The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
My easy slow cooker beef stew recipe is packed with flavor but super simple to throw together! Tender chunks of beef are slow-cooked in a rich, hearty broth with carrots, peas, and potatoes. This beef stew is the perfect chilly weather recipe for those busy weeknights.
Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
- The most rich, luxurious broth. Most slow cooker stew recipes have a broth that’s too thin – more reminiscent of a soup broth. This stew has a deliciously rich “stick to your ribs” broth perfect for sopping up with fresh sliced, buttered bread. The sauce clings to the veggies, tender chunks of meat, and your dipping bread for the perfect bite every time!
- It’s simple but delicious. This slow cooker beef stew is all about simplicity and incredible flavor! Just give the beef and aromatics a quick sear, toss everything into the crockpot, and let it work its magic. With tender chunks of beef, perfectly cooked potatoes, and a medley of hearty vegetables, each spoonful is rich, comforting, and deeply satisfying. Ideal for busy days or when you just want a cozy, hands-off meal that tastes like it took hours of work!
Ingredients for Crockpot Beef Stew
- olive oil & butter
- flour
- herbs & spices: dried thyme, garlic powder, and celery salt
- stew meat (chuck roast)
- veggies: onion, celery, carrots, yellow potatoes, and peas
- garlic
- tomato paste
- Worcestershire sauce
- balsamic vinegar
- beef stock
- bay leaves
- cornstarch
How to Make Beef Stew in a Slow Cooker
Dredge beef in flour, garlic powder, celery salt, salt, and pepper. Sear beef in a hot pan with olive oil then transfer to the slow cooker.
Saute onion and celery in butter. Add garlic, tomato paste, and dried thyme to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar, scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom of the pan.
Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker along with the carrots, celery, potatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, and a few large pinches of salt and pepper. Gently stir to combine.
Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water. Stir in the slurry along with the frozen peas and cook for 1 hour on high.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Tips for Making the Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Don’t skip the sear! It can be tempting to just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it go. But searing the meat and then sauteeing the veggies is really what’s going to make this stew super flavorful. That extra step doesn’t take too long and it adds so many layers of flavor. Don’t take a shortcut here – it’s worth the extra few minutes!
- Serve this stew with fresh bread and butter. There is nothing better than homemade stew and fresh bread with a heavy schmear of butter. Add a pinch of flakey sea salt and start dipping!
Making Slow Cooker Stew Ahead of Time
- This slow cooker stew might be my favorite make-ahead meal!
- It stays fresh in the fridge all week and the flavors really do just get better with time.
- Make a big batch over the weekend, portion it out, and enjoy delicious, hearty lunches or dinners all week in just minutes!
- You can also prep the whole batch of stew days in advance and then reheat it on the stove whenever you’re ready to serve!
Storing Leftover Stew
Store leftover slow cooker stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezing Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Freeze beef stew in an airtight container in a freezer-safe Ziploc for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating Beef Stew
- Reheat stew in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.
Try these easy slow cooker recipes next!
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew
My easy slow cooker beef stew is packed with flavor but super simple to throw together! Tender chunks of beef are slow cooked in a rich, hearty broth with carrots, peas, and potatoes. This beef stew is the perfect chilly weather recipe for those busy weeknights.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stove Top + Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
- 2 pounds stew meat (chuck roast cut into 1-1.5″ cubes)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 cups carrots chopped into 1″ pieces
- 1.5 pounds baby yellow potatoes, cut into 1-1.5″ pieces
- 3 cups beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan or 5 quart braising pan over medium-high heat.
- Combine flour, garlic powder, celery salt, and a few large pinches of salt and pepper in a large shallow bowl. Dredge beef cubes in flour mixture.
- Add half the beef to the pan and sear it on all sides. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and sear the second batch of beef. Transfer to the slow cooker insert.
- Without wiping out the pan, add butter and melt over medium heat. Add onion and celery to the pan along with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, tomato paste, and dried thyme to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan with the Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar, scraping all the yummy bits off the bottom of the pan.
- Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker along with the carrots, potatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, and a few large pinches of salt and pepper. Gently stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.
- Combine 3 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water. Stir in the slurry along with the frozen peas and cook for 1 hour on high.
- You’ll know the stew is done when the potatoes are fork-tender and the stew meat falls apart easily.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley and enjoy!
- If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating and review below!
Notes
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- Don’t skip the sear! It can be tempting to just toss everything in the slow cooker and let it go. But searing the meat and then sauteeing the veggies is really what’s going to make this stew super flavorful. That extra step doesn’t take too long and it adds so many layers of flavor. Don’t take a shortcut here – it’s worth the extra few minutes!
