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Slow Cooker Beef Stew

by Katerina

4.95 from 17 votes

Oct 05, 2018, Updated Dec 27, 2023

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Once the snow starts falling, this saucy slow cooker beef stew with hints of dry red wine and tender veggies will be the perfect excuse to stay inside. It’s thick, comforting, and has herby aromatics you’ll love.

Why This Is The Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

This easy beef stew is a convenient weeknight recipe that practically cooks itself.

• Hearty. There’s lots of tender beef, carrots, mushrooms, celery, and onions in every bite.
• Convenient. Throw it into the slow-cooker in the morning and come back to a self-made, freshly-cooked dinner.
• Great for chilly weather. Everyone loves a bowl of thick, hot stew when it’s cold outside.
• Rich beefy flavor. Searing the beef before adding it to the slow-cooker as well as deglazing the skillet intensifies the savory beef flavor in this recipe.

What You’ll Need

Most of the flavor’s in the red wine, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact measurements.

For the Stew

• Olive oil – Corn and canola oil work too.
• Beef chuck roast – Remove the excess fat.
• Salt and pepper – I prefer kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper.
• Carrots – You can also use baby carrot leftovers.
• Celery ribs – Make sure they’re still crunchy so they don’t soften too much in the stew.
• Mushrooms – Use creminis for the most flavor.
• Yellow onion – Feel free to use white onions.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic is best. Shallots or garlic powder are good swaps.
• Red wine – It needs to be dry like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah.
• Tomato paste – Don’t use tomato puree instead.
• Worcestershire sauce – You can skip it or swap it for 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin.
• Beef broth – Use homemade or a low-sodium store-bought broth.
• Bay leaves – They add lovely aroma but can be skipped.
• Fresh thyme – Feel free to use rosemary.
• Parsley – You can use dried parsley here. It’s an optional garnish.

For the Slurry

• Cornstarch – All-purpose flour works too.
• Water – You can use broth.

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Deglazing the pan with wine makes all the difference because you pick up lots of caramelized beef flavors. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions.

• Season it. Mix the beef with salt and pepper in a large bowl.

• Brown it. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook it for 8-12 minutes or until browned all over. You may need to do this in batches because you don’t want to over-crowd the skillet.
• Add the veggies. Transfer the beef to the slow-cooker. Add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms.
• Cook the onions. Add the remaining oil to the skillet. Stir in the onions and cook them until softened. Add the garlic and cook everything for another 30 seconds. Transfer the mixture to the slow-cooker.
• Deglaze the pan. Pour the wine into the skillet and use a spatula to gently scrape the bottom. You want to remove all the browned bits. Cook for another minute.
• Add the broth. Whisk in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Slowly pour in the broth and cook everything for another minute. Pour the liquid into the slow-cooker.
• Add the aromatics. Place the bay leaves and thyme in the slow-cooker. Pour in the remaining broth.
• Cook it. Add the lid and cook the stew on LOW for 7-8 hours or HIGH for 4-5 hours.
• Thicken it. Whisk the cornstarch and water until smooth to make a slurry. Stir it into the stew 30 minutes before the cooking time is up. Set the slow-cooker to HIGH and cook for the remaining 30 minutes.
• Serve. Adjust the seasoning to taste with more salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

Making the slurry is one corner you cannot cut, but there are others you definitely can!

• Ask the butcher. Most grocery store butchers will be more than happy to chop up the meat for you and remove the excess fat.
• More veggies. Adding baby potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips can make the stew extra hearty.
• Skip the browning. This will save you prep time, so skip searing the meat if you prefer. It does add more flavor, though.
• Make it Tex-Mex. Stir 1 cup black beans and 1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning into the stew for a Tex-Mex flair.
• Go alcohol-free. Deglaze the pan with beef broth or water instead of red wine for an alcohol-free dinner.
• Don’t just add the flour. It might be tempting to throw the flour into the pot, but don’t. It’ll clump and you won’t be able to get rid of the bits of lumpy flour. You need to dissolve it in a slurry.
• Make it spicy. Add cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or chili oil to taste for a kick of heat.

What to Serve with Crock Pot Beef Stew

This slow cooker beef stew is best served over rice or pasta. I love it with my Mushroom Rice or Jasmine Rice. Brown rice works too. For pasta, go for plain short pastas like penne or fusilli. If you prefer bread, I recommend my Cornbread Casserole, Focaccia, or No Knead Skillet Olive Bread.

How to Store & Reheat Leftovers

Leftovers need to be fully cooled before being refrigerated or frozen.

• Fridge: Place it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Transfer it to large freezer-friendly bags or containers. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• To reheat it: Cover the bowl with a microwave-safe lid or a wet paper towel. Microwave it for 2 minutes or until warm. Larger batches can be reheated in a pot over medium-low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

More Slow Cooker Recipes To Try

• Overnight Slow Cooker Breakfast Casserole
• Crock Pot Mustard Pork Chops and Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Balsamic Pot Roast
• Crock Pot Beef Fajitas
• Crock Pot Spaghetti Sauce Italiano

SaveSaved Pin Print

4.95 from 17 votes

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

by Katerina | Diethood

This hearty slow cooker beef stew recipe is packed with tender veggies, red wine, and aromatics for a comforting weeknight dinner. 

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 7 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 8 hours hours

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ▢ 2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast,, cut into 2-inch pieces, fat trimmed off
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 3 large carrots,, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ▢ 3 celery ribs,, sliced
• ▢ 8 ounces sliced mushrooms
• ▢ 1 large yellow onion,, sliced
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic,, minced
• ▢ 1 cup dry red wine
• ▢ 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 4 cups low-sodium beef broth,, divided
• ▢ 2 bay leaves
• ▢ 1 sprig fresh thyme

FOR THE THICKENER

• ▢ 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ 3 tablespoons water
• ▢ 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

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Instructions 

• Place cut up beef in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add beef and sear until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might have to do this in batches, adding more olive oil if necessary.
• Transfer the browned beef to a 6-quart slow cooker; arrange prepared carrots, celery, and mushrooms over the meat inside the slow cooker and set aside.
• Heat the rest of the olive oil and sauté the onions for 3 minutes, or until softened.
• Stir in the minced garlic and continue to sauté for 30 seconds, or until fragrant; transfer to the slow cooker.
• Put the skillet back on the stove over medium-high heat and deglaze the pan with red wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get all the browned bits; cook for 1 minute.
• Whisk in the tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce; cook for 30 seconds while whisking.
• Slowly whisk in 2 cups of beef broth; cook for 1 minute.
• Pour the prepared liquid over the beef and vegetables.
• Stir in the remaining broth into the slow cooker and add bay leaves and thyme over the veggies.
• Close with a lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Times may vary depending on how hot your slow cooker runs.
• 30 minutes before the beef stew is done cooking, make a slurry by whisking together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker, set to HIGH, and continue to cook for 30 minutes.
• When done, taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
• Garnish with parsley and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 719mg | Potassium: 1020mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 4155IU | Vitamin C: 7.8mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3.6mg

Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.

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