Here’s a hearty slow cooker beef stew recipe—perfect for tender, flavorful beef with vegetables:
Ingredients (serves 4–6)
- 2 lbs (900 g) beef chuck, cut into 1–2 inch cubes
- 4 medium carrots, sliced
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup red wine (optional, can replace with extra broth)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for searing, optional but recommended)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
Instructions
- Optional: Sear the beef
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- Sear beef cubes until browned on all sides (adds flavor but not required).
- Add ingredients to slow cooker
- Place beef, carrots, potatoes, onion, and garlic in the slow cooker.
- Stir in beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
- Cook
- Cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours or high for 3–4 hours, until beef is tender.
- Optional: Thicken the stew
- Mix 2 tbsp flour with 2–3 tbsp cold water to make a slurry.
- Stir into stew and cook for another 15–20 minutes to thicken.
- Serve
- Remove bay leaves, adjust seasoning, and serve hot with bread or over rice.
💡 Tips
- Add peas or green beans in the last 30 minutes for extra color and freshness.
- For richer flavor, let the stew sit for a few hours or overnight—flavors meld beautifully.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day!
If you want, I can also give a foolproof “5-ingredient slow cooker beef stew” that’s super quick and still tasty.
Do you want me to do that?
