Slow Cooker Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food! It’s perfect for those crisp fall evenings or chilly winter days when you crave something hearty and satisfying.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Nothing warms the soul quite like a bowl of homemade beef stew, especially one that’s been simmering all day in the slow cooker. This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is here to be your go-to comfort food. It’s packed with tender chunks of beef, veggies, and rich flavors that meld together in the slow cooker. If you don’t have a crockpot, I also have instructions for my stove-top beef stew which is my preferred method of cooking beef stew. But you can’t beat the convenience of making it in the slow cooker for those busy nights!
Why This Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe Works
When I shared my beef stew recipe last year, I got many requests for a slow cooker beef stew recipe, so I played around with my original and modified it for the crock pot. The slow cooker doesn’t evaporate as much, so I had to decrease the liquid to get it perfect.
- Easy: The best part about crockpot beef stew is that it’s as easy as it gets! Toss the ingredients into your slow cooker in the morning, set it on low, and let it work its magic while you tackle your day. By dinnertime, you’ll have an aromatic masterpiece waiting for you! It’s the perfect solution for busy weekdays or laid-back weekends.
- Rich and Flavorful: This hearty dish contains tender beef and a medley of vegetables flavored with tomato paste, garlic, and herbs. It’s delicious!
- Dietary Restrictions: It’s high-protein, Weight Watchers-friendly, dairy- free, and gluten-free (if made with GF flour).
If you make this healthy beef stew recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos or videos on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook!
What You’ll Need
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this easy crock pot beef stew. The recipe card at the bottom includes the exact measurements.
- Broth: My slow cooker recipe uses one cup less broth than my traditional beef stew on the stove.
- All Purpose Flour thickens the cooking liquid. You can use all-purpose or gluten-free.
- Tomato Paste adds a rich tomato flavor.
- Salt and Black Pepper season the stew.
- Beef Chuck Roast: Trim the fat from boneless chuck roast and cut it into small cubes.
- Vegetables: Yukon Gold potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, frozen peas
- Garlic Cloves add a rich aroma, enhancing the stew’s savory flavors.
- Herbs: Fresh thyme and bay leaves
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew
I brown the beef and vegetables on the stove before adding them to the slow cooker to deepen their flavor. I promise the extra step is worth the effort! The complete instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Brown the Meat and Vegetables: Brown the beef in a large skillet on high heat. Transfer it to the slow cooker, and then brown the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic in the skillet.
- Add Everything to the Crock Pot: Transfer the sauteed veggies to the slow cooker, and add the potatoes, mushrooms, thyme, and bay leaves.
- Cooking Liquid: Blend the broth, flour, tomato paste, salt, and pepper in a blender. Pour it into the slow cooker.
- Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and set it to cook on low for 8 hours until the beef stew meat is fork tender.
- Add the Peas: After 8 hours, discard the herbs and stir in the peas. Taste and add more salt if needed.
Variations
- Potatoes: Substitute russet potatoes, sweet potatoes or red potatoes.
- Mushrooms: Leave them out if you don’t like them.
- Herbs: Swap thyme with rosemary.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Pair this deliciousness with some crusty bread to soak up all that flavorful broth, or serve it over mashed potatoes for an extra layer of comfort.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover stew for 4 days.
- Freezer: It’s also fantastic for meal prep and freezing. Store it in airtight containers and freeze for 3 months.
- Reheat: Thaw it in the refrigerator and warm on the stove or microwave.
FAQ
Yes, you can put raw beef in the slow cooker. However, I like to brown it first to give it a richer flavor and better color. It also helps seal in the meat’s juices.
While cooking beef for a long time is key for the best beef stew, it is possible to overcook it. The meat will dry out, and the vegetables will be mushy.
More Classic Beef Stew Recipes You’ll Love
- Beef Stew with Pumpkin
- Mexican Beef Stew
- Carne Guisada (Latin Beef Stew)
- Beef and Kabocha Squash Stew
- Crock Pot Carne Guisada
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 1/2 tablespoons flour or gluten-free flour
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 1/2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes (I prefer Prime beef, I start with a 3 lb piece before trimming off fat)
- 1 1/2 cups yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick diagonal, from 3 to 4 medium carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery, from 3 ribs
- 1 medium onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
Instructions
- Combine broth, flour, tomato paste, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Heat a large skillet oven over high heat, spray with oil and brown the beef on all sides in two batches. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker, then spray the skillet again.
- Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic and brown, stirring about 5 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker and add the potatoes, mushrooms, thyme and bay leaves and pour the broth mixture on top.
- Cover and cook low 8 hours, until the meat and vegetables are tender.
- Discard the thyme and bay leaves, stir in the peas and let them sit 1 minute until heated through. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
So glad I found your website! Yesterday I made the strawberry rhubarb crisp. Delicious! Today I am trying Slow cooker Beef stew. I have a question , however…..
I am old school WW. I use the old points finder slide. Your nutrition strategy this one point. My slider says 7. I know there are a number of zero point foods in this. If really one 1 point I would be extremely happy! Means I could have a slice of homemade bread with it! lol!
Thanks for your wonderful site! Enjoying it very much!
Does this recipe fill the crockpot? Looking to make a bit more and wonder if I would have room for the extra ingredients
This is the most delicious beef stew I have ever had in my entire life! It does take a while to put together, but it is worth every minute.
My spouse is a stickler and hates stews that are too spicy. This was just perfect. No paprika or other hot spices. It was very smooth and mellow. LOTS to chop upfront – but what crockpot recipe doesn’t have a lot of prep.
Can this be made in a Dutch oven?
This was DELICIOUS! I agree with someone else who said it’s a bit more work than normal for a crockpot recipe, but it was totally worth it! it’s been very cold here in Wisconsin, and this was definitely some good comfort food.So yummy!
Glad you enjoyed it!
We made this tonight and it was delicious! More labor intensive than most crock pot recipes but well worth it. Thanks for another great one, Gina!
This recipe is wonderful! I was skeptical when I first put it into the CrockPot because the broth seems thick, but trust the process. I paired the stew with French bread.
The first time I made this stew as written and my husband & boys had it on their hunting trip. Today we made it with moose meat, I could tell the difference.
I made this recipe exactly as written and it was above my expectations in flavor. The first time I was worried about time so put my crockpot on high just for the first hour and it was done to perfection in 6 hours. Next time I won’t worry about using low for 8 hours as long as I have the extra time. Oh yes and garnished with some fresh parsley from the garden. This is by far the best beef stew ever.
Thanks Cindy!
This was a big hit with the family tonight! I cooked it on high for 3.5 hours, added cayenne pepper and paprika, didn’t add celery, and added lentils for some extra protein. I should’ve added me than 2 extra cups of broth with the lentils as they soaked up most of the broth.
Leave the skin on some smaller potatoes, buy sliced carrots and mushrooms, and yes, Instant Pot doable! I essentially followed all directions besides the modifications I mention above, put in the Instant Pot for 30 min on pressure cook, and it came out beautiful. The meat is sooo tender!!!
This recipe is pretty labor intensive as there is a lot of chopping and browning (as are most beef stews). But it is delicious and will feed my hubby and I for 3 days. We had no issues with the veggies not being soft enough.
Just like my mom used to make. Another keeper in my winter rotation! Thank you!
The best stew ever. I will never make any other stew again.
As with everything I make from Sinnytaste recipes-this received a resounding WOW, YUM, you have to make it again.
I am not surprised since for the last eight years I have discovered the best recipes and have enjoyed making so many!!
I put this recipe in WW app and points came out to 23 so wondering how your calculation is 1?
Did you add in each ingredient or did you calculate with quick add of protein, fat carbs. Using the Ww points button on the recipe loads the ingredients for me and it came to 1.
It’s because while Gina may be using a lean cut of chuck roast (she doesn’t specify) WW identifies it as the usual fattier chuck roast, which is high in points. I used lean “stew meat” – I think it was bottom round – and that was zero points.
Yummy and easy
I made this beef stew today following the directions exactly as written. It was absolutely delicious. My husband stopped in the middle of the meal and told me that this was the best stew recipe I have made yet. I knew it was a keeper after just two spoonfuls. Thank you for all your great recipes. Whenever I am looking for something new this is the first place I come.
Thanks Kathy! Glad you both enjoyed it!
Beef stew was amazing! No left overs last night! Will definitely make this dish again!😋
This is the best stew! The only recipe i make! Made as directed! So delicious! Pop it in slow cooker first thing in the morning and dinner is ready when you walk through the door!
Beef stew was amazing! No left overs last night! Will definitely make this dish again!😋
Big hit in our house. So flavorful and comforting. I loved the combination and followed the recipe exactly. My husband is obsessed now and it will be on a regular rotation
Awesome! 🙂
I followed recipe exactly, except for cooking the vegetables enough, so I decided to put all the veggies in the pan with the onions, and garlic. I cooked them for an additional 10-20 minutes, stirring frequently. The results, all the carrots and potatoes were soft when the 8 hours at low was done. Love this recipe, and will make again!
I followed recipe exactly, except for cooking the vegetables. I’ve made beef stew in the past and the carrots and potatoes never soften enough, so I decided to put all the veggies in the pan with the onions, and garlic. I cooked them for an additional 10-20 minutes, stirring frequently. The results, all the carrots and potatoes were soft when the 8 hours at low was done. Love this recipe, and will make again!
Best stew recipe ever! I was short on time and patience in my prep and I left out the flour and skipped the step of blending the flour, paste, brith, etc. in a blender. I just put tomato paste, broth, s&p in the slow cooker and stirred it and everything still turned out fantastic!
Takes a while to prep, but the recipe is a keeper.
I dont usually leave reviews on food but felt this one needed it – absolutely fantastic recipe! Thank you!
Can you cook high 4 hour?
Only 2 cups of broth is not enough. Ended up adding the rest of the broth in 32 oz container. Much better.
I followed the recipe except for the peas, and it was the best stew that I have ever made! My husband and I loved it. It was even better the next day. I am saving it as my new and best stew recipe.
So glad you both enjoyed it!
Easy best stew ever made. Taste super rich and very filling. Will be making again!
You had me at Crockpot and WW friendly. Super Yum !
Thoughts on making this in an instant pot? Seems like it could be done?
has anyone tried the instant pot???
I’m absolute CRAP at cooking and don’t care to try, yet this comes out delicious every time! My girlfriend, a fantastic cook, loves it! Because of this, I subtly play it off as if I’m some sort of genius when in reality it’s simple. Some day, she’ll figure me out but for now, it’s smooth cruising 😀 5 stars baybay!
YUM! Thanks for sharing. Meat was very tender; potatoes were perfect. I like to be able to get them out of the pot without falling apart.
Excellent! I cut up an organic grass fed beef roast. I left out the celery, and I used organic vegetable broth instead of the beef broth. These changes were primarily due to my allergies. I also used my dual cooker as a pressure cooker for 1 hour. I followed your recipe for all other steps.
Can I use arrowroot instead of flour in this recipe and maybe butternut squash instead of potatoes?
This was excellent. Flavor’s were perfect. The only thing I did different was use small potatoes and put them in whole. The prep time for me was a bit longer but I am pretty slow when it comes to chopping. I bought the 3 pounds of meat and once I cut the fat out it came to 2 pounds. Can’t wait to make it again.
It’s still coming so my review is not in the taste yet.
I entered this recipe into my LoseIt! App and it says the total calories per serving is 563! Quite a difference from 356!
can you just cook this in the oven or on the stove since you need to use pans? For how long if you can.
Thank you.
Try this one! 🙂
https://www.skinnytaste.com/beef-stew/
As others have said, the perfect cold weather meal! It was a bit of prep, but since I leave early for work I did the prep including both pre-browning steps the night before and put everything in the fridge. Before I left in the morning all I had to do was fill the crock pot and turn it on. It was done in just over 7 hours on low. The meat is very tender and the flavor is outstanding.
Delicious and easy! I ended up adding more salt. Perfect Sunday night winter dinner.
Delicious !
Delicious! Great meal on a cold winter day! Family loved it
Never have I made a bad recipe from SkinnyTaste, Gina! Never! When I saw the new WW lowered points, I decided I’d give it a go as a meal prep for the week. Wow! To be honest, I’m not a big beef stew fan, as a rule but this was SO GOOD! Made it exactly as written, and MAY have worked up a bit of a sweat trimming the roast! Haha. I only got two servings for myself, because my husband beat me to the rest of it! Making it again, this time with venison because we have so much of it.
Question! Trying to figure out why the fat content is 10.5g per serving here, but 22g in your stovetop beef stew? The ingredients are essentially identical. Is one not accurate?
I would like to make this beef stew but so not own a slow cooker. Can anyone recommend a good one to buy?
I have this one! https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EZI26GO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8%22%3EHamilton%20Beach%2033969A%20Set%20%27n%20Forget%20Programmable%20Slow%20Cooker,%206-Quart%3C/a%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir
When prepping for the stew this morning, I made a comment that it’s a lot of work and I would probably only have it once a year. I lied. It was totally worth the time and effort and I will definitely make this again soon! This stew is absolutely delicious! Perfect for weight watchers, too.
I bought a 1.5 LB one and I predict it’ll be 1LB after cutting off the fat. Does this adjust the cooking time?
Love! I followed the exact recipe and wouldn’t change anything. It turned out delicious. Definitely keeping this in the winter dinner rotation!
This recipe will be on repeat! The meat and veggies are perfectly cooked and the broth is thick and flavorful. Best beef stew I’ve ever had!
Thanks Jen!
Best beef stew ever! I used beef from my local farm and so it was high quality.
Tonight we enjoyed it with a side of mashed potatoes.
Tomorrow we will enjoy it with a side of whole wheat egg noodles.
So tasty, satisfying and healthy too! Thank you Gina and happy holidays!
New WW points is 1
Great flavor. I salted the beef when I browned it and didn’t need to add any salt at the end.
Easy and delicious. We made this and followed the recipe exactly and it was so tasty. The size is perfect for two people with leftovers. I was worried about cooking the veggies and they would be mushy, but it was perfect.
Can I make this in the crock pot on high for 4 hrs?
I tried four hours on high today and my potatoes were not soft. The recipe was great, but I think it really needs the full eight hours on low.
This was the best beef stew! I made it for family dinner tonight and everyone loved it.
Here’s a Q for all of you: Can I prep this the night before (mixing sauce ingredients, browning meat and vegs and putting them together in the fridge overnight) and dump it all in the cooker in the morning? Or will it affect flavors, textures and cooking times at all. Thanks!
I have the same question did you try it?
Yes!!
Girl! I made this recipe for my mom and husband and we all loved it! I’m not even much of a stew person but it was super good! The meat just fell apart and the flavor was chefs kiss. I paired it with your Jiffy Corn Casserole. Def a repeat!
Glad everyone enjoyed it!
Delicious! Probably the best beef stew I have ever made. The only changes I made were I used the whole 8 oz package of mushrooms (otherwise they would have gone to waste), increased the potatoes to 2 cups (oh, I didn’t bother to peel them), and I used the whole 32 oz container of broth. I worried about the extra broth diluting the taste, but it didn’t. Will make again!
Question, I have never had luck freezing cooked potatoes. They seem to be grainy when defrosted. Would that be the case w this stew? BTW delicious!
Hello! How can I adjust this recipe to cook in a Dutch oven in the oven? I don’t have a crockpot. Thanks!
https://www.skinnytaste.com/beef-stew/ 🙂
Best Beef Stew I ever made!
This was delicious and a great fall slow cooker meal!
First time making this recipe. It’s easy, full of flavor and very filling! You will not regret making this hearty meal!
Delish! I’ve been making beef stew over the years, but this is the first one my husband stopped eating it to tell me it was really good, and to be sure and fix it the same way next time.
This stew is absolutely delicious and checks all the boxes for me. As a med student, I’m always looking for nutritious recipes that are low maintenance, budget-friendly, and great for my weekly meal prep. Thanks for sharing, Gina!
Amazing as written! I added a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes last time and really liked it. I might swap in pearl onions just for fun next time.
This is the best homemade beef stew I have ever tasted. I followed the instructions closely, and it was such a warm bowl of comfort! We didn’t have any mushrooms in the house, but it was still incredible! Next time! Also- worth the extra time to trim the fat from the beef as much as possible, especially if texture is important to you. Thank you for hitting this one out of the park, Gina!
Fantastic recipe in the slow cooker. Yes, it takes a bit of time to prep it but once in the slow cooker you can forget about it. I used sweet potatoes and oh so delicious. I didn’t have 8 hours so I did the first hour or so in high and then turned it to low for about 5 hours. This will be my go to beef stew recipe.
So delicious! My son spotted this while I was scrolling recipes and asked me to make it. A keeper for sure!
Really good directions. Pretty much easy to follow. Couple mistakes I made by not completely reading all the way through first. Then again as I’m actually starting. Example: I put the frozen peas with everything. Needed 3 cups of broth. By time I finished, everything in cooker I didn’t have 8 hours. Put cooker on high. Just me: I decided to blend everything in the slow cooker. That way everything is cooking together ❤️.
Great recipe! Mine was done after 6.5 hours on low in the crockpot. The meat fell apart.
Extremely disappointed in this stew! I followed the recipe to a T and it tastes so bland. This is the first crock pot recipe that has ever been a fail for me..
Oh I’m so glad to read this – I thought it was just me. Made it exactly, but used unsalted beef broth so I could control the sodium, but I did season it up quite a bit and it was still bland. Added some worcestershire after the fact but still needs more flavor.
It def needs salt or it will be bland.
This stew has the best flavor! And the consistency is perfect. I really loved it and will definitely make it again.
It’s pretty hot out, but this still hit the spot. I can’t imagine a recipe for beef stew being any more perfect.
This was definitely delicious! I don’t eat read meat so I used pork instead which paired well with the sweet potatoes! Substituted beef broth for chicken and my husband love it!! Thanks Gina for your great recipes!
Can this made in the instant pot or on high in the slow cooker?
Following! Would love to know this too!
I made this in the instant pot last night. I combined everything except the peas and cooked it for 30 mins, with a 10 minute natural release. I then added the peas and thickened it the stew. (I didn’t use the flour earlier in the recipe). It turned out great.
Delicious! My husband had been craving beef stew and this popped up. Delicious and easy. Thank you for the recipes Gina!
Do you have to brown the meat first or can you just throw it in raw?
Can you replace half of the beef broth with red wine in the slow cooker, beef stew recipe?
Sure!
This is so delicious. I can’t wait to make it for my family. Even though it’s 100 degrees here in Texas today I still enjoyed it for lunch inside my home with AC. The favors just all blend together so well. I got to use my thyme from my garden which was great. I am adding this to my rotation for sure. I cooked it stove top in my Dutch Oven for two hours on low.
Glad you enjoyed it! Hope it cools down soon!
What size crockpot did you use?
Thanks
Marcia
6 quart
Love all the ingredients but don’t love the flavor of beef broths I have used from grocery store. . Is there a substitute or a favorite brand of beef broth that you prefer? Thanks ! Love ALL your recipes.
I really love bone broth, it adds extra protein too. Brodo is the best!
Hi Brenda! I like the Pacific Foods Low Sodium Broths/Bone (Beef, Chicken, and Veggie). This Recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait to make it! Thank you!
I haven’t made the Beef Stew yet, I am in Houston and it is 100 degrees, but will make it when it cools down here. I love all the recipes from you. I have saved and used MANY of them. I recommend them at my WW meetings also.
Thank you!!!!
Can you do all of the browning the night before, put it in the fridge and then put everything in the crockpot in the morning?
That’s what I do!