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.
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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.
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- 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.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper.
- Place meat in slow cooker.
- Sprinkle flour mixture over meat and stir to coat.
- Add onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots and celery.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together water, gravy mix, thyme, paprika and worcestershire and pour into slow cooker.
- Add bay leaf and beef broth.
- 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.
Top tip
If you want to add a little more flavor and texture to your beef stew, you can sear the roast in a hot skillet with a little bit of olive oil to form a nice crust on the meat.
FAQ
Brown the meat adds a little flavor, but it’s not necessary, your stew will turn out perfectly without it.
Cooking your stew low and slow is the way to get the most tender stew.
Low and slow is the best way, but you could cook it on high if need be.
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:
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Beef Roast cubed
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 large Onion chopped
- 1 tsp minced Garlic
- 1 lb Potatoes cubed
- 1 lb Baby Carrots
- 2 stalk Celery chopped
- 2 cup Water
- 1 packet Brown Gravy mix
- 1/2 tsp Thyme
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Bay Leaves
- 2 cups Beef Broth
Instructions
- Place meat in slow cooker.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper’
- Sprinkle flour mixture over meat and stir to coat.
- Add onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots and celery.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together water, gravy mix, thyme, paprika and worcestershire and pour into slow cooker.
- Add bay leaf and beef broth.
- 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.
Notes
- Storage – store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezing – I do not recommend freezing, because the vegetables will become mushy.
Betty Cetnarowski
Your recipes are always in a crock pot. Do you ever have recipes using a pressure cooker?
Jen
Hi Betty! I have been doing more recipes lately with my Instant Pot. To see the ones I have added to my blog, you can search for “Instant Pot” in the search. I have more pressure cooker recipes coming your way this month too.
Michelle
How many does this recipe feed, and are there usually any leftovers? Trying to decide if i should double it for my family of 4 adults.
Beth
What can I use instead of brown gravy mix? Can I just use cornstarch?
MilamK
hows does the beef stew get thick like in the picture because mine looks like a soup right now it’s very watery
Minda
Love this one! Have made it twice and it was enjoyed by a picky husband, a picky mother-in-law and a toddler with only four teeth :)
Busy Mama
Do you put the cubed beef in the crockpot raw?
Jessica
Hello I am making the slow cooker beef stew and cant wait for it to be done. I was just wondering will the stew become thick after a while? Right now its thin
Tina Hardy
This was fantastic! I made it for dinner tonight
and it was a huge hit. It was the best stew I ever
made and everyone loved it. Thank you!
Jen
Hi Tina! I am so happy to hear your family enjoyed this Crock-Pot recipe as much as ours does. I think I will make this one again this weekend as we all really like it best too!
Kristie
Do you put the 2 cups of water in before you coat the meat with the flour mixture? Or the dry ingredients first and then the liquids?
MaryJane
OMG !!! So delicious and easy ! This was my first time over making beef stew,, came out so good,, guests were impressed ! Thank you !
Cheryl
Just put this in the Crock-Pot; it smells so good, I can’t wait for it to finish! Thanks!
Carla
Has anyone tried it on high for the 4-6 hrs? Sadly I’m not sure my schedule will let me cook it for the full 10-12 on low.
Erin
I have tried it for the full 6 on high yes. It is great
Patti
This was outstanding! Followed the recipe exactly. I thought it was going to be a little potent at first, but the flavors developed wonderfully! A keeper! Thank you so much for the great recipe, or rather, your hubs :)
Sandra Heniuk
Followed this recipe exactly and it was delicious as is with lots of yummy gravy. Will make again!
Adora
This looks SO amazing! I’m definitely going to try it out. I have a random question though, where did you get that large Blue Willow bowl? I have some small blue willow bowls and I love that one!
Candy
When do you use the powdered sugar for the heart shaped brownies?
Jen
Hi Candy! I am so sorry about that! I just updated the Heart Brownies to reflect where the powdered sugar is added. I let my hubby type my recipes for me sometimes and he must have forgot to add that part in. Hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day!