Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe – tender beef stew meat, potatoes, carrots, green peas, tomatoes, celery, chili powder, brown gravy mix, garlic, and beef broth. Comfort food at its best! So easy to make and it tastes SO good. Everyone gobbled this up – even the kids!! Serve with some biscuits or cornbread for a complete meal.

bowl of beef stew with text overlay

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Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew

Beef Stew is one of my favorite slow cooker meals. Tender beef, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and green peas. The slow cooking process works its magic, infusing every bite with a depth of flavor that is simply irresistible.  It is our favorite way to eat veggies! They taste SO good slow cooked all day in yummy beef flavors. Complete the meal with some biscuits or cornbread.  Trust me, this is the ultimate comfort food that will have you coming back for seconds, thirds, and even fourths! 

bowl of beef stew on a table with biscuits

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew

This dish is super easy to make with only a few ingredients. Place all-purpose flour and sugar in a ziploc bag. Add stew meat and toss to coat. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat to the skillet and cook until it starts to brown. Transfer beef to a 6-qt slow cooker

Add vegetables, tomato paste, chili powder, thyme, garlic powder, black pepper, brown gravy mix, and beef broth. Stir to combine. Cover the crockpot and cook on LOW heat until the beef is fork tender. Add frozen peas and a cornstarch slurry to the pot. Season with salt to taste. Cover and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes.

Helpful Tips & Frequently Asked Questions

  • This recipe calls for the stew meat to be browned before adding to the slow cooker. You can do this the night before or skip it altogether. I think it adds more flavor and a nice color to the meat, but it isn’t going to ruin the stew if you skip browning the meat.
  • I buy a package of stew meat at the grocery store. You can substitute chuck roast and cut it into cubes.
  • I suggest using no-salt or low-sodium beef broth.
  • Do NOT make the gravy. You are only going to use the dry mix in the packets.
  • Variations/Additions:
    • onions
    • red wine
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • mushrooms
    • corn
    • leeks
    • bay leaf
  • This stew was a little thin after it was finished cooking. We prefer a thicker stew, so I added a cornstarch slurry to thicken it up. If you like a thinner beef stew, you can skip that step. 
  • Can I make Beef Stew on the stove-top? Yes! Brown the meat in a large Dutch oven. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat until the meat is tender. 
  • Can I freeze Crockpot Beef Stew? Yes! Cool the stew to room temperature and transfer it to freezer bags or plastic containers. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • Reheat leftovers in the microwave.
bowl of beef stew on a table with biscuits

What to Serve with The Best Beef Stew

This stew has been on repeat at our house. It is so easy to make and it is dangerously delicious! This is a hearty meal, so you don’t need a lot of side dishes to go with it. Our go-to side is warm and buttery cornbread or biscuits. They are perfect for sopping up all that flavorful broth! For a lighter option, whip up a fresh green salad with homemade dressing. And finally, let’s talk about a classic side dish like mashed potatoes. Creamy, buttery, and oh-so-comforting, they’re the perfect partner for that tender beef and hearty gravy. Comfort food at its best! Add this easy recipe to your menu. It is sure to become a family favorite!

Looking for more soup and stew recipes? Here are some popular recipes from the website:

bowl of beef stew with text overlay

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Yield: 6 people
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe – tender beef stew meat, potatoes, carrots, green peas, tomatoes, celery, chili powder, brown gravy mix, garlic, and beef broth. Comfort food at its best! So easy to make and it tastes SO good. Everyone gobbled this up – even the kids!! Serve with some biscuits or cornbread for a complete meal.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lb stew meat
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp canola oil
  • 1 (15-oz) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 3 to 4 medium potatoes peeled and chopped
  • 4 medium carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 5 tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp thyme
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 2 (1-oz) packages brown gravy mix
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 Tbsp corn starch
  • 2 Tbsp water

Instructions:

  • Place all-purpose flour and sugar in a ziploc bag. Add stew meat and toss to coat.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat to the skillet and cook until it starts to brown. Transfer beef to a 6-qt slow cooker.
  • Add tomatoes, celery, potatoes, carrots, tomato paste, chili powder, thyme, garlic powder, pepper, brown gravy mix, and beef broth. Stir.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours.
  • Add frozen green peas to slow cooker.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together corn starch and water. Pour in the stew and stir. Cook on LOW for an additional 15 minutes, or until thickened.

Notes:

  • This recipe calls for the stew meat to be browned before adding to the slow cooker. You can do this the night before or skip it altogether. I think it adds more flavor and a nice color to the meat, but it isn’t going to ruin the stew if you skip browning the meat.
  • I buy a package of stew meat at the grocery store. You can substitute chuck roast that has been cut into cubes.
  • I suggest using no-salt or low-sodium beef broth.
  • Do NOT make the gravy. You are only going to use the dry mix in the packets. 
  • Can I make Beef Stew on the stove-top? Yes! Brown the meat in a large Dutch oven. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat until the meat is tender. 
  • Can I freeze Crockpot Beef Stew? Yes! Cool the stew to room temperature and transfer it to freezer bags or plastic containers. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge.
    • Reheat leftovers in the microwave.

Steph

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Comments

  1. I’ve tried many different slow cooker recipes but was never happy with how they turned out. The meat was never tender. I found your recipe July 23 2019 & have been making it ever since because it truly is delicious!! P.S. ALL your recipes I’ve tried are good, thank you for sharing them 🙂

  2. It’s in the crockpot right now!! Smells and looks delicious!! Still have 2 hours left of cooking!! Only difference I made was I left out the celery because I just forgot it! Left out the peas because we don’t like them but added a bag of frozen corn and a bag of frozen green beans. I’m dying to try it!!

  3. Hey Steph, what's the purpose of dredging the meat in sugar? Does it just make a better crust? Never seen that before. You're always teaching me something new. 🙂

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