Slow cooker beef stew is a cozy (and easy!) meal.

This crockpot beef stew recipe is chock full of tender chunks of beef and hearty root veggies all slow-cooked in a rich and meaty broth.

crock pot filled with Crockpot Beef Stew

This crock pot beef stew is an all-in-one meat and veggie meal. It has great flavor and is designed specifically for the slow cooker. I make this beef stew if using the stovetop.

Holly’s Recipe Highlights

  • Flavor: This beef stew has a rich brown gravy and lots of veggies for a homestyle stew the whole family will love.
  • Technique: Sear the beef to add extra flavor—do this in batches because if you overcrowd the pan, you won’t get a good sear.
  • Ingredient Tip: Use chuck roast if possible for the most tender beef.
  • Swaps: You can use other root vegetables in addition to or instead of those called for in this recipe.
  • Serving suggestions: You can skip the potatoes in the stew and spoon it over mashed potatoes.
potatoes , oil , broth , flour , chuck roast , garlic , thyme , rosemary , celery , carrots , cornstarch , worcestershire , onion , vegetable juice , peas with labels to make Crock Pot Beef Stew

Ingredients Tips for Crock Pot Beef Stew

  • Beef: For the most tender results, use cubed chuck roast. Stewing beef, which is usually trimmings from steak, can also be used.
  • Vegetables: Onion, carrots, and celery add great flavor.
  • Potatoes: Potatoes slightly thicken the broth and make it this stew hearty and filling. Waxy potatoes (like red, Yukon gold, or baby potatoes) hold their shape better than russets, but either can be used.
  • Broth: This beefy and flavorful broth is the foundation of crockpot beef stew – use beef stock or broth. You can substitute one cup of broth for dry red wine for a boost of flavor—try Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. Add it to the pan in Step 4 to deglaze it.
  • Vegetable juice: Vegetable juice adds a flavor boost without making the broth too tomato-forward. It can be replaced with a reduced sodium version or bloody mary mix.

How to Make Crockpot Beef Stew

  1. Brown seasoned beef in a skillet, transfers to the crockpot and cook onion before adding it in.
  2. Deglaze the skillet with broth or wine, pour into the crockpot, and add the remaining ingredients except peas (full recipe below).
  3. Cook until beef is tender, stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken, then add peas and heat through.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

bowl of Crock Pot Beef Stew with crockpot in the back

Holly’s Helpful Hints

  • Instead of a cornstarch slurry, you can thicken crockpot beef stew with potato flakes.
  • If prep time is short, toss in a bag of frozen vegetable medley in Step 5.

Storing Leftover Stew

Leftover slow cooker beef stew can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen in zippered bags for up to 4 months.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop. Feel free to toss in any extra veggies from the fridge!

Crockpot Comfort in a Bowl

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Crockpot Beef Stew

This Crockpot beef stew is a cozy, flavorful dish with tender beef, hearty veggies, and rich gravy, perfect for any chilly day.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
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Ingredients  

  • 2 pounds beef chuck roast or stewing beef
  • 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 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.
4.95 from 735 votes

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
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Crockpot Beef Stew in a bowl with writing
Crockpot Beef Stew in the pot and plated with a title

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. I’ve made this recipe before and it was so good. This time I would like to add mushrooms to the stew, when should I add them?

    1. Hi Edith, you can add them in at the beginning. But if you prefer your mushrooms to be less soft you could add them towards the end as they don’t take long to fully cook.

  2. I actually started another recipe that flopped and I had to start over, uggg. I found yours and thought it sounded easy enough and since I already had most of the same meat and vege’s cut up I gave it try.
    It was absolutely delicious and instructions were easy to follow. I added some Daikon to my vege mix because I already had it.
    What I enjoyed the most about your recipe is the use of V8 type juice in lieu of diced or crushed tomatoes. I’m not a fan of beef stew with a huge tomato taste and the cup of V8 was perfect. I plan on making more of your recipes, thanks for sharing this one.5 stars

  3. This is my go to easy meal!! It’s so delicious & easy to prepare in the morning so I can enjoy it for dinner I highly recommend giving it a try!5 stars

  4. This was so delicious! The meat was so soft it just melted in our mouths, the potatoes, carrots, celery and peas were on point and the flavor was absolute perfection! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!!5 stars

  5. my family all love this which is awesome because they’re all unique in what foods they like.
    My husband smelt it from the end of the street when I first made it and couldn’t believe it was coming from our house. I like to empty the veggie draw into it too. saving money and food5 stars

  6. I made this Beef Stew, it turned out so good my husband and I loved it, came out great for my first time making Beef Stew.5 stars

  7. This looks great! I’m excited to try. I have V8 Spicy Hot on hand (we use it in goulash), do you think that will make much of a difference or should I go out and get some original V8?

  8. So delicious! I’ve made it several times, and use a can of dice tomatoes with the juice instead of vegetable juice!

  9. this turned out pretty well. next time I wont use celery and will add potatoes a little later, maybe by an hour as I like them a little more firm. the really surprise was that my husband liked this. he is very picky so the fact he liked this is a win.

    also would have helped if id remembered my crock pot is a 4 qt and not 6 qt lol4 stars

  10. This recipe was absolutely delicious and easy to make! I’m having a dinner party next week and my husband wants me to make it for the party instead of the chicken recipe I was going to make. Thank you for the great recipe!5 stars

    1. Hi Alexia, we have only tried this recipe in a 6qt crockpot but if you reduce the ingredients it should fit into a 4.5 qt. Let us know how it turns out!

    1. Hi Veronica, we have only made this recipe as listed so I can’t say for sure. But you could replace the vegetable juice with tomato sauce or even a extra beef broth. It will change the flavor but will still be delicious.

  11. This is truly the best stew ever. I make it all the time and by boyfriend goes bonkers over it. I never cared for the one my mom used to make but this is a winner. Try it you will not be disappointed.5 stars

  12. I made exact recipe without rosemary and thyme and it was very good. Every recipe I have tried from your website has been good. Thank you!5 stars

  13. I made the yesterday…..OHHHH SOOOOO GOOOD. I mixed it up the night before, put it in the fridge, started it before I left for work, came home and it was done. Had it with some good cornbread. Will be making this all the time.5 stars

  14. Excellent standard beef stew recipe. I’m a home cook and this will be a part of our dinner cycle. It stands well on it’s own, adjust in anyway, and the flavors express well.5 stars