This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food, packed with tender chunks of beef and hearty vegetables simmered in a rich, savory gravy.
Easy Crockpot Beef Stew Recipe
If you are looking for the perfect recipe to warm you up this winter, this slow cooker beef stew is a must-try! It’s a fantastic one-pot meal that not only tastes delicious but will make your entire house smell amazing. Serve it with crusty bread or creamy mashed potatoes for a cozy, home-cooked meal that’s as satisfying as it is effortless!
I like to sear the meat to add extra flavor and to help lock in moisture as it cooks. It’s perfectly flavored with perhaps unexpected additions like Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste, plus a few herbs and spices. And the best part is that with the exception of browning the beef and onions, it’s a very simple dump-and-go recipe! I like to make this for Sunday dinner because it’s the perfect time to enjoy a home-cooked meal together that also doesn’t take a lot of work!
If you love beef stew as much as we do, you’ll also want to check out our Beef and Mushroom Stew and Guinness Beef Stew.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Makes great leftovers. This beef stew reheats well, even in the microwave making it great to enjoy for lunch the next day.
- Family favorite. I promise that everyone is going to love this recipe.
- Easy recipe. This is very easy to make and has minimal hands-on cooking time.
Ingredients Needed
We included everything you’ll need for this meal including the meat, veggies, spices, and condiments! The slow cooker will do a majority of the work but the prep required is quick and easy. See the recipe card below for measurements.
- Chuck roast: This cut adds the perfect amount of fat and becomes incredibly tender in the crock pot. I cut mine into 1-inch pieces to make searing faster and serving easier.
- Olive oil: This is used to sear the meat and cook the onions. Feel free to use another variety like avocado oil.
- Spices: For this recipe, I chose salt, pepper, and thyme. I like to keep it simple because the other ingredients impart tons of flavor.
- Vegetables: I kept it classic and used carrots and Yukon gold potatoes. Feel free to use baby potatoes if you like. You could also use baby red potatoes. I chose yellow onion for sweetness!
- Beef broth: You may use water and beef bouillon but I find it quicker and easier to use broth. Vegetable broth is great in this recipe, too.
- Red wine: As the wine cooks down, it leaves behind a sweet flavor and acidity that tenderizes the beef.
- Tomato paste: To add depth, I like to add tomato paste. I consider this optional so feel free to leave it out if you like.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds great flavor to the veggies and chuck roast. Plus, it smells wonderful as it cooks.
- Worcestershire sauce: A little umami goes a long way and Worcestershire sauce fits in perfectly to tie all of the ingredients together.
- Flour: Save the flour for the end. You will mix it with some of the broth from the slow cooker to make a quick roux to thicken the gravy.
How To Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Below are the instructions on how to set up your slow cooker beef stew. After searing the meat, all of the measured and prepared ingredients will go straight into the crock pot to cook to perfection.
- Season and sear the meat. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour oil into the skillet. Then, sprinkle the roast pieces with salt and pepper and put them in the skillet. Brown all sides and then remove the meat from the pan.
- Transfer the beef. Arrange the seared beef in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Cook the onions. Add the onions to the skillet and saute them for 3-4 minutes. Stir and then let them cook an additional 3 minutes before pouring them into the slow cooker.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker. Add the veggies, broth, spices, tomato paste, wine, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot.
- Stir and cook. Lightly stir all of the ingredients until they are well combined. Cover and cook the stew on low for 7 hours.
- Make the flour mixture. Ladle about ⅓ cup of stew broth into a separate bowl and add the flour. Whisk until there aren’t any lumps and then pour it into the slow cooker.
- Stir well and finish cooking. Stir the ingredients until they are well mixed. Cook the stew for an additional 20 minutes or until the broth has thickened.
- Serve. Enjoy hot!
Tips and Common Questions
- What’s The Best Beef for Stew? Chuck roast is the best option for beef stew. This cut includes the connective tissues of the beef, which makes it more tender. It’s also more inexpensive than other cuts, which makes beef stew a great budget meal. Other cuts of meats you can use include bottom rounds and rump roasts. You may also find pre-cut “stew meat” at your grocery store, which is usually made up of these cuts of meat.
- Leave the beef chuck roast whole. I like to cut it into pieces but you may also cook it whole and then shred it before serving. It’s entirely up to you!
- Prep it ahead. Sear your meat and saute the onions up to 24 hours in advance. You may also add it to the slow cooker with the remaining ingredients and store it in the refrigerator so it’s ready to cook.
- Skip the wine. If you prefer to cook without alcohol, just use a little extra beef broth.
- Cut the beef cubes into equal sizes – and not too small. 1″ cubes are the ideal size. If they’re much smaller, they’ll likely fall apart.
- Can I put raw beef straight into a slow cooker? Yes, if you don’t have time to add the sear, you can definitely just put the beef straight into the slow cooker. However, I do highly recommend taking the time to add the sear.
- Can I cook this stew on high? Technically, you can cook this beef stew for 3 to 4 hours on high. However, low and slow really is the way to go for tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef.
- Adjust the seasonings. If desired, you can use parsley, oregano, or even mustard seeds in addition to or in place of the dried thyme.
- Instant Pot. If you’d rather use an instant pot instead of making slow cooker beef stew, try our instant pot beef stew recipe.
Serving Suggestions
With beef, vegetables, and potatoes all in one bowl, this slow cooker beef stew can easily be served on its own. It makes a filling, healthy weeknight meal with no fuss.
However, some bread is always a good idea for soaking up every last bit of broth. This jalapeno cheddar bread is super tasty and beer bread is always a good option. Or stick to the basics with Amish white bread, made with just 4 ingredients.
Proper Storage
Store leftovers of the beef stew in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. Place the cooled stew in a freezer-safe bag and flatten it to let the air out. Freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or a saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat.
More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
- Salisbury Steak Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Pot Roast
- Taco Pasta
- Honey Bourbon Steak Tips
- Drip Beef Sandwiches
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3 pound chuck roast cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion cut into small chunks
- 4 large carrots cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 pound Yukon potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup dry red wine or sub beef broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup flour
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Add beef, season with salt and pepper and brown in batches, give the meat a nice sear.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper. Transfer the beef from the pan to the slow cooker.
- Add in the onions to the skillet. Cook the onions for 3-4 minutes, stir then cook another 3 minutes. Once done, transfer to the slow cooker.
- Next add the carrots, potatoes, broth, salt, tomato paste, red wine, thyme, garlic and Worcestershire sauce.
- Stir all the ingredients until well mixed and cook on low for 7 hours.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth. Stir in flour mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 20 minutes, or until thickened.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Video
Equipment
Nutrition
Leave a Review!
We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here.
Your email address will not be published.
10 comments on “Slow Cooker Beef Stew”
Delicious! I made a few little changes but the recipe was super easy to follow and came out so good.
Thanks Chandra!
I used cornstarch to thicken and it turned out perfectly. I used extra broth instead of red wine. The meat was super tender…flavor awesome. Everyone loved it.
Thank you Christy!
It’s so good. Yummies!
Thanks Margie!
I want to try your stew tomorrow. How long would this take on high setting? 4 hours perhaps.
Hi Jan. Yes, 3 1/2 to 4 hours on high.
I made this last night for my family and we all gobbled it up! It was enough for seven people. I didn’t have any red wine on hand, so I increased the beef broth and deglazed the pan with balsamic vinaigrette. I will be making this often.
Thanks Kimberly!