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.
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Unlike our Classic Beef Stew, this is the best Beef Stew made in a Crockpot, which makes it a great set-it-and-forget-it meal! Slow-cook the stew 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 soften 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. Serve this next to our Caesar Salad and Sourdough Bread for a complete dinner.
Ingredients for Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker
It’s so simple to create this savory, filling meal with only a few ingredients tossed into a slow cooker. These beef stew ingredients may surprise you, but trust me, they come together in an irresistible dish!
- Beef Chuck Roast – Cut the roast into chunks using a knife or even kitchen shears, and then be sure they are all similarly sized for even cooking.
- Vegetables – onion, carrots, potatoes
- Apple Cider – This adds the perfect level of sweetness without tasting sweet, but just be sure to use the juice, not the vinegar.
- Broth – tomato paste, beef broth, salt, pepper and bay leaf
Substitutions
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, you can substitute rump roast, bottom round, or “beef stew meat.” These cuts 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.
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. Simply set it to stew in the morning and then walk away, and then 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, and then, once browned, remove the beef and place it 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. Beef stew is cooked and ready when the beef is tender and falls apart easily when pierced with a fork.
- Season to taste: Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.
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. If the meat seems raw in the center, don’t worry because it will finish cooking while stewing. If you’re pressed for time, you can add these ingredients raw, but browning them really improves the flavor and texture.
- 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, from 4 (on high) to 7 hours (on low). If you’re wondering why beef is still chewy in the slow cooker, it may be because you rushed the cooking process (skip browning the meat or shorten stew cooking time). The meat can remain tough. The longer the stew cooks, the softer the meat will be.
- Limit cooking time: If the stew cooks 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 (mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 Tbsp cold water to start) 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 all-purpose flour when initially browning the meat.
To thin beef stew – add more beef broth and season to taste.
What size crockpot is best for beef stew?
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 Soft Dinner Rolls 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. Then 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
- Meatloaf Recipe
- Beef Chili Recipe
- Sloppy Joes
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.
Notes
- Refrigerate: Refrigerate cooled stew in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Once cooled, store the stew in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 4 months, leaving an inch of space in the container for expansion.
- How to Reheat: Thaw overnight, and then warm in a pot over medium heat until heated through.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
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.
Why should she eliminate it from her recipe because grown adults can’t read!?!
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.
Stew meat can be any meat the store puts in it. It’s so much better to buy a chuck roast and cut it up. You know what you’re getting that way 👍
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.
Before you actually print the recipe, the screen shows you how many pages it will print. You can choose “all” or type in e.g. 1-3 or 2,4. If by chance you press print and the pages start flowing, then push the Stop/Exit button on your printer. No need to blame Natasha because you are not knowledgeable with the process. Hope this helps 🙂
If this ever happens again, just hit the Stop/Exit button on your printer.
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.