Perfect! A slow cooker beef stew is comforting, hearty, and basically “set it and forget it.” Here’s an easy, flavorful recipe:
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients (6 servings)
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1–2 inch cubes
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3–4 potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 2–3 tbsp flour (for thickening, optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (for browning, optional but adds flavor)
Instructions
- (Optional) Brown the beef
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high.
- Brown beef cubes on all sides, 4–5 minutes. Adds flavor but can skip if in a hurry.
- Add ingredients to slow cooker
- Beef, carrots, potatoes, onion, garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves.
- Pour in beef broth. Stir to combine.
- Cook
- Low: 7–8 hours
- High: 4–5 hours
- Meat should be tender, vegetables soft.
- Thicken (optional)
- Mix 2–3 tbsp flour with ¼ cup water to make a slurry.
- Stir into stew and cook 15–20 min on high until thickened.
- Finish & Serve
- Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt/pepper.
- Serve hot with bread or over rice.
💡 Tips
- Add a splash of red wine or balsamic vinegar for deeper flavor.
- Frozen vegetables (peas, corn) can be stirred in the last 30 minutes.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day—the flavors meld beautifully.
If you want, I can give a “super hands-off 5-ingredient slow cooker beef stew” that’s even faster and still tastes like it simmered all day.
Do you want that version?
