If you are looking for the Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe, look no further! This recipe is thick and hearty and from scratch.
This is a recipe everyone should have in their back pocket for the slow cooker. My recipe is thick and hearty and has great reviews.
The first time I made beef stew is when I first married 17 years ago. Oh man, what a disaster; that recipe turned out runny and had no flavor. The recipe I tried was from a famous slow cooker cookbook, and the end result was more watery soup than a stew.
How to make the best Slow Cooker Beef Stew:
This recipe is easy and still made from scratch. Be sure to dice your vegetables before starting on the sauce for a smooth experience.
You will need:
- cubed stew meat
- flour – this is what thickens the stew
- salt
- pepper
- onion powder
- dried thyme
- cooking oil
- beef broth
- tomato paste – this thickens the stew too
- red potatoes
- baby carrots
- onion
- frozen peas (optional)
Time to prepare:
- Add the seasonings to the flour.
- Toss the beef in the flour mixture.
- Cook the beef in the cooking oil on the stove top in a large skillet.
- Deglaze the pan with the beef broth and add the tomato paste.
- Add the veggies to the slow cooker.
- Pour over the meat/sauce mixture over the veggies in the slow cooker.
How long do I cook?
Cook on low for 7-8 hours for perfectly tender beef and vegetables. I recommend the low setting for this recipe.
How to serve:
- Serve warm right out of the slow cooker. This recipe is great for potlucks or bringing a meal to a sick friend.
- Serve with dinner rolls, butter, and a side salad if desired.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. I don’t recommend freezing beef stew with potatoes for potatoes don’t do well in the freezer.
This recipe will not disappoint you, it is full of flavor, and it’s nice and thick. This stew recipe reminds me of a perfect pot roast dinner, with everything chopped to the perfect size, with gravy on it!
Looking for a great Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe? Here is my recipe recommendation for the instant pot.
Other Slow Cooker Stew recipes that are a must-try!
- Slow Cooker Shipwreck Stew
- Slow Cooker Beef Sweet Potato Stew
- Slow Cooker Beefy Bacon Man Stew
- Slow Cooker A1 Beef Stew
- Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew
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Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. stew meat or 2 pounds any lean roast cut into 1-inch squares
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. thyme
- cooking oil, about 2 tablespoons
- 28 oz. beef broth (2 14 oz. cans)
- 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes quartered or diced cut into inch pieces
- 1 lb. bag baby carrots
- 1 white onion, diced
- 2 cups frozen peas optional
Instructions:
- Add the potatoes, carrots and onions to the slow cooker.
- Combine flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, and thyme in a big ziplock bag. Shake, then add the stew meat.
- Shake to coat the pieces evenly. (or this can be done in a large bowl)
- Brown the meat in the cooking oil on all sides, you don’t need to cook the meat through. You may need to cook the meat in batches.
- De-glaze the pan with the beef broth. Add the tomato paste, scrape up any brown bits of meat and flour into the sauce. The sauce will thicken and will only take a few minutes.
- Add the meat and sauce to the slow cooker.
- Stir.
- Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours.
- Add peas at the end of cooking time. Put the lid back on and cook for 15 more minutes to thaw the peas. If the stew thickens too much after being stirred, add water.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I made this turned out great, i did have to add beef bouillon and more salt for flavor.
**Question to anyone, can I use this recipe for say turkey stew?
Substitute the beef for real shredded turkey, and substitute beef broth with chicken broth…??
Would still use same spices? and tomato paste?
Disappointing. We found this tasteless. Took 3 of us 25+ minutes of trying various things like red wine, thyme, more beef bouillon, garlic powder onion powder, etc to get to any real flavor.
Also had to constantly refer back in the recipe, would have preferred all steps in order including prep, instead of a narrative I had to scan, etc. Looking for a set and forget dish that tastes great…without having to tweak and troubleshoot. No one had seconds and after the shopping and prep, it was not worth the work. Would not make again or recommend.
If I were to add celery and mushroom to the recipe, when would be the best time?
At the beginning.
Can you add canned peas instead of frozen peas to slow cooker beef stew?
Yes, I would still add them at the end of the cooking time.
i have a 4.5 qt crockpot can i use this recipe in it or do i reduce stuff down
I think it would be a very tight fit.
copy ill reduce the portion and send pic Thx
Ok great, let me know!
Thinking about making this on Sunday. My question is can i add frozen corn, and to this recipe?
Yes, you can! You can add it at the beginning or end.
Thank you. I will tell you how it comes out.
Can I use a yellow onion or a sweet yellow onion instead of a white onion?
Yes, you can either.
This looks amazing! Just wondering if using white potatoes instead of red, would be alright, or if it would change the consistency too much?
No, it will work fine. 🙂
I can’t eat flour, can I substitute cornstarch? If so, do you know how much to use? And would I use it the same way as the flour, or add it at the end of the cooking cycle to thicken?
If I’m using cornstarch for this I would mix 3 tablespoons of cold water with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add at the end of the cooking time. Let it cook for 10 more minutes to thicken.
Thanks Sarah! I’m going to make it this weekend….can’t wait for my family to try this.
I use potato flakes to thicken stew, just sprinkle about 3/4 cup on top of stew and stir well it thickens up nicely and you can use different flavors in other soups or stews, the bacon and cheese instant potatoes are perfect for broccoli soup.
I’m pretty challenged when it comes to cooking and that’s why I love your recipes. I’ve never heard of “deglazing a pan”. I looked it up and am I glad I did!!! It’s getting ALL the flavors. Now I’m really excited to try this recipe. Thanks for teaching!
One of my all time favorites from the Magical Slow Cooker 😀
This is a great recipe. To often slow cooker stews end up to thin and brothy. I love how this recipe ends up with a thick sauce that is sopped up with some bread. Next time I plan on serving it in a bread bowl. This will certainly be in our family meal rotation.
Hello Sarah! Thank you so much for this recipe! I am making it with your suggestion of adding a cup of red wine to the broth. I am wondering if tucking a bay leaf would be good. Also, would you recommend the 2 tsp. of Worcestershire sauce with the red wine and the flavor of the bay leaf?
Yes, a bay leaf would work great. And Worcestershire sauce too! Great ideas.
The stew came out so delicious! Thanks again Sarah! This is a keeper! Many Blessings to you and yours!
So glad you enjoyed it, we love this meal too.
It gives you the time for low setting, can it be done on high? If so what will the time be for high setting?
Thank you
You can do on high. Add a little more broth though, so it does start. About 4-5 hours on high or until the potatoes are tender.
This is in my crock pot as we speak. If it’s too thin, I’ll add a packet of dry beef gravy mix. I forgot both the tomato paste and Worcestershire. Im sure it will still be wonderful.