By: Jill Mills Posted: Dec 2, 2020 Updated: Dec 27, 2022

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Slow Cooker Beef Stew is made with tender pan-seared beef, fluffy Yukon potatoes, onions, carrots, and garlic in a perfectly seasoned beef broth. It’s an easy crockpot stew recipe that’s perfect for weeknights.

Looking for more ways to use chuck roast? Try this Mississippi Pot Roast recipe!

Stew on a plate with mashed potatoes on top of a blue, black and white placemat

Easy Crockpot Beef Stew

Looking for something to warm you up on those cold winter nights? Look no further than this Slow Cooker Beef Stew!

The easy slow cooker recipe is made with chuck roast, potatoes, veggies, and just a handful of other ingredients. 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!

A close-up shot of the stew inside of a white serving bowl

What You’ll Need

This easy slow cooker stew is made with chuck roast, potatoes, vegetables, and a handful of other ingredients. See the recipe card below for measurements.

Chuck Roast – Cut the roast into 1-inch pieces. Here’s a great tutorial on how to do that.
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Potatoes – We used Yukon gold potatoes but you can really use whichever type of potato you’d like.
Onion & carrots
Beef Broth – The base for the stew. I recommend low-sodium broth.
Red wine – This helps to tenderize the chuck roast. You can also use extra beef broth and two tablespoons of red wine vinegar if desired.
Tomato paste – Adding a bit of tomato paste really enhances and adds depth to the flavor of this dish.
Dried Thyme
Garlic
Worcestershire sauce – Worcestershire sauce adds even more savory flavor.
Flour – Helps to thicken the stew before serving.

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.

Homemade beef stew inside of a Crock Pot with a large ladle digging in

How To Make Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

Here’s how to make this easy crockpot beef stew.

Sear the beef. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Season the beef with salt and pepper, then sear in batches. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Saute the onions. Cook for ones for 6 minutes or so, until softened.
Combine everything in the slow cooker. Add the onions to the slow cooker, along with the other remaining ingredients, except for the flour. Stir to mix.
Cook. Cook on low for 7 hours.
Thicken. Whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup of the broth. Stir into the stew. Cook on high for 20 minutes to thicken.

Tips & Variations

Here are a few helpful hints and variations for making this easy beef stew recipe.

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.

A bowl of beef stew on top of a wooden table with potatoes and garlic behind it

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.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Leftover beef stew can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until simmering or in the microwave until hot. It shouldn’t thicken too much sitting in the fridge, since there are no noodles to absorb the broth, but you can always add some more beef broth if necessary.

Can You Freeze Homemade Beef Stew?

Yes! If you’ve got a big batch you can save the leftovers for later by freezing them. The first important part is to plan ahead. Here’s why: you need to leave the flour thickening until you’re ready to eat because it separates.

So, remove the stew you want to save and then thicken it.

Store the stew in an airtight container that is freezer safe. Leave half an inch of space between the top and the lid for expansion. It can be stored for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, heat on medium in a saucepan.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew