Hearty slow cooker beef stew, loaded with vegetables, super tender meat, and packed with incredible flavor. Dig into classic comfort food after a long day, this crock pot recipe is family dinner perfection!
Other slow cooker recipes we love include this slow cooker pot roast and homemade applesauce – the house smells amazing when those cook all day!
I took my unbelievable classic beef stew recipe (<< seriously the best beef stew ever – MAKE IT!), tweaked several ingredients and converted it to the crock pot and this slow cooker beef stew was born. It’s so delicious!
That’s saying a lot, since I’m not a huge crock pot lover. But this recipe is great – the vegetables are tender, but not mushy and the flavor is totally there. Not bland at all, like so many slow cooker recipes tend to be. Whomp whomp.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need!
- Meat – beef chuck roast
- Veggies – baby new potatoes, carrots, peas, onion, and garlic
- Seasonings – thyme, oregano, smoked paprika, mustard seeds, bay leaves, fresh parsley, salt, and pepper
- Liquids – low sodium beef broth, vegetable juice (like V8), Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste
- Other – extra-virgin olive oil to sauté the meat and flour (or cornstarch) to thicken the gravy
How to Make Beef Stew in Slow Cooker
It’s really easy to make this beef stew crock pot recipe! Here’s a brief rundown of steps. (Scroll down for the detailed printable.)
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet.
- Season beef with salt and pepper, add to the skillet and brown all over.
- Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic into a greased 6-quart slow cooker.
- Whisk together the liquids and seasonings until well combined; pour over the the beef and vegetables.
- Toss in bay leaves and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and cook on low heat until meat is super tender and falling apart at the touch.
- During the last 5 minutes, stir in the peas.
- Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig.
- Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with parsley and enjoy!
How long to cook beef stew in slow cooker? This recipe calls for 7-8 hours on low and then an additional 30 minutes if you’re thickening the broth. While you can cook on high for 3-4 hours, I do not recommend it. Low and slow is the way to go to achieve tender, fall-apart meat and deep flavors!
How to thicken a beef stew in slow cooker? If you want the liquid to be more like a gravy, you’ll create a slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup stew broth until combined and smooth. Slowly stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.
Beef Stew Crock Pot Recipe Notes
- Don’t cut the cubes of beef too small or they’ll fall apart before being able to soak up all the flavor from slow cooking all day.
- Brown the beef! Browning the beef before adding in all the other ingredients is key! Forming a nice crust on all the pieces of beef locks in flavor. This extra step is so worth it!
- You can peel your potatoes if you want, but for baby new potatoes, it’s not necessary. If they are on the extra large side, you might want to quarter them.
- Chicken broth can replace the beef broth if that’s all you have, although the overall taste will not be as deep.
Storing Leftovers
Stews are so good the next day, so make sure you save enough to have leftovers for lunch!
How long does beef stew last? Allow stew to cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze beef stew? Yes, you can freeze beef stew (although the vegetables tend to get softer and break down into smaller pieces after thawing.) Make sure to leave a 1/4-1/2 inch gap in the container to allow for expansion. Stored properly, it will keep in the freezer up to 3 months. If you know in advance you’ll want to freeze the stew, wait to thicken it until you reheat it.
What to Serve with Beef Stew
Loaded with beef and so many veggies, this is a complete meal in a bowl and doesn’t need anything else, but it’s hard to resist not serving it with fresh popovers or Irish soda bread warm from the oven to mop up the gravy!
Watch it Being Made
My mouth is watering just thinking about this dish again. Truly the best ever slow cooker beef stew – you’re going to love it!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
{Best Ever!} Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Equipment
- 6 quart slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast , cut into 1 to 1 1/2-inch cubes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- 1 pound baby new potatoes , halved
- 4 medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces
- 1 large sweet onion , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1 cup vegetable juice (such as V8)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup frozen peas , thawed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves , for garnish
Instructions
- Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Season beef with salt and pepper, to taste. Add beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, about 2-3 minutes.
- Place beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic into a 6-quart slow cooker.
- In a bowl, whisk together the beef broth, vegetable juice, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, oregano, paprika, and mustard seeds until well combined; pour over the the beef and vegetables.
- Toss in 2 bay leaves and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup stew broth to create a slurry. Slowly stir the mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until thickened.
- During the last 5 minutes, stir in the peas.
- Discard bay leaves and thyme sprig.
- Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Other Notes
Turned out SO great! I’ve never cooked stew, but was craving a cozy and hearty home cooked meal like mom and dad used to put together, and this did exactly the trick! I used the campbell’s beef broth with red wine in it, and also added green beans and mushrooms. Turned out delicious!
We found this recipe to be one of the best beef stews we’ve ever made. The only adjustment we made was to add a bit of cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken it up just a little. Really enjoyed it.
Could I use red wine in place of vegetable juice? I forgot to get some earlier this week.
Sure! Enjoy.
Great recipe, so tasty and easy to make.
Hubby & I loved this stew. Made it exactly to recipe & so easy to make.
Made as written, no changes. I’m throwing out all my other beef stew recipes, this one is perfect. Came home to a wonderful meal and so grateful.
Is there a way to slow cook this on high for less amount of time and still come out right?
Hi Megan – Beef stew needs to cook low and slow for it to turn out properly,
I’ve made this a few times and it always gets rave reviews
Fantastic recipe! We loved it so much. Normally I make it the first time exactly as is, but had no tomato paste or beef stock. I just had to omit the tomato paste and subbed the beef stock with a packet of au jus and water. Even with the changes it was the best broth ever. This is the new go to beef stew for us. Thank you.
This is my go-to beef stew recipe, my family loves it so much. Comes out so delicious every time.
This is my 3rd time making this recipe and I will never make it any way other than this! Even my son who’s home from college and hates beef stew couldn’t get enough! Thank you so much!
This probably is THE BEST Beef Stew Recipe out there. I’ve tried a few others and this wins hands down. I followed the recipe to a T with the exception of adding some red wine. Maybe a little less than 1/4 cup,. Not much, but it really gave some nice depth to the other flavors. Thank you so much for this one! It’s definitely a keeper.
I am really looking forward to making this stew based on the rave reviews! I do wonder if I don’t have mustard seeds but have ground mustard seeds, will that make a difference?
That’ll be fine. Enjoy!
I love this recipe. It is my “go to” now. I use Coleman’s mustard powder to sub for mustard seed (in Canada). Worcestershire sauce is always a key ingredient for me, too. I have access to local products like smoked onion and smoked garlic chips. I add these, too. Plus I sub a leek for onion, when the leeks look better! I also add dried Shitake mushrooms and 1/2 cup of a red wine blend from Argentina or from here in Cascadia (California to BC, Canada. Happy cooking!
If you’re double this recipe, is the cooking time the same?
While 2 hrs out I know this will be my keeper! Its 25 degrees in Seattle today & I needed warmth. Made as directed added leftover Bloody Mary starter in lieu of V8 juice, added 1 celery stock & 5 big cremini mushrooms, Otherwise, made as directed and went light-ish on the salt as can be added at the table. Won’t disappoint!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times in the last 6 months. i use my pressure cooker when i cook it and every time it turns out wonderful. definitely a keeper.
Such an excellent recipe! I’m making it again today! Love it!
Great beef stew, we all loved it. Would make again.
I had to substitute a few things… used a can of fire roasted tomatoes with a bit extra broth and a touch more tomato paste, substituted edamame for peas and added mushrooms were in the final hour now, but smells terrific, planning to make some fresh biscuits to go with… reminds me of the stew my grandma taught me to make…
Excellent recipe; liked by all family members. The beef was so tender and sauce had a great taste!
I made this recipe this morning. Ready in a few hours for friend’s visit. Everyone enjoyed it so much. Thank you!
This recipe was wonderful. Next time I make it, (and I will), a little sliced celery might add some flavor. My husband loved it after watching our grand daughter’s Fall tennis match.
Our new favorite beef stew, wow. Made as written. We all loved it. Sending my husband off to work with leftovers and he actually wants to go to work. LOL.
This was absolutely positively delicious! Loved by my entire family, including “selective” eaters! Thank you :)
This stew is delicious! I didn’t have tomato juice so I substituted orange juice and I loved the taste.
I only had 1# of stew meat so I had to adjust amounts and time. Well… YUM!!!!!!! The seasonings were just perfect. This recipe is a keeper!!!!!!!! Thank you for posting!
Great recipe! My Husband and I like our food spicy, so I cooked a minced habanero with the meat. Came out lovely. Thank you so much for this recipe, which is now our go to for stew!
This recipe is so versitle. I have made this in my slow cooker and my stove top. It is wondetful both ways!
This is the best tasting beef stew. I don’t have a crockpot so I slow cooked on my stove with a dutch oven.
Very good stew think it really is the Best Ever Slow Cooker Stew. V8 is not very common where i am so use extra water and some veg boullion to replace. Made this a number of times now and the only slight change i have made is to use normal potatoes over new as i think they taste better.
What a nice recipe. I wonder will it do well in the freezer, I used a 3 pound Sirloin beef Tip and it’s probably more than we can eat in a few days .
Hi Brian – all the storage information is included in the article.
Fantastic recipe.
has any one ever halved this recipe? How much does it make?
I halved it, no problem. In my opinion, it would make 4 servings. It’s only my husband and me, LOVE leftovers. So, I think 4 servings.
This was positively delicious and the whole house just smelled amazing! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect!
Hi
Amy, Do you think I can substitute dry mustard for the mustard seed?
That’s fine, enjoy!
My kids never liked beef stew until I made this , so I’m making this again tomorrow served with hot southern biscuits.
So I made this recipe and it wasn’t great, I didn’t have the same ingredients, so I substituted ground turkey, ketchup, anchovy paste, cream cheese, and eggnog for those missing ingredients. I don’t know why it didn’t turn out.
TOTALLY KIDDING!
This receipts was absolutely delicious and smelled wonderful all day cooking. My husband and most of my kids loved it, and so did I. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe and your notes were a great help!
I have loved this recipe since I found it here.
It truly is the best beef stew I’ve ever had.
So far, I’ve made this 4 times; 1 being right this minute.
My house smells inredible!
I plan to serve it with Brazilian cheese bread, fresh from the oven.
Oh I can’t wait!!!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
I don’t change anything because there’s nothing to change. It’s perfect as is ?
If you haven’t made this yet, you need to! I promise you it is so simple to make and what you get back is a perfectly seasoned best beef stew you’ve ever eaten ?
Best stew ever! Lots of flavor and tastes amazing! BF loved it!!?
Delicious and hearty! My son doesn’t like peas , so I added some baby spinach about 5 minutes before serving. It was wonderful. Thank you so much for this easy, tasty stew! ??
Beside all the vegetables I loved the flavorful gravy. My children are grown and I can’t wait to have them over for dinner with my new beef stew recipe.
Made this last night and it was hands down the best beef stew I’ve ever made – probably ever tried. No changes!!
Picture perfect and VERY good…a hit with my guys and me, the Cook! Requests for the stew again from family.
I only have regular beef stock. I do not have low sodium beef broth what adjustment should I make?
This recipe was perfect! Did not change one thing. Everyone loved it!
Absolutely delicious! I keep coming back to this recipe as my go to stew recipe. Super creamy, and the peas give it an extra kick of flavour. So yummy!
Great beef stew recipe. We loved it and now it’s my go-to. I usually use a dutch oven though and cook for about 3 hours at 325. Comes out great
Hello from South Australia . Made this stew today and have just had a bowl full on a chilly night. Delicious! Thank you for posting. Followed it exactly will def make again. Suzy
Looking to give this as freezer meal to someone so they can just throw it in the crockpot for the day and not have to worry about any prep. Can I prep as directed then just freeze and they can cook later?
Really nice good flavour
Perfect taste!
Can I use chicken broth instead? I dislike beef broth
Of course. The flavors won’t be as deep and rich, but it will still be delicious.
This is my 5th time making this! My hubby loves it and I do too. It’s so easy and flavorful.
This was so delicious, I will definitely make it again. Saw a suggestion about adding green beans. Didn’t have any, but will add them next time! I made brown gravy and put that in to thicken it at the end.
We enjoyed this so much. No changes. Would make again.
THE BEST STEW I EVER MADE!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS RECIPE
Excellent! Great flavor, perfect amount of every ingredient and great flavor. Definitely my new go-to beef stew recipe! Thank you for sharing!
This is a great stew recipe – my teenaged/early 20’s kids who are usually picky eaters loved it. I I skipped the bay leaves (we don’t like the flavor) and used ground mustard instead of seeds and it turned out great. This will be my go to stew receipe now. Thank you.
How much of the ground mustard did you use instead of the mustard seeds?
I used the same measurement x2
Can I brown the meat the night before and then put it in the next morning? I like to chop up everything the night before so I don’t have too much to do in the morning to start the slow cooker.
Sure!
What can be used as a substitute for the V-8 juice?
Solid beef stew! Would make again.
We loved this stew! Definitely will make it again
Good recipe but a little too heavy on the tomato for me. Perhaps replace some V8 juice with red wine. Overall still very tasty.
Delicious! Best beef stew I ever made! You have to make it, you will
not be sorry you did,
I didn’t add the mustard seeds. I hate them. I also added rutabaga, radishes, celery, and kohlrabi. Didn’t have beef broth so I made it and also didn’t have vegetable or tomato juice so I pureed my home canned tomatoes. Love the flavors! It was delicious! Thank you!
I didn’t have to thicken it either! It was perfect! Thank you again!
If I’m using cornstarch to thicken, how much should I use? Is it 1:1 with the flour?
Rutabaga, good choice! I’ll add them and some fresh green beans. I’ll toss in some fried brown mushrooms to the thickened gravy neat the end too. I love the flavor of beef, but prefer just a couple of pieces and a lot of veggies in the gravy. Carrots just sing in a good stew.
In process, quick question what do you think about adding mushrooms?
This recipe sounds great, but I’m wondering if there’s anything I can use to substitute for the vegetable juice and tomato paste. My 7 year old has a digestive issue with tomatoes, so I want to see if I can make this a bit friendlier for him. Thank you!
Hi Hillary! Sorry to hear this. The tomato juice could be replaced with vegetable broth. Unfortunately there isn’t a proper sub for tomato paste that isn’t also tomato based. The closest thing would be a beet and carrot puree, but you’d need to make it first, which seems like more work than it’s worth. You could simply omit it, but it does add depth of flavor to the overall soup. Try it and let me know how it turns out.
I am going to make this for tonight. Can I use tomato soup instead of v8 juice? Thanks!
I wouldn’t use tomato soup, but tomato sauce would be fine. Neither will give you quite the flavor of V8, but the sauce will work.
You could use baby food carrots or beets instead of making your own puree
Fabulous idea, Diane.
I used smoked beef ribs that we’d frozen in the stew. Absolutely delicious!
Easy and excellent
This recipe was outstanding. I used corn starch to thicken rather than flour – for some gluten sensitive friends. I’ve never used V8 juice in beef stew before. Great idea (just use the lower sodium version).
This was so easy and delicious. Made for a meal train family but so good, kept some f or us.
This is the best beef stew!! I’m so glad I found this recipe – whole family loved it. Leftovers the next day were even better!
Hmm didn’t have a lot of the ingredients so made do with what I have in my pantry. Tasted the juice – hmmm something is missing so added chilli flakes and powder (it is extremely cold here and we love our spicy food) but there’s still something missing that I can’t quite put my finger on it… Will wait and see the verdict from the kids for lunch.
Well if you were missing most of the ingredients why are you shocked that it was ‘missing’ something? Try it with all the ingredients next time before making silly comments.
Whole family loved this!
Hi! Is there a reason they must be frozen peas instead of canned? I’m hoping you answer quickly because I’m going to try this tonight! I’ll come back and review it when I’m done, it looks great. Thank you!
We just prefer frozen peas more because of their color and sturdiness. Canned peas are so much softer and can break down more easily. But you can use them.
So, I’ve made this stew 3 times already since asking my question and it is probably the best stew I ever made. After trying it my daughter literally asked me if I could make it again the next day, and I did! It wasn’t just for her, I loved it. I made some for my grandma and left it in a couple more hours (still put the peas in at the end though) and the meat was delicious, it just fell apart, we ate it all in a few hours, and we’re two fairly small girls lol. Thank you so much for this recipe, it’s one I will surely use many more times! And thanks for your response too, the peas were perfect so it seems like good advice. Take care!?
Are you dense? Use all the ingredients listed, don’t blame the recipe for your mistake
Whole family loved it!
Great recipe! Only change was I used tomato sauce as I didn’t have V8. I’ll get some now and keep making this stew!
I don’t have mustard seeds. Can I use dry mustard?
Yep, that’s fine.
This was so delicious! Perfect flavor and ratio of ingredients Leftovers the next day heated up very well.
Entire family loved this recipe!
This recipe goes together so we’ll. What a hearty, tasty meal! “Food critics” at my house just loved it. They said KEEPER! So this is the 2nd time for us. I did up a he amount of peas. Lots of color, loads of flavor. It’s on the rotation.
I just threw this together. I did exact recipe plus celery and one packet of Lipton Onion Soup seasoning. I hope I didn’t mess it up doing it this way. We shall see this evening!
I tried the juice even before it was completed that tells me it’s gonna b a great dish. I added celery fresh tomatoes and jalapeños. Thanks for this recipe!
I used tomato soup there was vegetables juice at store I didn’t have mustard seeds it’s cooking now it smells good hope it will come out good
Can you cook this on high in the slow cooker instead of low?
I wouldn’t recommend it. Low and slow is the way to go for the most tender meat and best flavors.
Made this recipe tonight for dinner and it was wonderful – will definitely make again.
Great recipe! Easy, complete, great tip about size of meat! Thank you!
I LOVE using my crockpot, beef stew and V-8, so this recipe is definitely going to be appearing in my kitchen soon!
I thought I hated veggies as a kid and look at me now! I definitely think part of the aversion is just weird kid palate and part is just immaturity. But I suspect they’ll grow out of it!
I’ve tried your traditional beef stew and this one and my family loves them both so much! They are different enough that you don’t feel like you’re eating the same recipe.
This was WONDERFUL! Going in my regular rotation of dinners.
This looks amazing – going to try it, thanks!
Absolutely fantastic. Will make this again and again.
This stew looks perfect! What a great meal!
I just went to the kitchen and put V8 on my grocery shopping list. Thanks for reminding me that it has been quite some time since I’ve had a V8. And I don’t know why! I used to drink it every day. I especially like the idea of adding it to a delicious beef stew! Yum.
This stew is so good – my kids loved it too which is saying alot. I’d give it 10 stars if I could!
Fun V8 story–my dad used to drink it like water when I was a kid. I always thought it was yucky and my dad would just chuckle and say some day I’d change my mind. Low and behold, he was right! I had that first Bloody Mary and was hooked. :)
Made this. Only change was green beans instead of peas. Could not have been more delicious!!