This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a classic comfort food recipe that is sure to satisfy! The combination of tender chunks of beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions simmering in a flavorful brown gravy makes this easy dinner absolutely irresistible.

 

If you looking for a busy weeknight dinner give this beef stew with brown gravy recipe a try. Consider serving it along with a loaf of Cheesy Garlic Bread. If you need your beef stew done in a hurry, you could make this Instant Pot Beef Stew instead.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• This Crock Pot Beef Stew is perfect for chilly winter nights, when you want to come home from a busy day to hearty meal waiting for you. Plus, it makes great leftovers for lunch the next day.
• It’s made with simple ingredients and there’s no pre-cooking involved. It truly couldn’t be easier!
• Plus, the brown gravy adds amazing flavor that will have your family coming back for second helpings.
• Even the pickiest of eaters in your house will love this classic comfort food.

Ingredients for CrockPot Beef Stew

For this beef stew with brown gravy recipe, you will need just a few basic ingredients. You most likely already have the seasonings on hand in your pantry, which means you just need the vegetables and roast from the store.

• Beef Chuck Roast or Beef Stew Meat
• Flour
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Onion – a large or medium onion will work
• Garlic
• Potatoes – Consider Yukon Gold Potatoes
• Baby Carrots
• Celery chopped
• Water
• Brown Gravy mix
• Thyme
• Paprika
• Worcestershire sauce
• Bay Leaves
• Beef Broth

This is just a quick list of the simple ingredients that you need to make the BEST Beef Stew, you can find the full list of ingredients and the amounts needed in the recipe card below.

How to make Beef Stew in Slow Cooker

First, you need to thaw your meat if frozen. Then, trim and cube the beef unless you have purchased pre-cubed or stew meat. Then, place in the slow cooker. You will need at least a four-quart CrockPot. I use my 6, 7, or 8 quarts.

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper.
2. Place meat in slow cooker.
3. Sprinkle flour mixture over meat and stir to coat.
4. Add onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots and celery.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together water, gravy mix, thyme, paprika and worcestershire and pour into slow cooker.
6. Add bay leaf and beef broth.
7. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on High setting for 4 to 5 hours. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Hint: For easy clean up I recommend spraying your slow cooker well with nonstick cooking spray, or you can use a slow cooker liner.

Substitutions

If you are out of an ingredient and need to make a couple swaps, here are some simple substitutions that you can make.

• Beef – If you don’t have a beef roast on hand, you can use any type of beef cut into cubes.
• Broth – Out of beef broth? You can use vegetable broth or even water and bouillon cubes instead.
• Garlic – I used minced garlic for this recipe, but you could use garlic powder in a pinch.

Variations

Here are a few ways that you can personalize this recipe to suit your family’s tastebuds. This hearty dish is so easy to customize.

• Spicy – If you love a little heat in your beef stew, add some jalapenos, or even red pepper flakes during the cooking process.
• Vegetables – You can leave out or add in, any type of vegetable that your family prefers. My family enjoys frozen peas added.
• Tomatoes – If you prefer a little tomato with your beef stew, add in a can of diced tomatoes, a small amount of tomato paste, or a can of tomato sauce for a little flavor.
• Red Wine – Add a dash of a dry wine like Pinot Noir or Merlot.

If you want to try a twist on this classic recipe next time give this Guinness Beef Stew recipe a try!

Storage / Freezing

Storage – Leftover beef stew can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

Reheating – Single servings can be reheated in the microwave on 50% power for 2 to 3 minutes, or you can reheat multiple servings in a saucepan on the stove-top over medium heat for about 5 mins or until it is warm all the way through.

Freezing – I don’t recommend freezing leftover beef stew because the potatoes and carrots become mushy.

FAQ

Other Slow Cooker Dinners

Looking for other slow cooker recipes like this? Try these:

Side Dishes to Consider

These are my favorite dishes to serve with slow cooker beef stew recipe: