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This Crockpot beef stew is a slow cooker classic! It’s simple to throw together and so hearty for a warming family meal on a chilly or rainy day, and there’s no fancy ingredients needed.
You may also like my similar Stovetop Beef Stew or Instant Pot Beef Stew recipes for alternative cooking methods.
Why you’ll love it
This thick, cozy slow cooker beef stew is a super easy set-it-and-forget-it kinda recipe. It takes minimal effort to prep, and next thing you know, a traditional dinner from scratch is ready when you’re back home from work!
The best part might be how the beef melts in your mouth, but the tender potatoes and veggies are a close second. The build-up of flavor is incredible considering we’re using just a few pantry staples. You really don’t need much to create that amazing slow-cooked taste.
What you’ll need
- Beef – use pre-cut boneless beef stewing cubes or chuck (you may need to cut it up yourself). Avoid anything extra lean.
- Olive oil – for sautéing
- Onion and celery – sweet (Vidalia) onions are our favorite, but yellow or white work too
- Garlic – savory goodness
- Potatoes and carrots – Our star veggies. Yukon gold potatoes are the variety we picked since they’re waxy and hold up great for slow cooking.
- Beef broth – for that deep, rich flavor
- Tomato paste – the concentrated taste adds a special something-something
- Worcestershire sauce – my not-so-secret ingredient and the key to giving the sauce a really deep and satisfying umami flavor. Don’t skip it!
- Salt & pepper – it’s important to be fairly generous with stews and soups
- Bay leaves – my other go-to ingredient. They’re very fragrant and a favorite in stews.
- Cornstarch – it’s optional, but it will thicken it up
What kind of beef to use
- Our kitchen used the pre-cut meat labeled “beef stewing cubes” or similar at your meat counter. Look for a fair amount of marbling (fat) and that it doesn’t look too lean, or the meat will won’t be as tender.
- Cutting up a beef chuck roast works too will and produce really tender meat. Top or bottom round cuts or even short ribs are good as well.
- Whatever you use, the searing step adds so much texture and flavor, so make sure to do it!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here is my Crockpot model I use for my slow cooker recipes, and I use this Le Creuset skillet for the pan frying steps.
- To mince garlic, this garlic press makes it hassle free. No peeling needed.
- Chopping goes by quickly with a sharp chef’s knife and a sturdy cutting board.
How to make slow cooker beef stew
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Sear half of the beef cubes in a skillet with the olive oil so they’re not overcrowded, and then transfer to a plate. Brown the second batch of beef. Transfer all of the meat and any juices to the slow cooker. In the skillet, fry the onion and garlic, then add to the Crockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients to the Crockpot apart from the bay leaves and cornstarch. Toss well. Gently add the bay leaves in, and cook on low until the beef is tender. To make it thicker, add a cornstarch slurry if desired. That’s it!
Pro tips
- I recommend cooking it for the suggested full 10 hours on low since stewing beef needs time to get tender, so you’ll get better results than cooking it on high for a shorter period. It’s worth it for those delicious concentrated flavors.
- Cut the potatoes and carrots larger for that chunky consistency. If they’re too small, they’re going to get lost in that 10-hour cook time.
- If your bay leaves have been sitting in the cupboard for a while, take a trip to the grocery store. They’re liable to lose flavor over time!
Substitutions and variations
- You could use Russet potatoes, but keep in mind that they’ll fall apart more, and then you may opt to not add the cornstarch slurry. Red potatoes would be your best bet if not using Yukon golds.
- Add some frozen peas in towards the end of cooking time for a pop of color and more vegetables.
- Replace some of the beef broth with red wine for a touch of elegance! I suggest between 1/2-1 cup or so.
- Add a half teaspoon or so of Italian seasoning for a more herby flavor, or use a few sprigs of fresh thyme if you’ve got it on hand. This stew is flexible.
What to serve with beef stew
- It’s a complete meal in itself, but if you want to pair it with a side salad, that would be great. Try some mixed greens with this Simple Italian Dressing or Creamy Balsamic Dressing.
- A slice of crusty bread, cornbread, or a dinner roll works too, or go all-out and serve some Cheesy Garlic Bread.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
- Beef stew freezes well! I like to portion it up in individual containers for easy meals anytime and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- You can either thaw it overnight or reheat from frozen, thawing over a very low heat while stirring occasionally until warmed through.
Hope you enjoy this easy beef stew recipe as much as I did! Please leave a star rating and review below if you gave it a try. I’m also on Instagram.
Crockpot Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 pounds boneless stewing beef cubes or chuck
- 1/2 medium onion chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes peeled & diced (fairly large bite-size pieces)
- 4 large carrots peeled & cut into fairly large bite-size pieces
- 3 sticks celery chopped
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste see note
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pepper to taste
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch optional
Instructions
- Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a skillet and sear half the beef cubes (brown them on all sides) over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate and then add the remaining oil to the skillet and brown the second batch. Once all the beef is seared, transfer it (and any juices on the plate) to your slow cooker.
- Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the skillet contents to the Crockpot.
- Add the remaining ingredients (except for the bay leaves and cornstarch) to your slow cooker. Stir/toss well.
- Gently add the bay leaves in. Cook on low for 10 hours or until the beef is tender.
- Optional: to give the stew a thicker consistency, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir it into the stew, and then cook until it's thickened up a bit (give it 10 minutes or so).
Notes
- Update for 2022 – This recipe has been tweaked to make it more delicious and with the optional cornstarch addition. Here’s the original recipe from 2018 if you loved it as-is.
- If using double concentrated tomato paste (i.e. the kind in the tube), halve the amount.
- I suggest cooking this on low for the 10 hours vs. on high for less time. Stewing beef is not tender, and slow cooking it gives it a chance to tenderize. If using chuck, you may get away with less than 10 hours.
- This is the 7-quart Crockpot I used to make this recipe.
- Want to make this in your Instant Pot? Try the Instant Pot version instead. Or try my Stovetop Beef Stew.
- This recipe is also in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on January 17, 2018. It’s been tweaked to be even easier, tastier, and has new photos!
Hello! If I wanted to add some frozen peas at what point should I do that? Thanks!
I’d probably add them in during the last 30 min or so, just to heat through. Hope you enjoy the recipe, Sarah! 🙂
If I’m prepping this for a freezer meal, do you suggest cook ahead of time and then freeze and reheat in crockpot? Or sear beef and then throw all in freezer bag and cook when want? Or throw all in bag raw to freeze until ready. Thank you.
Hi Kim! I usually just freeze it in portions once I’ve fully cooked the stew, and that has always worked fine for me. 🙂 I usually reheat individual portions in a covered saucepan on the stove. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
If you don’t have a slow cooker, can you cook this on the stovetop or in the oven? It would be great to hear the alternative cooking options for your recipes that call for a slow cooker if possible.
Thanks!
Hi Elissa! I haven’t tested this particular recipe on the stove or in the oven, unfortunately. Many people Google “Crockpot beef stew”, so that’s why it’s a standalone recipe. It can take multiple days to perfect a recipe, so I don’t always have time to also try different cooking methods for the same recipe. I’m a one girl cooking operation here. 🙂 A stovetop version of this recipe is on my list, though. I don’t feel 100% confident making suggestions for you to adapt this for the stove or oven without first testing, or else I would definitely provide some. I would hate for you to waste ingredients.
Just made this tonight and it was so delicious. This recipe is a keeper for sure! Thanks for posting!
Wonderful! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. XO
I just threw this all in my crockpot and can’t wait for dinner. I know it will be delicious. I have made several of your recipes and have NEVER been disappointed! Thank you so much!
You’re too kind! I hope you enjoy this one too, Kerry. 🙂
What if I don’t have tomatoe paste ?
I haven’t tested it without, so I can’t confidently recommend a substitution since there is a fair amount of it in there. Do you have a can of crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce? You could maybe sub some of that, but the flavor won’t be as rich and the overall product may end up slightly more watery.
I have made this twice and my family LOVES It! So rich and hearty. I use more meat and veggies, as I feed a big family. I think I might add a splash of wine next time. So goooood! Thank you for the great recipe.
Forgot to add that I cook it on high for 5-6 hours as I rarely get a start on it early enough for the slow setting, and it comes out incredible that way also.
I’m so happy to hear that!! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to comment!
I Made this as my first ever crock pot meal it was so delicious my husband and I enjoyed every piece of it. So did my family and friends who tried it. It was a lot of work and a lot of waiting but it was so worth it. It also made our apartment smell so good all day witch was my favorite part . I will definitely be making this recipe again soon
I’m thrilled to hear that, Mariah! 🙂 Appreciate your review!
Second time making this. Followed recipe exactly and it’s so delicious. 10 hr cook time is so worth it.
I am so glad you enjoy it, Lexi!! 😀
Is the olive oil for searing the beef, or is that supposed to go in pot with all the ingredients? I assumed it was just for searing the beef?
You are correct! I will update the recipe to fix it. Sorry about that!
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Thank you, Josephine! Your support means more to me than you know! 🙂
Delish! Just made this for dinner tonight. I didn’t have enough beef stock so I topped off with vegetable stock. It had a rich tomato flavor that I am not used to in beef stew and I LOVED it (I’m more of a veggie gal but make meals like this to please the meat and potato lovers in the family). I’m not sure if it was the tomato paste or the veggie stock that imparted that flavor but either way, I loved it. Super easy too!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it despite not being much of a meat lover! That’s great. Thanks for taking the time to write me a review! 🙂