Here’s a hearty Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe 🥩🥕
It’s comforting, flavorful, and perfect for set-it-and-forget-it cooking.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients (Serves 6)
- 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 carrots, sliced thick
- 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms (optional)
- 1 cup frozen peas (added at the end)
Directions
1. Prepare the Beef
- Pat the beef dry with paper towels.
- In a bowl, toss beef with flour, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- This helps thicken the stew and improves browning.
2. Brown the Beef (Highly Recommended)
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Brown the beef in batches, searing all sides (about 2–3 minutes per side).
- Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
This step adds deep flavor but can be skipped if short on time.
3. Sauté Aromatics
- In the same skillet, add onions and cook for 2–3 minutes until soft.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
- Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
4. Build the Stew
- Add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves.
- Add carrots, potatoes, celery, and mushrooms.
- Stir gently to combine.
5. Slow Cook
- Cover and cook:
- Low: 7–8 hours
- High: 4–5 hours
- The beef should be very tender, and vegetables soft.
6. Final Touches
- Remove bay leaves.
- Stir in frozen peas.
- Cook for an additional 10–15 minutes until peas are heated through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
Serving
- Serve hot with:
- Crusty bread
- Biscuits
- Rice or mashed potatoes
Tips for Best Stew
- Use beef chuck—it becomes tender with slow cooking.
- Cut vegetables into large chunks so they don’t get mushy.
- For thicker stew, mash a few potato pieces and stir back in.
- Stew tastes even better the next day.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently on the stove or microwave.
If you’d like a no-flour version, extra-vegetable stew, or a pressure cooker method, I can share that too 😊