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A steaming bowl of classic crockpot beef stew with tender chunks of beef and vegetables.

Classic Crockpot Beef Stew

Hearty and comforting, this Classic Crockpot Beef Stew features tender beef, flavorful vegetables, and a rich, savory gravy, all cooked to perfection in your slow cooker for an easy and delicious meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Stew Base
  • 2-3 pounds beef stew meat cut into 1.5 to 2-inch cubes (chuck roast recommended)
  • Olive oil for browning and sautéing
  • 1 large yellow onion chopped
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2-3 large carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 stalks celery chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1.5 lbs potatoes (Yukon Gold or red), peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 0.5 teaspoon dried rosemary crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
For Thickening and Garnish (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch whisked with 1/4 cup cold water
  • Fresh parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • Slow cooker
  • Large skillet or Dutch oven
  • Small bowl

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Pat the beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
  2. Brown the beef in olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven, then transfer it to your slow cooker.
Building the Stew
  1. Sauté the chopped onion until softened, then add minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Transfer to the slow cooker.
  2. Deglaze the skillet with beef broth, scraping up any browned bits, and pour into the slow cooker.
  3. Add carrots, celery, and potatoes to the slow cooker.
  4. Whisk together the remaining beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and rosemary, then pour over the ingredients in the slow cooker and add bay leaves.
Cooking
  1. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked.
Thickening and Finishing (Optional)
  1. About 30 minutes before serving, remove bay leaves. Whisk 1/2 cup of hot broth with cornstarch slurry and stir back into the slow cooker.
  2. Continue cooking on HIGH for 15-30 minutes until desired thickness is reached.
  3. Adjust seasoning, discard bay leaves, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

For extra flavor, you can marinate the beef in a little beef broth and Worcestershisre sauce for at least 30 minutes before browning.