Slow Cooker Beef Stew
This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is made by simmering beef, vegetables, and spices together in a crockpot to make a tender and savory soup. It is the definition of comfort food, perfect for warming you up inside and out. Serve this next to Creamy Mashed Potatoes and dinner is made.

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Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Unlike our Classic Beef Stew, this Beef Stew is made in a Crockpot. It’s a great set-it-and-forget-it meal! The stew is slow-cooked for hours until the beef is fall-apart tender and full of flavor. This beef stew recipe consists of hearty beef chuck roast and a variety of vegetables that are softened to perfection while cooking. The flavors from all the ingredients meld together as the stew simmers low and slow, making the stew exactly what it should be — perfect.

How to Cook Beef Stew in a Crockpot
One of the best parts about this hearty and comforting slow cooker beef stew is how easy it is to make. This hearty soup is the perfect make-ahead meal. Set it to stew in the morning and walk away — it’ll be ready for you just in time for dinner.
- Brown the beef: Preheat a skillet on medium-high heat with oil then brown the beef on all sides. Once browned, remove the beef and place in a separate dish.
- Sauté the onion: In the same skillet, sauté the onion in the leftover oil and beef juices.
- Combine all ingredients: Add soup ingredients into a crockpot. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours.
- Season to taste: Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Substitutions and Variations
If you don’t have the exact ingredients the recipe calls for on hand, here are some alternatives or additions to make your beef stew turn out great regardless.
- Beef: If you don’t have chuck roast, substitute rump roast, bottom round, or “beef stew meat.” These cuts of beef are typically more tough and full of connective tissue, but when slow-cooked, they become perfectly tender. Look for a good amount of marbling (fat) in the meat. More marbling means the meat will be melt-in-your-mouth delicious.
- Potatoes: The best potatoes for beef stew are Yukon gold potatoes. Red potatoes and sweet potatoes are also great alternatives as they have less starch and hold up well in a slow cooker. Add them peeled or unpeeled.
- Tomato paste: If you’re out of tomato paste, you have a few options. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce. Or, add an equal amount of ketchup (although ketchup does have a slightly sweeter flavor)
- Vegetables: Add chopped celery and garlic and sauté briefly with the onion to soften and infuse the flavors. Green beans, mushrooms, and frozen peas are also great additions to this hearty stew.

Tips for the Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Why settle on a regular beef stew when you can have an exceptional beef stew? Follow these tips to make your beef stew rich in flavor.
- Brown the beef and onions: For the best flavor and color, make sure to separately sauté and brown the beef and onions over medium-high heat. It’s okay if the meat is not fully cooked through as it will finish cooking while stewing.
- Adjust spices and vegetables: Feel free to add any of your favorite spices or vegetables to diversify the stew. A splash of Worcestershire sauce, a sprinkle of paprika, and sautéed celery are great options. Use what you have in your pantry and refrigerator.
- Avoid rushing the cooking process: For the most tender and flavorful meat, cook the stew long enough. If you rush the cooking process (skip browning the meat or shorten stew cook time), the meat can remain tough. The longer the stew is cooked, the softer the meat will be.
- Limit cooking time: If the stew is cooked for too long (such as overnight), the vegetables can become too tender. Overcooked vegetables will fall apart extremely easily and turn your stew into mush. If you plan to leave the stew in the crockpot, place the setting on “keep warm” after the stew has finished cooking.
How to Thicken Beef Stew
To thicken the stew, make a cornstarch slurry (start with 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 Tbsp cold water) and add to the crockpot at the end. Mix and stew for about 10 minutes or until thickened. Alternatively, add a tablespoon or two of flour when initially browning the meat.
To thin beef stew – add more beef broth and season to taste.

Common Questions
Searing the beef and onion before adding to the crockpot will improve the flavor and texture of the stew; however, it is not absolutely necessary. If you are low on time, add the raw onions and beef directly to the slow cooker.
With 2-inch cubes of beef, it is best to cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours to achieve tender meat. With smaller cubes of beef, the cooking time may decrease. Beef stew is cooked and ready when the beef is tender and falls apart easily when pierced with a fork.
This will fit into a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. We used an 8-quart slow cooker.
To Serve Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Beef stew is incredibly easy to serve because it’s a meal in itself. It is loaded with protein, vegetables, and carbs all in one. To top it off, serve Crusty French Bread or No-knead Artisan Bread on the side and dip the bread slices into the savory stew. Yum!
Alternatively, serve the beef stew as an option in a “soup and salad” dinner. For a salad, try Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad, Cobb Salad or Roasted Sweet Potato Kale Salad.

Make Ahead
Crockpot beef stew is a great meal to make-ahead, store, and reheat. Prepare the stew in the morning and have the slow cooker do all the hard work for you. You can also prepare it the night prior and follow these tips to store and reheat the leftovers.
- Refrigerator: To store for up to three days, refrigerate cooled beef stew in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Beef stew freezes really well. To freeze for up to four months, pour beef stew into airtight containers, allowing about an inch of space on top to compensate for expansion when freezing.
- Reheating: To reheat from the refrigerator, pour beef stew into a pot and heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the soup is warmed through. To reheat from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge or thaw on the stovetop over low heat, stirring frequently.
More Hearty Beef Recipes
- Beef Stroganoff
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Beef Tenderloin with Mushroom Sauce
- Prime Rib Roast
- Beef Barley Soup
- Slow Cooker Beef Roast
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra light olive oil, or high heat cooking oil
- 3 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 large carrots, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 lb Yukon potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
- 1/3 cup apple cider juice, (NOT vinegar)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt, or added to taste
- 2 bay leaves
- parsley, finely chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat a skillet with oil. Once the oil is hot, add the beef in a single layer and saute until browned on both sides. Don't crowd the pan and cook beef in batches if needed. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, sauté the onion until lightly browned, adding more oil if needed.
- Add all the ingredients to the slow cooker. Set it on high for 4 hours or on low for 7 hours.
- Remove bay leaves, season to taste, and serve garnished with parsley if desired.
Not sure if this recipe needs the added expense of the apple cider juice. But, the recipe is very good. My husband couldn’t get over how good the broth tasted. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Tish! That’s so great!
As a cook of 50+ years, I have a few suggestions. Season the meat with salt and pepper prior to cooking. Always season your protein prior to cooking. While cooking the onions, I added some mushrooms and at the end of the cook in the skillet, I put the tomato paste in the skillet to brown, slightly. A Lidia Bastianich tip. Also the recipe doesn’t indicate if the beef broth is salted or not. I have started using unsalted broth to ensure I don’t get my dish too salty, something I have previously done. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks for sharing, Anne.
So I wasn’t able to add the apple cider, because as I decided to change the recipe I was using the morning of, I didn’t have any, and I also did not have tomato paste on hand, but, I seasoned and the beef and coated in flour before searing, and I also sprinkled flour on veggies ( help to thicken the stew while it cooks ), and I DID want some acid in there, and the only thing I really had on hand that I could think to use was tomatoe sauce. I only added like 1/4 cup. Also added cayenne pepper and a splash of worcestshire…..delicious!!! Next time though, I will make sure I have apple cider and tomato paste on hand, as I’d really like to try it with the juice.
Hi Angela! That’s great, I’m glad it turned out. You’ll love the original recipe too.
I have never liked beef stew but this recipe has changed my mind – it was delicious!! I honestly don’t know how you remain so kind when replying to some people’s comments – especially the comments where people get sideways with you because they didn’t pay attention to the instructions. I have ADHD and even I saw the NOT apple cider vinegar!! Anyway, your recipes are always amazing and your kindness is greatly appreciated – by those not trying to rewrite your recipe. 😂
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Love the basics of your recipe! Making this today for Father’s Day (hubby’s fav). I’ve added the following: Beef Stew seasoning packet, Brown gravy packet, red wine, garlic (chopped), celery, mushrooms (sliced), used baby carrots. I drudged the meat in flour before browning (don’t crowd in the pan). The last hour I will add frozen peas and pearl onions. Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing fathers!
Thanks for your your good comments and feedback, Laura! I hope you’ll love all of our recipes that you will try.
Just made tonight. Flavor is excellent. Just wonder how to thicken all the liquid. Maybe take a cup and put on the stove with cornstarch added. Added peas as others suggested. Will definitely try again. Maybe lower beef broth too?! Thanks Natasha!
Hello Debbie, I recommend reading this part in the recipe “How to Thicken Beef Stew” I hope that helps.
Absolutely delicious and easy to make. The lamb stew with red wine recipe has more depth but this one is not far behind. I find using chicken stock makes the broth less heavy. Thank you for this recipe.
Hello Nikolai, you’re much welcome! Thank you for your excellent comments and feedback, we’re so glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
I made this last night and my husband had three bowls. My picky eater I truly ate this. And my 14 year old son not only ate it last night but this morning requested that he have it for lunch for school. I was wondering can I use this same ingredients for this stew as pot roast too
HI Christina, I haven’t tested that but it does sound delicious. Let me know if you test that out.
Sooo many people added apple cider vinegar. Apple cider is NOT an ingredient that is a regular pantry item like vinegar is. Hence, the mistake. Of course, I added the vinegar and didn’t even realize it was wrong until I read reviews. UGH. Since most beef stew recipes do not have this as an ingredient I would eliminate it in the receipe…..unless you think it ups your *likes* when people comment on the vinegar because I can’t imagine keeping it with so many people making the mistake.
Hi Maureen, That is such a bummer. It definitely would not taste right with that much vinegar. I hope you give it a try as written with Apple Cider. I had hyperlinked the ingredient in red to our apple cider recipe in hopes of preventing that mistake, but I will further clarify by writing ‘juice’ and (not vinegar) in the recipe card.
This is my favorite beef stew recipe by far!! I added peas at the end because I LOVE PEAS in my beef stew. Soooo good
Hey Alexandra, peas sound like a great addition to the recipe. Thanks for sharing this review with us!
Hi. I am wondering why that you put apple cider vinegar in this dish?
Thanks, Heather
Hi Heather, please use Apple Cider only and not vinegar.
Everyone loved it. Delicious and very easy to make. I used sparkling apple cider (all I could find this time of year) that I let sit out for a little while to lose some of carbonation
Sounds good and glad to hear that you enjoyed making this recipe!
Can I make the other recipe with the bacon and wine in the slow cooker?
Hi Anthony! Yes, I think that would be fine. You can experiment with it. You may want to sauté the bacon first then add.
Oh my goodness. I read the comments and I, too, used apple cider vinegar! I can’t believe I did that. It’s cooking now. I hope I didn’t ruin it!
How did it go?
I did the same thing and they loved it with the apple cider vinegar.
I followed the recipe to the letter – flavor was good but the beef was dry & tough. I used choice stew meat. Ideas?
Hi Sue, it’s hard to say without being there what caused that. It could be due to a different cut of meat, but it also could be due to the sear. Crowding the pan when sauteeing your meat may release a lot of juices too.
Can you tell me if I cook it on high for 4 hours will it come out just as tender as on low for 7?
Hi Valerie! Yes, you can cook on high for 4hrs or low for 7hrs. But the longer it cooks the more tender it will be.
Terrible! Don’t try it using the slow cook function on the insta pot!
Hi Regina, an instant pot should have the same functionality as a traditional slow cooker. Can you share more details as to what may have gone wrong? It may help someone else.
I am making this today for the second time. This was the best tasting beef stew I have ever had!
That’s wonderful, Kris! So glad you loved it!
Made the Beef Stew last night and had it cooking on low all thru the night , it came out perfect and so tasty , I added frozen peas in also ..
Sounds amazing! Thank you for sharing. I’m glad it was a hit.
I’d love to try this. Looks so delicious. Don’t have a crock pot, can I make this in a insta pot or ninja foodie ? What settings would I need to use? Thanks
Hi Sahana, I haven’t tried this in an Instant Pot to advise on the outcome. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi I am going to make this but short on time in the mornings can I brown the meat night before and in the morning put everything in the crock pot?
Hello Lucille, that will work. You can also read the Make-Ahead tips that I provided in the recipe for more info.
hello, i am putting this together today; i want to add green beans do you suggest i add in the beginning or later on?
thank you
Hi Sabrina, if you don’t want it to be mushy you can add it a bit later.
All the comments are appreciated, but are NOT needed!!! And, with it being part of the “recipe,” it printed out all these pages I did NOT need and wasted my ink! I wasn’t able to select something like pages 3-6….NO…the entire 37 pages printed!!! A waste of my paper AND a waste of my ink!!! Ink is NOT cheap nowadays!!!!
I believe the issue is that you did not click on the “print” button from the recipe card. This will only print the recipe, which is 1 page, 2 pages max.
Sounds like user error on your part and not the blog writer…..
I agree–click on the right things or you will get a LOT of unnecessary prints–NO FAULT OF THE lady doing the recipes.
Can you add butternut squash to this stew can would it be ok to add it at the start or later on in the cooking process
Hi David, I honestly haven’t tried that to advise. You can probably add it later, we’d love to know how it goes if you try this!
It takes the same time to cook as the potatoes and carrots; add the squash when the other veggies go in.
Loveddd it! Didn’t completely brown the beef and it was still tender. I also didn’t have apple cider or tomato paste but used red wine vinegar and 6tbsp tomato sauce instead. Would definitely make again!!
I cooked this on low and only recommend making recipes in the slow cooker on low.. the way they were meant to be 😉
We’re glad you enjoyed this!
I used “beef stew” and cooked on high as recipe showed but the beef is tough. I did brown the meat but it wasn’t seared so perhaps that is why it came out tough? I will try again!
Hi Melissa! If you don’t have a chuck roast, substituting with a rump roast, bottom round, or beef stew meat will work but these cuts of beef are typically more tough and full of connective tissue. When they are slow-cooked, they become perfectly tender though so it could have been in the searing process, or maybe it would do better cooked on low for longer. Look for a good amount of marbling (fat) in the meat. More marbling means the meat will be melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I hope that helps!
Curious if anyone has tried Natasha’s Beef Stew recipe to
compare it to her Slow Cooker Beef Stew recipe. I love the Beef Stew recipe with the red wine, bacon and mushrooms, but this sounds like a much easier recipe to throw together on a busy day! Just curious, but I’m sure it’s delicious! All of her recipes are spot on!
Thank you for your great comments and feedback. Let’s see if others can comment and share some comments and tips.
Oh no help!!!! I added apple cider vinegar in the stew…Now what can I do
Hi Karen, how did it go? We’re you able to taste it? I’m afraid there’s nothing you can do after using apple cider but you can try to adjust the seasoning like add sugar etc…
I also misread the recipe and added apple cider vinegar, but added too much and came to the comments to see if there was a way to cut some of that vinegar taste. Otherwise it’s delicious and if I hadn’t added too much I feel confident you wouldn’t be able to taste the difference. Any advice Natasha? *fingers crossed*
We’d like to know how it goes, I hope it still turns out well!
I did the same thing! In crock pot and haven’t tasted I hope I didn’t ruin it
I did the same thing…but didn’t know it was a mistake until I read this comment. Fortunately, it was a happy mistake…my husband and I enjoyed this beef stew immensely. The ACV, in my opinion, wasn’t overpowering at all. I think I’ll make it again with ACV, since it worked out beautifully in the end.
I also mistakenly put acv… it’s still cooking, hope this comes out good! Fingers crossed
Apple cider or apple cider vinegar?
Looks delicious and I can’t wait to make it this week!!!
Hi Darlene, we used apple cider.
I’m making this while home and sick and without apple cider. What other item could I use?
The apple cider will add a little sweetness to it but you can replace it with more broth if you don’t have this.
I made this last night and I have never been more impressed with myself! Ha! It was so flavorful! I look forward to making this again on a cold Sunday afternoon!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Arielle!
It looks delicous and easy. However I only have a 3 qt. cooker. Coulc I cut the recipe in half and would that change the cooking time?
Hi Jolene. I have not tested it in a smaller cooker. The one I used for this recipe, as depicted in the photos above, is a six qt. One of my readers reported cutting the recipe in half using a 3 qt cooker. I hope that helps.
I don’t have apple cider. Can I use apple juice? Also, I want to put fresh green beans and mushrooms in it. Should I put those in the beginning or later? I don’t want them to get soggy and mushy.
Hi Mandie, that should work too. If you try that, we’d love to know how it goes!
Wow this was delicious! I added celery and garlic and also had to sub puréed tomato for the tomato paste but everything else was the same! I didn’t even need to season it more after it was done! It was perfect 🥰🙌 thank you so much for this wonderful recipe \o/
Acts 2:38 + John 3:5 = Titus 3:5 🙂 KJV
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Maurissa! Blessings to you!
I made this Natasha and I’m making it again right now and it was the bomb diggity! So good. OMG I can’t thank you enough for showing me and help me make a darn tootin good stew.
Loved cooking it for 7 hours. Don’t even want to try the 4. LOL Thanks again. Love it!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Stef!
Made this last night! Added a splash of red wine and some quartered mushrooms towards the end about an hour before fishing time. Delicious amazing beef stew! Thanks Natasha!
Hi Mark! So glad you loved the recipe. Thank you for the feedback.
My husband threw this together yesterday; it was a delicious, savory meal for dinner last night. The chunks of stew meat were so tender. Highly recommend!!!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Laura!
I finally found the size. Reading on a phone isn’t great 😂🤣
Glad you found it!
I thank you for this recipe and can’t wait to cook it. I just ran thru everything and for the life of me can’t find the pot size you cooked it with.
Did you use a 6qt or 7qt?
Thank you.
Hi Stef, this will fit into a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. We used an 8-quart slow cooker.
It was good, but think next time I will either leave out the vinegar or reduce it to 1 T. Otherwise it had a rich beefy flavor. Came together easy and definitely a keeper. Thanks Natasha!
Thank you for the feedback, Connie!
Hi Natasha,
I’m making this for the first time and I too put in vinegar as it appears several have. Perhaps you could edit that on your ingredient list and emphasize CIDER, not cider vinegar. Also I am really hoping that tablespoon of salt nicely absorbs into all the vegetables because right now it is SO salty! I have made several of your recipes over time and all have been wonderful…let’s see how this goes!
Hi, Sunny! I appreciate the feedback. Thank you for bringing this to my attention so we can prevent this from happening again. I hope you can save the beef stew.
I have also unfortunately added apple cider vinegar… I didn’t pour all of the 1/3 cup , because i thought “wow this is strange, to add so much vinegar “, (still added most of it in….)
Very nervous, and hope that I didn’t make it all go to waste…
Hi Connie-
I almost did what you did-it is apple cider and not apple cider vinegar. The apple cider will add a little sweetness to it.
It was a good recipe. My husband really liked it as well.
My bad! Thanks for pointing this out to me as I totally skimmed over the apple cider and taking for granted it was vinegar! Like you, we really liked it in spite of the vinegar!! Ha!
Maybe you’d have given the recipe 5 stars if you had used apple cider, which is what is called for, instead of vinegar.
What can I substitute the apple cider with in this recipe?
Thank you
Hi Liliya, I would recommend apple juice.
Hi just wanted to know ingredients say apple cider is that apple cider or apple cider vinegar? Thanks 🙂
Hi Roxanne, apple cider is correct (not vinegar)
Bought all ingredients now Can I make this in pressure cooker or Dutch oven? I recently gave away my slowcooker 😞
Hello Inna, I have not tested that to advise. Let’s see if others can comments and share their experience if they have tried this method before.
This is one of my favorite Sunday go-to meals!! It’s hearty, rich, & so delicious!!
So glad you love it!
Enjoyed this for dinner last night and it was a complete success! Hearty, bold and delicious; easily, a new favorite recipe for soup season!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sara! Thank you for the review.
I like to add a drained jar of Aunt Nellies onions after the meat is tender.
This recipe was delicious. It has been such a rainy day and this was just what I needed.
I love this on rainy days! So comforting. I’m so glad you loved it too.