Slow Cooker Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food! It’s perfect for those cool fall evenings or cold winter days when you want something hearty and satisfying.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Nothing warms the soul like a bowl of homemade beef stew, especially one that’s been simmering in the slow cooker all day. This slow cooker beef stew is here to be your favorite comfort food. It’s packed with tender pieces of beef, vegetables, and rich flavors that come together in the slow cooker. If you don’t have a crock pot, I also have instructions for my stovetop beef stew, which is my favorite method for cooking beef stew. But there’s nothing better than the convenience of making it in the slow cooker for those busy nights!
Why This Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe Works
When I shared the beef stew recipe last year, I received a lot of requests for a slow cooker beef stew recipe, so I played around with my original and modified it for the crock pot. The slow cooker evaporates less, so I had to reduce the liquid to get a perfect result.
- Easy: The best part about Crockpot Beef Stew is that it’s so easy! Put the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, set it to low, and let it work its magic as you get through the day. At dinner time you will have an aromatic masterpiece waiting for you! It’s the perfect solution for busy weekdays or relaxed weekends.
- Rich and tasty: This hearty dish features tender beef and a medley of vegetables flavored with tomato paste, garlic and herbs. It’s delicious!
- Dietary Restrictions: It’s high in protein, weight watcher-friendly, dairy-free, and gluten-free (when made with gluten-free flour).
If you make this healthy beef stew recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, OR Facebook!
What you will need
Ingredients for Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Here’s everything you need to make this easy crock pot beef stew. The recipe card below includes the exact measurements.
- Broth: My slow cooker recipe uses a cup less broth than traditional stovetop beef stew.
- All purpose flour thickens the cooking liquid. You can use all purpose or gluten free.
- Tomato Concentrate adds a rich tomato flavor.
- Salt and Black Pepper season the stew.
- Roast beef: Trim the fat from the boneless beef roast and cut it into cubes.
- Vegetables: Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, frozen peas
- Garlic cloves add a rich aroma, enhancing the savory flavors of the stew.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and bay leaves
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew
I brown the meat and vegetables on the stove before adding them to the slow cooker to intensify the flavor. I promise the extra step is worth the effort! Full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Browning Meat and Vegetables: Brown the meat in a large pan over high heat. Transfer it to the slow cooker, then sauté the carrots, celery, onions and garlic in the pan.
- Add everything to the crock pot: Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker and add the potatoes, mushrooms, thyme and bay leaves.
- Cooking liquid: Blend the broth, flour, tomato paste, salt and pepper in a blender. Pour it into the slow cooker.
- Slow cooking: Cover the slow cooker and place it on low heat for 8 hours until the beef stew meat is tender.
- Add the peas: After 8 hours, remove the herbs and add the peas. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Variations
- Potatoes: Substitute russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, or red potatoes.
- Mushrooms: Leave them out if you don’t like them.
- Herbs: Swap the thyme for rosemary.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Pair this treat with some crusty bread to soak up all that flavorful broth, or serve it over mashed potatoes for an added level of comfort.
Warehousing
- Refrigerate leftover stew for 4 days.
- Freezer: It’s also fantastic for prepping and freezing meals. Store it in airtight containers and freeze it for 3 months.
- Heat: Thaw it in the refrigerator and heat it on the stove or in the microwave.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can put raw meat in the slow cooker. However, I like to brown it first to give it a richer flavor and better color. It also helps seal in the meat’s juices.
While cooking meat thoroughly is key to making a great beef stew, it is possible to overcook it. The meat will dry out and the vegetables will become mushy.
More classic beef stew recipes you’ll love
Product: 6 portions
Portion: 1 1/3 cups
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 3 1/2 spoons flour or gluten-free flour
- 3 spoons tomato paste
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 1/2 lbs boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes (I prefer Prime beef, start with a 3-pound piece before trimming the fat)
- 1 1/2 cups Yukon golden potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, diagonally slice 3 to 4 medium carrots 1/2 inch thick
- 1 cup chopped celery, from 3 ribs
- 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 4 ounces white champignon mushrooms, quartered
- 3 twigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
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Combine broth, flour, tomato paste, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.
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Heat a large skillet over high heat, drizzle with oil and brown the meat on all sides in two batches. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker, then baste the pan again.
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Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic and brown, stirring for about 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker and add the potatoes, mushrooms, thyme and bay leaves and pour over the broth mixture.
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Cover and cook over low heat for 8 hours, until the meat and vegetables are tender.
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Discard the thyme and bay leaves, add the peas and let sit for 1 minute until fully cooked. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
Last step:
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Serve: 1 1/3 cups, Calories: 356 kcal, Carbohydrates: 22.5 G, Protein: 44 G, Fat: 10.5 G, Saturated fat: 5 G, Cholesterol: 124.5 mg, Sodium: 410 mg, Fiber: 3.5 G, Sugar: 7 G
