This cozy crockpot beef stew is comfort food made easy, with tender beef, hearty veggies, and a rich, flavorful gravy that simmers while you get on with your day.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Savory, well-seasoned slow cooker beef stew with tender beef and veggies that soak up the broth.
- Why Make It: Browning the beef and deglazing the pan gives this crockpot beef stew a rich, roast-like flavor without extra ingredients.
- Recommended Tools: 6-quart slow cooker, large skillet, sturdy spatula for scraping up browned bits.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with biscuits, cornbread, or crusty bread, perfect for dunking every last bite.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef: Cubed chuck roast works best because it gets tender and flavorful after a long cook. Keep pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Vegetables: Onion, carrots, and celery add great flavor. Chop them into 1-inch pieces so they hold up during cooking.
- Potatoes: Yukon Gold or red potatoes hold their shape beautifully in this stew, while russets get softer and are best peeled before cooking.
- Broth: For added flavor, try swapping a cup of the broth for a dry red wine like Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Let it simmer for about 1 minute in the skillet before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Vegetable Juice: Adding vegetable juice gives the stew a little extra depth and subtle sweetness, but you can swap in tomato juice, low-sodium V8, or just use extra broth with a tablespoon or two of tomato paste.
- Variations: If you’re using fresh green beans, cook them for about 45 minutes. Optional add-ins include mushrooms (with the veggies), pearl onions (instead of chopped onion), or a bay leaf. Just remember to remove the bay leaf before serving.
How to Make Beef Stew in a Crock Pot
- Toss the beef with flour. Brown in a skillet. Place in the slow cooker.
- Sauté the onion. Deglaze the skillet (full recipe below).
- Add to the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients except peas.
- Cook. Stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken, then add peas and heat through.
Storing and Reheating Tips
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days. Or store in the freezer for 4 months.
To Reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then reheat on the stove top, stirring occasionally. It thickens as it sits, so add a splash of broth if needed.
Cozy Slow Cooker Comforts
Did you enjoy this Crockpot Beef Stew Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast or stewing beef, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 4 cups beef broth divided, or beef stock *see note
- 3 cups diced potatoes peeled*
- 2 large carrots cut into 1-inch pieces, about 2 cups
- 3 ribs celery cut into 1-inch pieces, about 1 cup
- 1 cup vegetable juice such as V8
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 1 sprig fresh
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Toss the beef in the flour mixture.
- In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown in batches, about 2 minutes per side. Place the beef in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onion and cook until tender. Add the onion to the slow cooker.
- Add 1 cup of beef broth (or red wine per the recipe notes below) to the skillet and scrape up any brown bits with a spatula.
- Add the broth to the slow cooker along with the remaining 3 cups of broth, potatoes, carrots, celery, vegetable juice, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, and thyme.
- Cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours or until beef is fork tender.
- In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Add to the stew a little bit at a time to thicken (you may not need all of the cornstarch mixture). Stir in the peas.
- Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until thickened and heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Video
Notes
- Browning: Brown the beef in small batches without overcrowding the pan. If the pan is too full, the beef will steam instead of browning. Browning the beef adds extra flavor to the stew.
- Broth: 1 cup of red wine can be substituted for 1 cup of beef broth. If using red wine, add it to the pan after searing the beef to deglaze. Let it simmer in the pan for about 1 minute before adding it to the slow cooker.
- Peas/Beans: If you add fresh green beans in place of peas, they will need about 45 minutes to cook. Frozen peas just need to be heated through, they can be added during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
- Potatoes: Any variety of potato can be used in this recipe. Red potatoes, Yukon golds, or baby potatoes do not require peeling and hold their shape better. Baking or russet potatoes should be peeled.
- Leftovers: Leftover beef stew can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 4 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 2cups | Calories: 372 | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 714mg | Potassium: 1181mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 3453IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Do you have to brown meat first? Wondering if I can just put the meat in.
We find that browning the beef provides the best results. Hope that helps!
I just LOVE this recipe
Great recipe, but needs less potatoes and more meat. It was more like a potato stew if anything but it was cool.
Can I make this with frozen beef ?
Hi Jenna, for best results we recommend defrosting prior to adding to this recipe. That way you can toss in the flour mixture and brown before adding to the crockpot.
Always love your recipes. They’re my go to for just about everything. Thanks for another good one
Hello, can this recipe be doubled exactly?
I haven’t tried doubling this recipe but it does take up most of the slow cooker so I can’t say for sure if it would fit. A slow cooker performs best at a maximum of ¾ full. It is possible for you to divide it between two slow cookers?
Best crock pot stew! That pretty much sums it up.
I’ve made it twice and the second time I added:
-minced garlic to pot (I add about a tablespoon but go crazy)
-Substitute veg juice for Mr. & Mrs. T Bloody Mary mix
-Parsnips
-1 cup red wine
-Half tablespoon of smoked paprika
Made 3-4 beef chunks about 2×3” with an extra crispy sear. Then smaller chunks with light sear for the rest.
It’s my families favorite winter meal now!
Your substitutions sound delicious, Scott. Thanks for sharing!
Today is the second time I’ve made this. Made it about 1 1/2 months ago when we had a friend visiting. She’s a picky eater and absolutely loved it as my husband and I did too! It makes a lot for the two of us so I plan to freeze half for later. Love this very easy to make recipe and do recommend it. It’s very easy to substitute veggies, juice etc that you like. I love Spend With Pennies site!
This was very flavorful! Easy to make! My picky eaters had seconds!
This is the best beef stew I’ve ever had! I did substitute 1/2 can tomato soup and 1/2 can of water since I didn’t have any V8 juice. Turned out so delicious!!
Thank you!!
It was good !
I didn’t brown the meat or anything ~ I never do before the crockpot ~ as it’s not necessary .
I coated the beef with 1/2c flour & a dash of cornstarch in the pot then everything else went on top
I love the flavours of the veg juice and worc sauce !
I added a cup of red wine and a lot of fresh garlic !
I stirred in frozen peas and fresh mushrooms for the last hour
Cooking time for me was only 5 hours on LOW ~ soft veggies & thick gravy ~ delish !
Hi, can I add some barley to this, and if so how much would you suggest ? I say your other recipe, but would like to try and add some to this.
Hi Nicole, we have this delicious vegetable barley soup that you might enjoy! But to add it into this recipe you will want to increase the broth to accommodate, up to another 4 cups.
This may be my fault. I did the high setting and the beef was tough. The sauce never thickened, even with adding more cornstarch and water. The taste was delicious. I will try the low setting next time and cook it longer
Sorry to hear that, Patty. If it was still tough, it may have needed additional cooking time or the chunks of beef may have been too large. If you try again on the low setting we would love to hear how it turns out!
This sounds insanely good! Looks beautiful too. which does wonders for a nice steak, so I’m sure the gremolata is indeed a great addition.
I’ve tried making beef stew before and always failed. Either the beef came out tough, the vegetables still crunchy, the list goes on. I’m so happy to say this recipe changed that! Follow the instructions exactly as written and this turns out perfect. Cooked for low on 7 hours and added two tablespoons of tomato paste with the rest of the ingredients at the beginning as I like mine with extra tomato flavor. Had a bowl at 6.5 hours and it was PERFECT. Make this! You will not be disappointed
This beef stew was fantastic. I did leave out the peas and used tomato juice instead of V-8. My preference and I made it, sooo. I cooked it on low for 7 hours. The vegetables were perfect. Not mushy but very tender and the meat was fall apart good. It’s a keeper. Thanks.
Best beef stew and easy to make! Followed suggestion to use 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon for 1 of the cups of broth. Yummy with crusty French rolls.
So glad you enjoyed it, Teri! Serving it with crusty French rolls sounds like the perfect combination.
Very good beef stew. When I made it, I didn’t have vegetable juice. I used a can of tomato soup and it was delicious. It’s a great fall and winter dish. I will make this often.
AMAZING!!!!
Made this stew today. Followed the recipe for the most part. Didn’t measure the amount of veggies and just eyeballed it. Also added a cube of dorot frozen garlic to the onions while cooking them. Deglazed with red wine. Added a little bit of creole seasoning, but not much.
The richness of the broth is next level. So deep and has a nice velvety texture. It’s exactly what I was hoping for when making a stew. So perfect for the rainy night.
I personally hate V8, but trusted the recipe and I think it’s a difference maker in the best of ways. My mom is coming over tomorrow and I am gonna give her some to take home. If she approves, this will be a 6 star recipe.
Thanks for this recipe, I will definitely be making this all winter. And also summer. It’s always stew season when it is this good.
Hello friends, my name is Dub and I am a soupaholic. (Hi Dub!). It’s been 12 days since I made this recipe, but today I relapsed. I know, I know. 12 days isn’t much, but it felt like and eternity and I couldn’t help myself.
Again followed the recipe to a tee(this time I even measured the veggies). I did however switch to a 60 day bottle aged worcestershire sauce from savory spice(no affiliation, it’s just REALLY good) and used a little more creole seasoning as well as the addition of 1 tsp Spanish smoked paprika.
This batch was even better than the last. This recipe is basically perfect as is (BTW my mom approved, so it’s officially 6 star) but also leaves a little wiggle room for personalization. Thanks again for this recipe, can’t wait to blow my in laws mind’s when I give them the leftovers. I no longer search for recipes for beef stew. This is the one.
Recipe is SUPER delicious! Thank you for sharing! In the nutrition facts, it does not show a serving amount, do you know if a serving is 1 cup or more?
Hi Erin, a serving is approximately 2 cups.
What kind of peas should I use? Canned? Frozen?
I use frozen peas in this recipe, Rebecca.