{Best Ever!} Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe - Belly Full (2024)

Hearty slow cooker beef stew, loaded with vegetables, super tender meat, and packed with incredible flavor. Dig into classic comfort food after a long day, this crock pot recipe is family dinner perfection!

Other slow cooker recipes we love include this slow cooker pot roast and homemade applesauce – the house smells amazing when those cook all day!

I took my unbelievable classic beef stew recipe (<< seriously the best beef stew ever – MAKE IT!), tweaked several ingredients and converted it to the crock pot and this slow cooker beef stew was born. It’s so delicious!

That’s saying a lot, since I’m not a huge crock pot lover. But this recipe is great – the vegetables are tender, but not mushy and the flavor is totally there. Not bland at all, like so many slow cooker recipes tend to be. Whomp whomp.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need!

• Meat – beef chuck roast
• Veggies – baby new potatoes, carrots, peas, onion, and garlic
• Seasonings – thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, mustard seeds, bay leaves, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper
• Liquids – low sodium beef broth, vegetable juice (like V8), Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste
• Other – extra-virgin olive oil to sauté the meat and flour (or cornstarch) to thicken the gravy

How to Make Beef Stew in Slow Cooker

It’s really easy to make this beef stew crock pot recipe! Here’s a brief rundown of steps. (Scroll down for the detailed printable.)

1. Warm olive oil in a large skillet.
2. Season beef with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and brown all over.
3. Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic into agreased 6-quart slow cooker.
4. Whisk together the liquids and seasonings until well combined; pour over the the beef and vegetables.
5. Toss in bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
6. Cover and cook on low heat until meat is super tender and falling apart at the touch.
7. During the last 5 minutes, stir in the peas.
8. Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig.
9. Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with parsley and enjoy!

How long to cook beef stew in slow cooker? This recipe calls for 7-8 hours on low and then an additional 30 minutes if you’re thickening the broth. While you can cook on high for 3-4 hours, I do not recommend it. Low and slow is the way to go to achieve tender, fall-apart meat and deep flavors!

How to thicken a beef stew in slow cooker? If you want the liquid to be more like a gravy, you’ll create a slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup stew broth until combined and smooth. Slowly stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.

Beef Stew Crock Pot Recipe Notes

• Don’t cut the cubes of beef too small or they’ll fall apart before being able to soak up all the flavor from slow cooking all day.
• Brown the beef! Browning the beef before adding in all the other ingredients is key! Forming a nice crust on all the pieces of beef locks in flavor. This extra step is so worth it!
• You can peel your potatoes if you want, but for baby new potatoes, it’s not necessary. If they are on the extra large side, you might want to quarter them.
• Chicken broth can replace the beef broth if that’s all you have, although the overall taste will not be as deep.

Storing Leftovers

Stews are so good the next day, so make sure you save enough to have leftovers for lunch!

How long does beef stew last? Allow stew to cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze beef stew? Yes, you can freeze beef stew (although the vegetables tend to get softer and break down into smaller pieces after thawing.) Make sure to leave a 1/4-1/2 inch gap in the container to allow for expansion. Stored properly, it will keep in the freezer up to 3 months. If you know in advance you’ll want to freeze the stew, wait to thicken it until you reheat it.

What to Serve with Beef Stew

Loaded with beef and so many veggies, this is a complete meal in a bowl and doesn’t need anything else, but it’s hard to resist not serving it with fresh popovers or Irish soda bread warm from the oven to mop up the gravy!

Watch it Being Made

My mouth is watering just thinking about this dish again. Truly the best ever slow cooker beef stew – you’re going to love it!

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full onFacebook,Instagram,Pinterest, andYouTube!