Ragout vs. Stew — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Urooj Arif — Updated on May 6, 2024
Ragout is a French-style dish, often involving a rich sauce and finely cut ingredients, while stew refers to a broader range of dishes where ingredients simmer together slowly in a pot, creating a hearty, unified flavor.
Difference Between Ragout and Stew
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Ragout is a French-style preparation involving finely cut meat or vegetables cooked slowly in a seasoned sauce. It often includes wine, tomatoes, and herbs, creating a luxurious and well-balanced flavor. Stew, on the other hand, is a more general term describing dishes that involve simmering meat or vegetables in broth or water, often resulting in a thicker, hearty meal.
Ragout emphasizes the harmony of individual ingredients simmered together, with the sauce typically playing a significant role. Stew prioritizes a comforting blend of flavors where everything melds during long cooking, often resulting in a thicker, sometimes gravy-like consistency.
Ragout tends to have a more refined, nuanced flavor, being influenced by French cuisine techniques. In contrast, stew can be more rustic, borrowing influences from different global cuisines, often emphasizing simplicity and homestyle preparation.
Ragout might be served as a stand-alone dish or over pasta, polenta, or rice. Stew is traditionally served in a bowl, sometimes with bread or rice on the side, making it suitable as a one-pot meal.
While ragout is closely associated with French culinary traditions, stew spans a broader cultural range, with variations like Irish stew, American beef stew, and Japanese nikujaga.
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Comparison Chart
Origin
French cuisine
Multiple global cuisines
Ingredients
Meat or vegetables in a rich sauce
Meat or vegetables in a thicker liquid
Cooking Method
Slow-cooked with finely cut ingredients
Slow-cooked for long periods
Consistency
Rich sauce with distinct ingredients
Thicker, often gravy-like
Serving Style
Over pasta, rice, or as a stand-alone
In a bowl, with bread or rice on the side
Compare with Definitions
Ragout
A French-style dish of finely cut meat or vegetables cooked in a seasoned sauce.
The chef prepared a mushroom ragout with a rich wine sauce to accompany the main course.
Stew
A dish consisting of meat or vegetables cooked slowly in broth or water.
The vegetable stew simmered all afternoon, making the kitchen smell delicious.
Ragout
A stew-like preparation with finely cut ingredients cooked until tender.
The lamb ragout simmered for hours until the flavors melded perfectly.
Stew
A warm, comforting dish where meat and vegetables meld in flavor.
She used leftover turkey to make a hearty stew with carrots and potatoes.
Ragout
A hearty, savory French stew typically featuring meat and vegetables.
He garnished the beef ragout with fresh parsley before serving it.
Stew
To cook slowly by boiling or simmering for an extended period.
They decided to stew the beef with root vegetables for a wholesome meal.
Ragout
A dish involving a mixture of ingredients cooked slowly in a broth or sauce.
The restaurant’s seafood ragout was served over polenta, adding to the flavor.
Stew
A long-cooked dish where ingredients blend together in a thick liquid.
The lamb stew was hearty and warming, perfect for a chilly evening.
Ragout
A French dish that emphasizes finely diced ingredients in a flavorful base.
She experimented with adding Mediterranean spices to her traditional vegetable ragout.
Stew
A slowly simmered, thick dish served in a bowl.
They prepared a traditional Irish stew with lamb and barley for the festival.
Ragout
Ragout (French ragoût; French pronunciation: [ʁaɡu]) is a main-dish stew.
Stew
A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef, poultry, sausages, and seafood.
Ragout
A well-seasoned meat or fish stew, usually with vegetables.
Stew
To cook (food) by simmering or boiling slowly.
Ragout
A mixture of diverse elements.
Stew
To undergo cooking by boiling slowly or simmering.
Ragout
A stew of meat and vegetables mixed together
Stew
(Informal) To suffer with oppressive heat or stuffy confinement; swelter.
Ragout
(by extension) any stew, soup, or sauce
Stew
(Informal) To be in a state of anxiety or agitation.
Ragout
(transitive) To prepare (food) as a ragout.
Stew
(obsolete) A cooking-dish used for boiling; a cauldron.
Ragout
A dish made of pieces of meat, stewed, and highly seasoned; as, a ragout of mutton.
Stew
A heated bath-room or steam-room; also, a hot bath.
Ragout
Well-seasoned stew of meat and vegetables
Stew
(archaic) A brothel.
Stew
(obsolete) A prostitute.
Stew
A dish cooked by stewing.
Stew
An artificial bed of oysters.
Stew
(slang) A state of agitated excitement, worry, and/or confusion.
To be in a stew
Stew
(informal) A steward or stewardess on an airplane or boat.
Stew
To cook (food) by slowly boiling or simmering.
I'm going to stew some meat for the casserole.
The meat is stewing nicely.
Stew
(transitive) To brew (tea) for too long, so that the flavour becomes too strong.
Stew
To suffer under uncomfortably hot conditions.
Stew
To be in a state of elevated anxiety or anger.
Stew
A small pond or pool where fish are kept for the table; a vivarium.
Stew
An artificial bed of oysters.
Stew
A place of stewing or seething; a place where hot bathes are furnished; a hothouse.
As burning Ætna from his boiling stewDoth belch out flames.
The Lydians were inhibited by Cyrus to use any armor, and give themselves to baths and stews.
Stew
A brothel; - usually in the plural.
There be that hate harlots, and never were at the stews.
Stew
A prostitute.
Stew
A dish prepared by stewing; as, a stewof pigeons.
Stew
A state of agitating excitement; a state of worry; confusion; as, to be in a stew.
Stew
To boil slowly, or with the simmering or moderate heat; to seethe; to cook in a little liquid, over a gentle fire, without boiling; as, to stew meat; to stew oysters; to stew apples.
Stew
To be seethed or cooked in a slow, gentle manner, or in heat and moisture.
Stew
Agitation resulting from active worry;
Don't get in a stew
He's in a sweat about exams
Stew
Food prepared by stewing especially meat or fish with vegetables
Stew
Be in a huff; be silent or sullen
Stew
Bear a grudge; harbor ill feelings
Stew
Cook slowly and for a long time in liquid;
Stew the vegetables in wine
Common Curiosities
How does the cooking time differ between ragout and stew?
Both are slow-cooked, but ragout often requires a shorter time than stew due to finely cut ingredients.
What types of meats are commonly used in ragout and stew?
Ragout often uses lamb, beef, or veal, while stews typically feature beef, lamb, pork, or chicken, depending on regional preferences.
Is there a vegetarian version of ragout or stew?
Yes, both ragout and stew can be made vegetarian by using hearty vegetables, beans, or plant-based proteins as substitutes for meat.
What type of pot is best for making a stew?
A heavy-duty, deep pot like a Dutch oven or stockpot works well for making stew.
What's the best way to thicken a stew?
You can thicken stew by simmering it uncovered to reduce the liquid, adding a slurry of cornstarch or flour, or using a mashed vegetable like potatoes.
How do the cooking liquids differ in ragout and stew?
Ragout generally uses broth, wine, or a tomato base, while stew might rely on stock or water with additional seasonings.
What are the key ingredients in a ragout?
Ragout commonly includes finely diced meat or vegetables cooked in a rich sauce with wine, tomatoes, or broth, seasoned with herbs.
Is stew always served as a main dish?
Stew is typically served as a main dish due to its hearty and filling nature.
Can ragout and stew be frozen for later use?
Yes, both ragout and stew can be frozen and reheated, often improving in flavor.
Do ragout and stew always need a long cooking time?
While traditional recipes call for slow-cooking, modern pressure cookers and Instant Pots can significantly reduce cooking time.
Can I use leftover ragout as a sauce for other dishes?
Yes, leftover ragout can make an excellent sauce for pasta, rice, or polenta, or as a filling for pastries and pies.
Can I prepare a ragout or stew in advance?
Yes, both dishes often taste better the next day as the flavors meld and develop.
Are ragout and stew suitable for special diets?
They can be adapted to various diets, such as vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and low-carb, by modifying the ingredients used.
Are both ragout and stew gluten-free?
They can be, but it depends on the recipe. Some stews or ragouts use flour as a thickener, so it's important to verify ingredients if gluten is a concern.
What herbs and spices are typical in ragout and stew?
Ragout often includes French herbs like thyme, parsley, and bay leaves, while stew may include more varied spices like paprika, cumin, or rosemary.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
