Hearty Slow Cooker Beef Stew loaded with vegetables including carrots and potatoes, super tender chuck roast, and packed with incredible flavor from a well seasoned broth. Dig into classic comfort food after a long day, this crockpot beef stew recipe is family dinner perfection!
I took my unbelievable classic beef stew recipe, tweaked several ingredients and converted it to the crockpot and this slow cooker beef stew was born. It’s so delicious!
That’s saying a lot, since I’m not a huge crockpot lover. But this recipe is great – the carrots and potatoes are tender but not mushy and the flavor is totally there from garlic, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, a handful of seasonings, and more. Not bland at all, like so many slow cooker recipes tend to be. Whomp whomp.
You can serve the beef stew on its own or over a big mound of mashed potatoes. My mouth is watering just thinking about this dish. Truly the best ever crockpot beef stew – you’re going to love it!
Mary says:
What’s in This Crockpot Beef Stew Recipe?
Here’s what you’ll need to make this crockpot beef stew. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Meat – Boneless beef chuck roast is the best meat to use for beef stew. It’s nicely balanced with meat and fat and contains a lot of connective tissue that breaks down after slow cooking all day, making it fall-apart tender.
- Veggies – Baby new potatoes, carrots, peas, onion, and garlic add aromatics, heartiness, texture, and a variety of color to the stew.
- Liquids – Low sodium beef broth, vegetable juice (like V8), and Worcestershire sauce make up the base for the stew, providing great depth of flavor. (I don’t add red wine to this crockpot beef stew recipe like I do in my Irish beef stew, but you certainly could, which would add another layer of great flavor!)
- Tomato paste – Adds a rich tomato flavor to the base.
- Flour – To helps thicken the gravy. Cornstarch could be used instead, if needed.
- Olive oil – Used to sauté the meat for a golden crust before transferring to the slow cooker.
- Seasonings – A combination of thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, mustard seeds, bay leaves, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper season the meat and broth perfectly!
How Long to Cook Beef Stew in a Slow Cooker?
This recipe calls for 7-8 hours on low and then an additional 30 minutes if you’re thickening the broth. While you can cook on high for 3-4 hours, I do not recommend it. Low and slow is the way to go to achieve tender, fall-apart meat and deep flavors!
How to Thicken Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker?
If you want the liquid to be more like a gravy, you’ll create a slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup stew broth until combined and smooth. Slowly stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.
Helpful Tips for Success
- Don’t cut the cubes of beef too small or they’ll fall apart before being able to soak up all the flavor from slow cooking all day.
- Brown the beef first! Browning the beef before adding in all the other ingredients is key! Forming a nice crust on all the pieces of beef locks in flavor. This extra step is so worth it!
- You can peel your potatoes if you want, but for baby new potatoes, it’s not necessary. If they are on the extra large side, you might want to quarter them.
- Chicken broth can replace the beef broth if that’s all you have, although the overall taste will not be as deep.
What to Serve with Beef Stew
Loaded with beef and so many veggies, this is a complete meal in a bowl and doesn’t need anything else, but it’s hard to resist not serving it with mashed potatoes, or fresh popovers or Irish soda bread warm from the oven to mop up the gravy! A simple side salad could round out dinner, too.
Storing Leftovers
Stews are so good the next day, so make sure you save enough to have leftovers for lunch!
- How long does beef stew last? Allow stew to cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Can I freeze beef stew? Yes, you can freeze beef stew (although the vegetables tend to get softer and break down into smaller pieces after thawing.) Make sure to leave a 1/4-1/2 inch gap in the container to allow for expansion. Stored properly, it will keep in the freezer up to 3 months. If you know in advance you’ll want to freeze the stew, wait to thicken it until you reheat it.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Equipment
- 6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast , cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- 1 pound baby new potatoes , halved
- 4 medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
- 1 large sweet onion , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup vegetable juice (such as V8)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup frozen peas , thawed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves , for garnish
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste. Add beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
- Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic into a 6-quart slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk together the beef broth, vegetable juice, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, oregano, paprika, and mustard seeds until well combined; pour over the the beef and vegetables.
- Toss in 2 bay leaves and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth to create a slurry. Slowly stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.
- During the last 5 minutes, stir in the peas.
- Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig.
- Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
How to Make Beef Stew in Slow Cooker
It’s really easy to make this crockpot beef stew recipe! Here’s a brief rundown of steps. You can find the printable version of the complete instructions and video in the recipe card above.
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet.
- Season beef with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and brown all over.
- Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic into a greased 6-quart slow cooker.
- Whisk together the liquids and seasonings until well combined; pour over the the beef and vegetables.
- Toss in bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours until meat is super tender and falling apart at the touch.
- During the last 5 minutes, stir in the peas.
- Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig.
- Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with parsley and enjoy!
