour – you need this for coating the beef, and that same coating makes the sauce of your Swedish beef stew thicker.

• Carrots – peeled and chopped at about half an inch.

• Onions – you can either cut it into quarters or eight parts.

• Olive oil – extra virgin olive oil, if possible.

• Stock – I use beef stock to give more depth to the sauce.

• Bay leaf – you will need a couple for this Swedish stew recipe.

• Allspice – whole, not powdered or ground.

• Salt & pepper – for seasoning both the meat and the sauce for kalops.

How to prepare kalops

Start by generously seasoning the beef with salt and pepper, then dust them with flour.  

Roll the pieces of beef on the flour to make sure that they’re adequately coated.

Pour oil into a large saucepan and set over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is ready, slowly add the chunks of beef into the pan.  Do not overcrowd the pan.

Turn the beef on all sides to ensure that they’re browned — adjusting the heat to medium if needed.  

Depending on the size of your pan, you might need to cook the meat in batches.

Place all the browned beef back into the pan and pour the stock into it.

Add salt, pepper, allspice, and bay leaf; then mix to combine.

Cover with a lid, then bring to a boil.

Adjust the heat to low and simmer for at least an hour, occasionally stirring to check that nothing sticks at the bottom of the pan.

Remove the lid, taste, and adjust the seasoning, if needed.

Add the chopped onions and carrots, then mix.

Place the lid back on and continue simmering for forty to sixty minutes or until the beef becomes tender.

Transfer your Swedish beef stew into plates and serve.

• Do not hesitate to lower the heat when frying the beef, especially if you see that they are getting dark too soon.

• If you think you need more oil when browning the meat in batches, add a tablespoon of oil at a time.

• Taste and adjust the seasoning of your Swedish beef stew before adding the vegetables AND before turning the heat off.

Recipe variation

• Water.  Stock is not used traditionally for kalops — instead, only water is added to the meat. So don’t worry if you don’t have any stock on hand. However, I do feel that there’s more depth in the flavor of beef when you use beef stock. 

• Cornstarch.  If you think the sauce is not thick enough, mix a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch with a small amount of water and add it during the final cooking stage.  

Although it’s not traditional, I have some friends who prepare kalops this way.  I don’t, though.  I think the flour at the start of the cooking is enough to thicken the stew’s sauce.

By pairing kalops with these traditional Swedish dishes, you’ll create a satisfying Swedish meal that’s both authentic and comforting.

So gather all the ingredients now and give it a try!