Slow Cooker Beef Stew
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One of my favorite hearty Fall meals is my Dutch Oven Beef Stew, and after years of constantly getting asked how to make it in the slow cooker, I decided to finally adapt it and write it up for the blog!
This Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe is part of my 2025 Fall Series and is the perfect, hearty, comforting meal that couldn’t be easier to make! All you have to do is brown the meat, toss everything in the slow cooker, and let it do the work for you. Once your meat is fall-apart tender, just add a little cornstarch slurry and cold butter to thicken it up and enjoy! You’ll have a restaurant-worthy meal with minimal effort and maximum flavor!
Serve this delicious, hearty beef stew with my Overnight No Knead Bread or 1-Hour Dinner Rolls. Or, serve over my Garlic Mashed Potatoes for the ultimate comforting meal!
Table Talk with Tawnie
Trust me when I say, this beef stew is the only stew recipe you’ll ever need! It’s packed with rich, complex flavors, is full of tender beef and vegetables, and is so easy to make you won’t even believe this recipe is real. There’s truly nothing better than comfort food during the chilly months, and it’s even better when there is minimal effort required to make it!
- Beef chuck: I used well-marbled beef chuck, which is ideal for slow cooking. This is a flavorful cut of beef that practically melts in your mouth if it’s cooked low and slow. You can use the pre-cut stew beef at the store, or purchase a beef chuck/chuck roast, brisket, or round and cut it into chunks.
- Vegetables: For the vegetables, you’ll need a yellow onion, carrots, celery, golden baby potatoes, and frozen peas.
- Red wine: The dry red wine complements the broth and helps create a richer flavor in the stew. I suggest using dry red wine like Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir, since they blend well with the rest of the ingredients. But you can use whatever wine you love to drink since there will be some leftover in the bottle!
- Beef broth: Beef broth adds lots of flavor to the stew, but you can also use chicken or vegetable broth. I prefer to use low-sodium beef broth, but you can use regular store-bought beef broth, homemade beef broth, or beef bone broth for extra protein and nutrients.
- Herbs and seasonings: You’ll need one tablespoon each of chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Or, you can use one teaspoon each of dried herbs. You’ll also need 2 bay leaves, and I like to garnish the finished stew with chopped chives or parsley.
Step by Step Directions
(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)
Sear the beef
Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss in flour until evenly coated. Sear the beef in a large skillet until browned on all sides.
Add ingredients to slow cooker
Transfer the seared beef to the slow cooker, then add the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and potatoes. Whisk together the broth ingredients and pour over the beef and vegetables.
Cook
Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hours. Combine the cornstarch and water to make the slurry. Add the slurry and frozen peas into the slow cooker and replace the lid until the stew thickens, about ~15 minutes.
Finish the stew
Then, just before serving, add in the cold butter and stir for a rich, silky finish.
Serve & enjoy!
Ladle stew into warm bowls and garnish! Serve with crusty bread or over creamy mashed potatoes and ENJOY!
Expert Tips
- Brown meat in batches: Make sure not to overcrowd the pan when browning the meat. Overcrowding the pan can lower the cooking temperature and cause the meat to release its juices, which will affect the full flavor of the stew. If needed, brown the meat in batches to ensure a good sear on each side of the beef.
- Use cold butter: Use cold butter at the end of cooking. The cold butter emulsifies into the hot broth, giving the stew a rich, silky finish.
- Low and slow: I HIGHLY recommend cooking this recipe on low for 8-10 hours. Slow cooking is the most important step to a great stew. Cooking the beef low and slow helps to break down the connective tissue, resulting in a rich, tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef stew. If you try to cook this stew on high, it can cause the meat to be tough and flavorless.
- Make ahead of time: This beef stew tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop. Feel free to make in advance or for meal prep and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Fall Series
Back by popular demand is my Fall series for 2025! This year I’ve worked on more pumpkin goodies, slow cooker comfort meals, and drool worthy apple desserts. There’s something for everyone to enjoy & if you want more, have to check out the previous year’s Fall featured recipes too!
Storage / Freezing
- Store: Store beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Let the beef stew cool completely. Then freeze for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before heating and enjoying.
- Reheat: My preferred method to reheat the stew is in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can add a splash of broth or water to help loosen it up. Or, microwave in 1-minute intervals on 70% power, stirring in between until heated through.
FAQs
What type of red wine is best for this beef stew?
Cabernet, Merlot, or Pinot Noir are some of my favorite wines to use since they blend well with the other ingredients. However, use any dry red wine you like to drink, since there will be some leftover after cooking.
Why is my beef tough in the slow cooker?
If the beef isn’t tender, it usually means it hasn’t cooked long enough. Keep cooking, as the beef will soften as the connective tissue breaks down. When the beef is done, it will be easily shreddable with a fork.
What kind of potatoes should I use for this stew?
Yukon gold or red potatoes hold their shape best in this stew. Russet potatoes tend to fall apart and make the broth starchier.
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
Beef:
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
- ~2 lbs. well-marbled beef chuck (cut into 1-inch cubes)
- kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Vegetables & Aromatics:
- 1 large yellow onion (diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 4 carrots (sliced into diagonal pieces)
- 3-4 celery stalks (diced)
- 1 lb. golden baby potatoes (halved or quartered if large)
- 1/2 cup frozen peas (added at the end)
- chopped chives or fresh parsley (for garnish)
Liquids & Flavor Base:
- 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 cup dry red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir)
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Herbs & Seasoning:
- 1 tbsp each: chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, and parsley ((or 1 tsp dried each))
- 2 bay leaves
To Finish:
- 2 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp cold water (for slurry)
- 3 tbsp cold, unsalted butter (for velvety texture)
Last step! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Prepare the beef: Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels (moisture prevents browning). Season generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Toss the beef in flour until evenly coated.~2 lbs. well-marbled beef chuck, kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- Sear for flavor: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil until shimmering. In batches, sear the beef until browned on all sides (about 1 minute per side). Transfer browned beef to the base of a 6-quart slow cooker.2 Tbsp. olive oil or vegetable oil
- Layer the vegetables: Scatter the onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and potatoes evenly over the seared beef.1 large yellow onion, 4 garlic cloves, 4 carrots, 3-4 celery stalks, 1 lb. golden baby potatoes
- Build the broth: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, red wine, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, Balsamic vinegar, and herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley). Season with a pinch more salt and pepper. Pour this mixture over the meat and vegetables. Nestle in the bay leaves.3 Tbsp. tomato paste, 1 cup dry red wine, 4 cups low-sodium beef broth, 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce, 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard, 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp each: chopped fresh thyme, rosemary, and parsley, 2 bay leaves
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 8–10 hoursStart Timer, or until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are meltingly soft.
- Thicken stew: Combine the cornstarch and water to make the slurry. Add slurry and frozen peas into the slow cooker and replace the lid until the stew thickens, about ~15 minutes.1/2 cup frozen peas, 2 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp cold water
- Add butter: Then, just before serving, add in the cold butter and stir for a rich, silky finish.3 tbsp cold, unsalted butter
- Serve & garnish: Ladle into warm bowls. Top with chopped chives or parsley. Serve with crusty bread or over creamy mashed potatoes for a heartier meal.chopped chives or fresh parsley
Notes
- Store: Store beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Let the beef stew cool completely. Then freeze for up to 3 months and defrost in the fridge for 24 hours before heating and enjoying.
- Reheat: My preferred method to reheat the stew is in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. You can add a splash of broth or water to help loosen it up. Or, microwave in 1-minute intervals on 70% power, stirring in between until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is automatically calculated. It should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Kroll’s Korner can’t make any guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
📸 Photos by Megan McKeehan of The Broke Girl Table
