Slow Cooker Beef Stew

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Nothing says comfort food like Slow Cooker Beef Stew. This easy recipe can be prepped in just twenty minutes and forgotten about until dinner. It’s hearty, healthy, and perfect for chilly winter days. Serve alongside Texas toast or garlic bread to complete this tasty meal.

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This time of year is perfect for embracing delicious comfort food that warms you from the inside out! That’s exactly what this Slow Cooker Beef Stew is-flavorful, hearty, and simmered to perfection!

Why I love this recipe

This recipe takes a bit of prep on the front end but I promise you that it’s worth it for that extra flavor it adds. All said and done it’s less than 20 minutes of prep and then forget about it until dinner time!

In addition to the minimal prep and fix-it-and-forget-it nature of this stew recipe, I love how hearty and warming it is. It is also family-friendly!

For an Instant Pot version of this recipe, try my Instant Pot Beef Stew!

Ingredients

stew meat – kabob cut meat or chuck roast work well
potatoes, onion, carrots, and peas make this stew hearty
fresh rosemary and thyme are sautéed with vegetable oil to release flavor
garlic – what savory stew can be made without this essential?
red pepper flakes, salt & pepper season it perfectly
dry red wine and beef stock deglaze all the flavor from the bottom of the pan to give this recipe the depth others lack
butter and flour create a thickening roux

Step by step

Cut potatoes into bite size pieces and place in the bottom of a slow cooker.
In a large skillet heat vegetable oil on medium high heat. Add rosemary and thyme and cook for 30 second.
Add garlic, onion, and carrots and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
Add meat and liberally season with salt and pepper as well as red pepper flakes. Continue to cook until browned on all sides, about ten minutes.
Meanwhile melt butter in a small bowl, whisk together butter and flour. Add mixture to skillet and stir well to coat meat.
Pour contents of the skillet over the potatoes in the Crock Pot.
Add wine to the skillet and cook for 1 minute while scraping the pan to deglaze all those tasty bit stuck to the bottom.
Pour wine from the skillet over the meat.
Add broth to the over the meat and cook on high heat for 5-6 hours. Ten minutes before serving add peas.

Tips for best results

don’t skimp on the prep, the browning of the meat, herbs, and veggies along with deglazing the pan give this crock pot beef stew ton of flavor
this is a great recipe if you need to feed family members at different times in the evening, just set the slow cooker to warm once it is finished cleaning so everyone can help themself as they are ready (hello busy sports season!)

Serving suggestions

Any of these easy recipes would compliment this stew perfectly:

homemade biscuits
honey corn muffins
Guinness beer bread (I have a Guinness Beef Stew too!)
pretzel bread

FAQs

What is the best meat for beef stew?

You can choose the pre-cut stew meat or kabob meat at most grocery stores, or chuck roast, boneless short ribs, or brisket cut into 1-2 inch pieces.

How do I store leftovers?

Let the soup cool slightly before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Never allow the stew to sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours for food safety. (source: USDA)

Can I freeze this stew?

Yes! Store in freezer-safe containers, leaving at least 1 inch of space at the top to allow for expansion. Keep in the freezer up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

You might also like these other comfort food recipes:

If you’ve tried this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!