This slow cooker beef stew is the ultimate comfort food meal, and a favorite at our house! It’s proof that easy crockpot dinners can be deeply flavorful.
With tender chunks of beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich gravy, this crock pot beef stew is the kind of meal that warms you from the inside out. It is meal-prep and freezer-friendly too!
Cooking beef stew in the slow cooker often gets an unfair reputation for sometimes tasting “basic,” but that couldn’t be further from the truth! With a few simple techniques, you can achieve the same rich flavor as my hearty Dutch oven beef stew.
Like my slow cooker pot roast recipe or crockpot chicken stew, flavor always starts on the stovetop. That’s the secret to making the BEST slow cooker beef stew! Searing the beef, and sautéing and deglazing aromatics is what builds flavor.
Also, I skip the potatoes here (but feel free to add them!) because I think the stew gravy is best served over mashed potatoes! So good.
Secrets to an Ultra Flavorful Crock Pot Beef Stew
- Sear the beef for maximum flavor. Don’t skip this step! Searing the beef in a hot skillet creates a golden brown crust (the Maillard reaction) that adds a deep, savory complexity to the entire slow cooker stew.
- Deglaze! After searing, use red wine or beef broth to scrape up the browned bits. This liquid gold is packed with flavor.
- Cook on LOW for 8 hours. For the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, always cook your stew on the slow cooker’s low setting.
Ingredient Notes
Below, I included a few ingredient notes from recipe testing our slow cooker beef stew that you might find helpful.
- Chuck roast: For a large 7-quart Crockpot, you need 3 pounds of beef chuck roast. Cut into 1-inch cubes, excess fat trimmed. For the best flavor, find a nicely marbled piece.
- Red wine: Use a dry red wine like Merlot or Pinot Noir to help deepen and enrich the flavors. If not using wine, substitute with equal parts extra beef broth plus a splash of balsamic to get a similar acidity.
- Beef broth: The savory foundation that ties everything together for a hearty crockpot beef stew!
- Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste: These are the flavor boosters to balance out the richness of the stew.
- Carrots and celery: Cut into larger chunks so they can maintain structure during the slow cooking process. You can also add potatoes.
- Yellow onions and minced garlic: The aromatic staples that build a rich, flavorful base for the stew.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary, dried bay leaves: These fragrant herbs infuse the beef stew with aromatic flavors. If using dried, reduce quantities by half.
- Cornstarch: Combined with ¼ cup of room temperature water to help thicken the stew and give it a hearty consistency.
- Green peas: I use frozen. Stir in at the end for a pop of color and freshness. Can also use green beans.
- Italian parsley for garnish
- Other: Olive oil, garlic powder, salt and pepper
Note: We skip potatoes since this is served over mashed potatoes, but feel free to add cubed potatoes along with everything else.
How to Make Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker
With a little prep, this beef stew crock pot recipe comes together easily, and your slow cooker does the rest.
Step 1 | Season and sear beef
Season beef generously with garlic powder, salt and pepper. There’s no need to coat with flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In batches, sear the beef (avoiding overcrowding the pan) until a golden brown crust forms. This is the flavor! Transfer into a large 7-quart slow cooker.
Step 2 | Sauté aromatics and deglaze
In the same skillet (do not wipe clean), sauté onions, adding a splash of broth if needed. Then, stir in minced garlic, minced thyme and rosemary, and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the red wine, scraping the brown bits to fully deglaze. Bring to a light simmer until about half reduced. Transfer this into the slow cooker.
Step 3 | Add everything into crock pot
Make the flavorful stew broth. In a bowl, whisk beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
Add everything. Add the liquid into the slow cooker, along with the sliced carrots, and celery. Stir to combine. Note – This stew is served over mashed potatoes, so we don’t add potatoes in this recipe. But if you prefer, add 2 cups of cubed potatoes during this step.
Step 4 | Cook for 8 hours, thicken
Tuck in the fresh rosemary sprigs and dried bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until the beef is very tender.
About 30 minutes before cooking time is up, add the green peas and a cornstarch slurry (3 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water). Cover and finish cooking for the remaining time until thickened.
Step 5 | Garnish and serve
Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves. Finish your slow cooker beef stew with freshly chopped Italian parsley, season with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve the classic way, on a bed of mashed potatoes!
Tips for Success
- Don’t crowd the pan. When searing the beef, work in batches. If the pan is too full, the beef will steam instead of sear.
- Choose the right cut of beef. Chuck roast is ideal for beef stew. It has enough fat and connective tissue to stay tender during the long cook time.
- Fresh vs. dried herbs: Fresh herbs provide a better flavor, but dried work well too. If using dried, use about half of the amount of fresh.
- Cook time. 8 hours on LOW is best so the beef gets tender, but if you’re short on time, 4-5 hours on HIGH will be fine.
- Thickening: Add the cornstarch slurry near the end for best results.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Substitute with beef broth plus a splash of balsamic vinegar when deglazing if you’d like for a bit of acidity.
Yes, add about 2 cups cubed yukon gold potatoes along with the carrots. Personally, I skip them in this specific crockpot beef stew recipe because the rich gravy is absolutely incredible served over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes!
While LOW for 8 hours is best for tender beef, 4-5 hours on the high setting will work too.
Add a cornstarch slurry method in the last 30 minutes only. For the slurry, dissolve 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with about ¼ cup water (room temp).
Make Ahead and Freezing
Make ahead: Beef stew actually gets even better the next day! Prepare as directed, let it cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving. Reheat over the stovetop with an extra splash of broth to loosen up the gravy.
Freezing: Store freezer-safe bags or Souper Cubes containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating over the stovetop. You can also reheat directly from frozen in the oven or stovetop.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Mashed potatoes: Try my Spinach Mashed Potatoes.
Bread: Garlic Dinner Rolls or just warmed up crusty bread to soak up all that gravy. Also, try my Cast Iron Skillet Cornbread recipe!
Veggies: Lemon Green Beans or Balsamic Brussels Sprouts.
More Stew and Roast Recipes
Need more inspiration? Try my French Onion Pot Roast or Italian Pot Roast recipes!
I’d love to hear from you! If you loved my recipe, please consider leaving a 5-star rating and a comment down below. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chuck roast - cut into 1-inch cubes, excess fat trimmed
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil - for searing
- 1 medium yellow onion - diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme and rosemary - minced
- 1 cup red wine - I use Pinot Noir
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 carrots - peeled and sliced
- 2 stalks celery - chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch - dissolved in ¼ cup room temp water
- ½ cup green peas
- Chopped Italian parsley - for garnish
- Mashed potatoes for serving - see notes
Instructions
- Season beef: Season the cubed beef generously with 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Sear beef: Heat a few generous drizzles of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, then sear until browned, working in batches as needed to get a good sear (prevents steaming). Transfer to a large 7-quart slow cooker. Do not wipe the skillet clean.
- Sauté the aromatics: In the same skillet, saute onion for 3 minutes. If needed, add a splash of broth to help deglaze the brown bits. Then, add minced garlic, minced thyme and rosemary, and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
- Deglaze with wine: Stir in the red wine, scraping up brown bits to deglaze the pan. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 3-4 minutes until about half reduced. Transfer this into the slow cooker as well.
- Add everything into slow cooker: Whisk beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of ground black pepper. Add this mixture into the slow cooker, along with the carrots and celery. Stir to combine. Note – if using potatoes, add them in this step.
- Slow cook: Tuck in the sprigs of rosemary and bay leaves. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or until the beef is very tender.
- Thicken stew and add peas: 30 minutes before the cook time is up, stir in the cornstarch slurry (cornstarch dissolved with water), as well as the green peas. Cover and finish cooking for the remaining time until thickened.
- Finish the beef stew with freshly chopped Italian parsley, season with more salt and pepper if needed. Remove the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves before serving. Serve warm over mashed potatoes!
Notes
- Potatoes: We skip adding potatoes into the slow cooker since the stew is served over mashed potatoes. Feel free to add 2 cups cubed potatoes if desired.
- Cookware: 7-quart slow cooker.
- Cook time: 8 hours on LOW, or 4-5 hours on HIGH.
- Meat: The best meat to use is a 3 lbs chuck roast so that it gets nice and tender.
- Sear in batches to ensure browning the meat.
- Red wine should be reduced on the stovetop before adding to the crockpot to avoid boozy sauce.
- Chop the vegetables into large chunks to maintain structure.
- Add cornstarch slurry and peas in the final 30 minutes of cooking to thicken the sauce.
- Make ahead: Prepare the entire stew, let it cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before serving.
- Storage: Place leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Place cooled stew in a freezer safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
- Red wine: Use equal parts extra beef broth and extra balsamic.
- Green peas: Frozen corn or 1 inch piece green beans.
- Dried rosemary and thyme: Use half the quantities listed for fresh.
- Potatoes: Add chopped or halved potatoes if desired.
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