Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Slow Cooker Beef Stew is full of tender beef, golden potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and a rich velvety broth. This stick-to-your-ribs lazy day meal is one that the whole family will love and is sure to be a game-changer on chilly nights!
Try our Curry Fish Stew next (for something different)!
Easy Beef Stew Recipe
Winter Soups and Stews are one of my favorite things to cook because they are easy to tweak. Don’t have enough carrots? Use extra potatoes. Don’t like mushrooms? Skip it.
We are constantly trying new flavors in soups, from Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup to Turkey Meatball Italian Wedding Soup to Chicken Tortilla Soup to Stuffed Cabbage Soup. We love them all and the leftovers often seem to get better and better.
Why This Recipe Works:
- HANDS-OFF – This one is hands-off after the initial work of cubing the veggies and searing the meat. Place it in your crock pot and go on with your day.
- FILLING – Plenty of meat and hearty vegetables to fill your bellies. You’ll feel satisfied after a bowl of the best beef stew.
- ADAPTABLE – Depending on your taste buds, you can easily swap veggies out for others or skip one altogether.
- INCREDIBLE FLAVOR – This hearty meal is comfort food at its best. Tender chunks of beef plus hearty veggies that slow cooks to develop a truly rich flavor.
What You’ll Need:
This crock pot beef stew uses simple ingredients to warm you up during cold winter months.
- Beef Chuck Roast – Make sure you use a cut of beef that has plenty of marbelized fat throughout to guarantee tender meat.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Seasonings
- Beef Broth
- Red Wine – Use a cup of red wine for best results. Or substitute a cup of beef broth if preferred.
- Tomato Paste
- Veggies – Including onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, and frozen peas. Yukon gold potatoes are recommended over red potatoes or russet potatoes.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Bay Leaves
Step 1
Cube the beef. Slice the roast into bite-sized pieces. Remove excess fat around the edges of the roast. Some marbling fat throughout the beef stew meat is good and helps to make it tender.
Step 2
Add seasonings. Place raw beef cubes in a bowl and add the flour and seasonings (Italian Seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, salt, and pepper). Use your hands to massage everything into the beef.
Step 3
Sear the meat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Then add about half of the beef and sear it on all sides. Remove to a clean bowl and repeat with the remaining beef. This extra step is KEY to a depth of flavor in this traditional beef stew.
Add the beef to the bottom of the slow cooker. Then add a little broth to the pan and cook over low heat to loosen the brown bits. Pour this over the meat.
Step 4
Prep veggies. Chop the vegetables into large chunks. Since the stew will cook for several hours, you want the veggies to be larger than usual so they don’t turn mush. Add everything to the top of the beef.
Step 5
Add broth ingredients to the crock pot. Add the beef broth, the red wine (or use broth in place of the wine), tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and additional salt and pepper (to taste). Use a spatula to give the ingredients a good stir.
Step 6
Cook. Start the slow cooker on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 9-10 hours. Add the peas during the last hour of cooking.
Step 7
Serve. Serve slow cooker beef stew with crackers or some crusty bread, and the remaining red wine!
STORE leftover crockpot beef stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
What to serve with Slow Cooker Beef Stew:
Besides the crackers, you’ll want a side or two to pair with this delicious stew.
- Chewy French Bread or Garlic Sourdough Bread
- Classic Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
- Kale and Quinoa Salad
Other Hearty Beef Recipes:
- Beef Au Jus Sandwiches
- Shredded Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce
- Thai Beef Noodle Stir Fry
- Hearty Beef Chili
Kitchen Tools Used: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
For the stew meat:
- 2 ½ pounds beef roast – cut into chunks and visible fat removed
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- kosher salt an freshly ground black pepper – to taste
- 2 Tablespoons avocado oil – or more
For the stew:
- 4 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 4 cups lower-sodium beef broth
- 1 large onion – chopped
- 4 large carrots – chopped
- 2 pounds yellow potatoes – chopped
- 16 oz. Bella mushrooms – chopped
- 1 cup red wine (something you like to drink) – or use extra broth
- 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 1 ½ cups frozen peas
- fresh cilantro – to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the beef. Use a sharp knife to slice the beef roast into small bite-size chunks. Remove visible fat.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, Italian Seasoning, thyme leaves, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Toss the beef chunks in and mix with hands until it is well coated with flour mixture.
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil to medium high heat. Add 1/2 the stew meat and sear on one side for 1-2 minutes. Flip and sear on the other. Remove to slow cooker and repeat with remaining half of the stew meat.
- Put pan back on stove and add 1/2 cup of beef broth. Stir around to get all the brown bits moving around. Pour over the meat in the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, mushrooms, remaining beef broth, red wine (optional), Worcestershire Sauce, bay leaves, and additional salt and pepper (to taste).
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 8-9 hours. During the last hour of cooking, add the frozen peas.
- Serve with a sprinkle of cilantro, some crackers or bread, and a side salad.
Notes
- Red wine is optional. Use broth in its place.
- Mix a slurry of water and cornstarch to thicken the stew even more, and let the stew simmer some more.
- Leftovers taste even better and will last up to four days in your refrigerator.
Made this recipe times two for a house full of family tonight, along with grilled cheese sandwiches. comfort food on a cold and frosty fall night. Really great flavor in a nice mix of seasonings, beef and veggies. Five stars from all five adults!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Jackie! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
A great dish for winter and now I understand the difference between soup and stew. More stew please! ❤️