This slow cooker beef stew is loaded with chunks of tender beef, potatoes, carrots and peas. It’s a hearty and comforting one pot meal where the crock pot does all of the work!
Beef stew is a comfort food classic that is universally adored. My slow cooker version means you can start it in the morning and come home at the end of the day with dinner waiting for you! Love crock pot recipes as much as I do? Don’t miss my slow cooker beef stroganoff and apricot chicken!
Beef stew is one of my favorite dishes to make in the cold weather months, but let’s face it, sometimes it can be time consuming. In order for the beef to get fork tender, it needs a long and slow trip through the oven, which means you’re home all day waiting for it to cook. With this slow cooker beef stew, there’s no oven time required. You can set it in the morning, go about your day, then come home to a hot and savory meal.
How to make slow cooker beef stew
To make this dish, you’ll need beef stew meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, beef broth and seasonings. The beef is browned in a skillet, then goes into the slow cooker along with carrots, onions, potatoes, broth, tomato paste, herbs and spices. The stew simmers until the meat is tender, then a mixture of flour and stew liquid goes into the pot so that the stew can thicken. Add a sprinkle of parsley, then serve and enjoy.
Tips for the best crockpot beef stew
- I do take the extra step of browning the beef before it goes into the crock pot, I think it adds SO much extra flavor. If you don’t have time in the morning to brown your meat, you can throw it into the slow cooker as is, and your stew will still be delicious.
- I typically buy a package of beef stew meat, but you can also purchase a chuck roast and cut it into cubes.
- You’ll want to cut your veggies on the larger side, that way they won’t get mushy from cooking all day long.
- I add the peas at the very end of the cooking process. You can simply add the frozen peas right before serving and they’ll thaw in the hot stew and be perfect!
Beef stew variations
I love this recipe as-is, but feel free to add other ingredients to the mix to make your own creation!
- Potatoes: Instead of small yellow potatoes, try red potatoes, diced Russet potatoes or even cubes of sweet potato.
- Vegetables: You can add other veggies to the pot such as butternut squash, parsnips, mushrooms or spinach.
- Bacon: Stir 1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon into the stew at the end of the cook time for a smoky finish.
- Meat: Instead of stew meat, try cooked and crumbled ground beef for a different flavor and texture.
Can you freeze beef stew?
This slow cooker beef stew is a great candidate for a freezer meal. I often make a double batch, freeze half in a resealable bag, then thaw and heat on the stove. The stew stays fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
I typically serve my stew with a side of bread, but between the meat, potatoes and veggies, it’s really filling enough to serve as-is for a complete meal. Your whole family will love this dinner, and you’ll love how easy it is to make!
More slow cooker recipes
- Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas
- Crockpot Ham Bone Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tortellini Soup
- Crockpot Turkey Chili
- Slow Cooker Salisbury Steak
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Video
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 pound small yellow potatoes halved
- 4 carrots halved and sliced into 1 inch chunks
- 3 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Season the stew meat generously with salt and pepper.
- Cook the meat in a single layer for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. You may need to cook in batches.
- Place the meat in a slow cooker along with the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, beef broth, tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.
- Remove 1/3 cup of stew liquid from the slow cooker. Add the flour and whisk until smooth.
- Pour the flour mixture back into the stew; stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes or until stew is slightly thickened.
- Uncover and stir in the frozen peas. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Notes
- Got leftover tomato paste? Place it in a plastic bag and freeze to use later in another recipe!
- Cubed beef chuck roast also works instead of stew meat.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on January 28, 2018 and was updated on January 31, 2020 with new content.
Karen says
Made it today for Sunday dinner. I added about half a cup of red wine just because I had some. This was absolutely delicious. Definitely make it again.
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Denise says
I never ever coom in the 16 years I’m with my husband…he asked me if I could start lol …I said hun you better get a good life insurance policy Haha jk…well someone gave me a crock pot years ago I never opened the box 7ntil this morning…and I made your recipe…omg its delicious it came out perfect everything is so soft ..cant wait for him to get home and try it
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!! I hope he loved it too!
John D says
Made it today. Excellent recipe! Great fall meal option.
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Pam C says
Tried this stew last week…simply delicious 😋
Sara says
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
Amy says
Hi, Is a serving size equal to 1 cup?
Sara says
It’s more like 1 1/2 cups.
Amy says
Thanks so much for responding! I plan on making it this week.
RJ says
This stew was a huge hit at my house. I paired it with homemade beer bread. So good!
Sara says
So glad you enjoyed it, thanks for reporting back!
Kiwi says
My dad would love this recipe! He loves a good crockpot stew.
o says
Oh yum! I haven’t made beef stew in a while, so thank you for the reminder! Now I have something to add to our next week’s menu plan! I will assign this for Monday. The closer it is to today, the better. 🙂
Toni | Boulder Locavore says
This looks really good! I would love to try this for dinner this week!
Annemarie LeBlanc says
We always make beef stew in the slow cooker. It just turns out more delicious because the meat is cooked in its own juices in slow, steady heat. I make mine a little different but I will surely try your recipe too.
Rosey says
We make our beef stew in the cooker too. Makes it taste so so much better!
Claudia Krusch says
We make beef stew often at my house. My family loves it and it’s a great hearty meal when it’s cold out!
Audrey says
Wow, your beef stew looks amazing! It is like picture perfect and I almost swear I could smell it when I saw your picture. With the colder January we have had I am always looking for easy comfort meals for my family. Thank you Sara!
Theresa says
The beef looks so tender! I am definitely going to have to dust off my crock pot and give this recipe a whirl soon. Looks sooo tasty!
Michelle Goth says
I need to try this one very soon! What a great, filling meal.
ma says
This is an awesome cold weather meal! My aunt used to make some great stew.
Pam Wattenbarger says
It’s been unusually cold here the past few weeks. This beef stew would be perfect for the weather.
Maureen says
You had me at beef stew 🙂 What a great way to use our slow cooker for these busy days I am dealing with. A good, hearty beef stew can always warm us up on these cold winter days. I may have to try your slow cooker beef stew recipe next week!
Shell says
This looks like the ultimate in comfort food! So perfect for chilly winter days.
robin rue says
We make beef stew about once a week here. I use my mom’s recipe and lucky for me, even my picky eater will eat it 🙂
tricia @ saving room for dessert says
This looks fantastic Sara! Love that rich broth 🙂 and so great it can be made in the slow cooker!