Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

Nothing beats coming home to the amazing smell of beef stew that’s been cooking all day long! This hearty comfort food is perfect for busy families who want a Sunday-worthy dinner without all the fuss. Just prep everything in the morning, toss it in your slow cooker, and you’ll have tender beef and perfectly cooked vegetables waiting for you.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 40 minutes, Additional Time: 4 hours, Total Time: 4 hours 40 minutes, Serves: 8 people.

Nutrition Profile: Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Aging, Healthy Immunity, Soy-Free, High-Protein, Egg-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 590 Calories, 20g Fat, 32g Carbs, 64g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Beef chuck: You’ll need 3 pounds of boneless beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch pieces. This cut gets so tender and juicy in the slow cooker – it’s absolutely perfect for stew!

Salt and pepper: 1 teaspoon of each, divided between seasoning the beef and the broth. These basic seasonings really make all the flavors pop.

All-purpose flour: ½ cup for coating the beef and thickening the stew. This creates that rich, hearty texture we all love.

Extra-virgin olive oil: 4 tablespoons divided for browning the beef and cooking the onions. Don’t skip the browning step – it adds amazing flavor!

Large onion: One onion halved and sliced gives you that sweet, savory base. Yellow or white onions work great here.

Yukon Gold potatoes: 1½ pounds cut into 1½-inch pieces. These potatoes hold their shape beautifully and get so creamy!

Carrots: 1 pound cut into 2-inch lengths. They add natural sweetness and gorgeous color to your stew.

Red wine: ¾ cup for deglazing and adding rich flavor. You can use whatever red wine you like to drink!

Low-sodium beef broth: 1½ cups for that deep, beefy taste. Low-sodium lets you control the salt level perfectly.

Tomato paste: One 6-ounce can adds richness and helps thicken the stew naturally.

Dried thyme: 1 teaspoon brings that classic herb flavor that makes beef stew taste like home.

Bay leaf: Just one small bay leaf adds amazing depth. Don’t forget to remove it before serving!

Fresh parsley: Chopped for garnish – it adds a pop of color and fresh flavor on top.

How to Make Slow-Cooker Beef Stew

Step 1: Place your beef in a large bowl. Season with ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the flour and toss everything together until the beef is well coated. Shake off any excess flour back into the bowl and save it for later!

Step 2: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add about a third of the beef pieces to the pan. Cook until they’re brown on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the browned beef to your 6-quart slow cooker. Repeat this process two more times with the remaining beef, adding 1 tablespoon of oil each time.

Step 3: Add the last tablespoon of oil and your sliced onion to the same pan. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the cooked onion to your slow cooker along with the potatoes and carrots.

Step 4: Pour the red wine into the hot pan and scrape up all those beautiful browned bits from the bottom. This adds so much flavor! Pour this wine mixture into the slow cooker too.

Step 5: Take that reserved flour from step 1 and whisk in the beef broth, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, and remaining ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over everything in the slow cooker and give it a good stir.

Step 6: Cover your slow cooker and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 7½ hours. When it’s done, remove the bay leaf and serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh parsley on top!

Easy and Quick Slow-Cooker Beef Stew Version

Want to save some time? You can skip the browning step and just toss everything right into the slow cooker! The stew won’t have quite as much depth of flavor, but it’ll still be delicious and save you about 30 minutes of prep time. Just season the beef, add it to the slow cooker with all the other ingredients, and cook as directed.

Serving Ideas

This hearty stew is pretty much a complete meal all by itself! Serve it with some crusty bread or warm dinner rolls for soaking up that amazing broth. A simple side salad with crisp greens makes a nice fresh contrast to the rich, warm stew.

Storage

Store leftover stew in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in covered containers. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers. To reheat, just warm it gently on the stove over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.

Substitutions

No red wine? You can use extra beef broth instead! Sweet potatoes work great in place of regular potatoes if you want to try something different. If you don’t have fresh thyme, dried oregano or rosemary work nicely too. You can also add other vegetables like celery, parsnips, or mushrooms!

Pro Tips

• Don’t skip the browning: Those caramelized bits add incredible flavor to your stew.
• Cut everything the same size: This helps everything cook evenly.
• Don’t lift the lid: Every time you peek, you add about 15 minutes to the cooking time!
• Taste and adjust: Add a pinch more salt or pepper at the end if needed.
• Let it rest: The stew tastes even better the next day as all the flavors meld together.

FAQs

Can I make this stew on the stovetop instead?

You bet! After browning the beef and cooking the onions, transfer everything to a large Dutch oven. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 2-3 hours until the beef is tender.

My stew seems too thin – how can I thicken it?

Sure! Mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to make a slurry. Stir this into your hot stew during the last 30 minutes of cooking. It’ll thicken up beautifully!

Can I prep this the night before?

Absolutely! You can brown the beef and chop all your vegetables the night before. Store them separately in the refrigerator, then just toss everything in the slow cooker in the morning.

What’s the best cut of beef for stew?

Chuck roast is perfect because it has enough fat and connective tissue to stay moist and tender during long cooking. Stew meat from the store works great too!

I’d love to hear how your beef stew turns out! Drop a comment below and let me know if you tried any fun variations. Happy cooking, friends!