Can you believe that this slow cooker beef stew is the first beef recipe on Ambitious Kitchen?! Truth be told, we didn’t grow up eating a lot of beef. My mom preferred a plant forward diet, but of course, always made my brother and I plenty of comfort foods that included chicken and fish.
However, during the winter months, I remember her making a deliciously cozy, tender beef stew that was rich, savory and packed with nourishing carrots, potatoes and peas. On the side, she’d serve a honey cornbread that we’d use to soak up all of the savory broth.
Why I love this beef stew
My mom’s best ever beef stew was one of my favorite comfort foods growing up and because I love to get a little nostalgic on you, I decided to make a slow cooker version for the blog.
And mmmmm hmmm hunny IT IS AMAZING. Perfect for Sunday night dinners, impressing your partner, serving with cornbread or a slice of toasted french bread and warming up during those cold winter nights. Trust me when I say: you need it!
What is beef stew?
Traditional beef stew is basically tender beef simmered in beef broth with potatoes, fresh herbs and a variety of veggies like carrots, celery & onion. We’re jazzing this beef stew recipe up with dry red wine and Worcestershire sauce for extra delicious flavor.
What type of beef is best for slow cooker beef stew?
This homemade beef stew recipe is best when made with lean cuts of beef that don’t contain as much fat. The longer the beef simmers and cooks, the more tender it will be thanks to the breakdown of connective tissue. You can learn more about why tougher meats are better for stews here. Tip: make sure you trim all the beef of excess fat before using!
Ingredients in slow cooker beef stew
This easy slow cooker beef stew recipe is filled with savory flavors, hearty potatoes and veggies to make it filling and delicious. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Beef chuck: you’ll need about 3 pounds of beef chuck, which will end up about 2 1/2 pounds once you trim the excess fat off.
- Beef broth: you can use beef broth or beef bone broth in this recipe.
- Dry red wine: my recommendations are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. If you don’t to use red wine, you can feel free to use more beef broth.
- Tomato paste: you’ll use some tomato paste to help thicken the broth and to give it a nice tang of sweetness.
- Worcestershire: the wonderful addition of Worcestershire gives this beef stew recipe an incredible savory umami flavor.
- Balsamic vinegar: helps to give the beef stew a little tang and sweetness.
- Fresh herbs: both garlic and thyme are used!
- Vegetables: onions, carrots, potatoes and peas are forever my favorite.
- Flour: this helps to thicken the stew once it’s done. You can use regular, whole wheat or gluten free all purpose flour.
How to make beef stew in the slow cooker
Making this slow cooker beef stew is easier than you think!
- Prepare your beef. First, you’ll need to trim the beef of excess fat. After that you’ll saute the beef in a skillet until seared (you don’t need to cook it all the way); browning the meat just helps to create additional flavor so please don’t skip it.
- Add the liquids. Pour your beef broth, dry red wine, tomato paste, worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper into the bowl of your slow cooker. Stir together with the beef until combined.
- Veg it up. Next stir in the garlic, onion, carrots and potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours. The longer it cooks, the better and more tender the stew will be.
- Thicken it. Once the stew is done, you’ll add in the flour and the peas and cook uncovered for another 15 minutes until the stew thickens up. If it’s too thick for your liking, just add a splash of beef broth!
- Enjoy! Serve with cornbread, crackers or biscuits. Enjoy a big bowl of deliciousness.
Tips for making the best beef stew
- Sear your beef beforehand. This is important! Browning the beef in a skillet beforehand will bring out even more flavor.
- Cook it on low. While many slow cooker recipes can be made on high for 3-4 hours, I highly recommend cooking this beef stew on low for the full 7-8 hours. This will ensure that the beef gets nice and tender.
- Thicken your stew properly. When it’s time to add your flour to thicken the beef stew, remove 1 cup of beef broth from the slow cooker and add it to a bowl. You’ll then whisk in ¼ cup flour until there aren’t any lumps, add back to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Be sure you don’t add flour straight to the slow cooker as it will become lumpy.
Storing & freezing tips
To store: store any leftover crock pot beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
To freeze: let the beef stew cool completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the slow cooker beef stew thaw in the refrigerator overnight before heating it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
What to serve with beef stew
I can’t wait to hear what you think about this beef stew and if you love it as much as we do! I recommend serving it with my pumpkin cornbread muffins, my fabulous garlic bread recipe or any one of these recipes:
Roasted Sweet Potato, Pear & Pomegranate Spinach Salad
Balsamic Herb Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetables
The Best Creamy Garlic Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
See how to make this slow cooker beef stew
If you make this beef stew recipe, please leave a comment and rate the recipe below to let me know how you liked it! xo.
Mom's Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Mom's best ever slow cooker beef stew recipe cooked to perfection with dry red wine, plenty of garlic & herbs and tender carrots and potatoes. This easy beef stew recipe is just like the classic one you grew up with and makes a delicious, protein-packed dinner the whole family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch pieces (about 2 1/2 pounds when done)
- Freshly ground salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth (or beef bone broth)
- 1 cup dry red wine (or sub extra beef broth)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Lots of freshly ground black pepper
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
- 4 large carrots (or 5 medium), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices
- 1 pound yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes
- ¼ cup all purpose flour (or sub all purpose gluten free flour)
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
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Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large skillet and place over medium high heat. Add beef, season with salt and pepper and brown in batches, so that you give the meat room for a nice sear. This should take about 5 minute per batch of meat. Transfer to large 6 or 8-quart slow cooker.
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Next add in beef broth, dry red wine, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper. Stir together with the beef until combined, then add in garlic, onion chunks, carrots and diced potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. I prefer to cook this slow and low so that the beef become really tender and the flavors have time to meld together.
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Next, remove 1 cup of beef broth from the slow cooker and transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup flour until there aren’t any lumps remaining. Add back to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add in frozen peas and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10-15 more minutes until beef stew thickens up a bit. Serve immediately with toasted french bread, cornbread, crackers, or biscuits. Serves 6.
Recipe Notes
Feel free to use beef broth instead of red wine if that's what you prefer.
To store: store any leftover crock pot beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Simply reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stovetop.
To freeze: let the beef stew cool completely, transfer it to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the slow cooker beef stew thaw in the refrigerator overnight before heating it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
117 comments
Ohh god! what a delicious and mouth watering recipe.
One of my favs!
Thanks Monique, looks delicious and just the kind of thing I’m craving in the winter months! Cant wait to try 🙂 I also only just learnt from the post that you have a brother!! Is he similar age to you? I’m not sure why – as I’ve been reading your blog for some time now and making lots of your delicious recipes – but always thought you were an only child! ;)) anyways hope you’re keeping well and have a happy christmas!
I’m always curious what size Crock-Pot people use in their recipes because half the time mine is too small. Do you know the volume? Can’t wait to try!!
hi! I have a 6 quart slow cooker that I use for everything: https://amzn.to/2ZXWjiM
This stew was amazing!! Will definitely be keeping this as a weekly meal😊😋
Perfect! So happy you enjoyed 🙂
Has anyone made this recipe in the instant pot?
I made this tonight in my 6qt instant pot (used the slow cooker function) and it was delicious! Will definitely make again.
Love it! Such a great dinner.
This is the first time I’ve ever made beef stew, and I’ll be sticking with this recipe. So good!! It’s definitely going into my fall/winter soup rotation.
I’m so glad you like it! One of my favorites in the fall/winter 🙂
If I have someone in my house that doesn’t like peas, could I substitute frozen corn instead? Or do you have any other vegetable recommendations besides peas? Thanks!
Sure! Feel free to leave them out or add some corn 🙂
I would love to try this however I do not have a slow cooker. If I do it in the oven with a Le Creuset how should I adjust my cooking time and what temperature should I cook at? Or is it better on the stove top?
I would do it on the stovetop. You can follow the recipe as indicated — just put your dutch oven over low heat and simmer covered for 5-6 hours. 🙂 I would also potentially add another 1/2 cup-1 cup of beef broth.
I made this for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It was so good that I cannot wait to make it again. I left out the vinegar because I didn’t have any and it was still yummy! Make it; you won’t be disappointed.
Amazing! So glad you loved this one!
Omg!!!! This beef stew is amazing!! My whole family loved it. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect. Will definitely make again. Cant wait to try out more of your recipes!
So happy to hear that! I hope you find more recipes you love here too 🙂
Hi,
I can’t wait to make this delicious beef stew. I have never used balsamic vinegar. Can you please tell what brand you use. I truly appreciate your help. Not familiar with it. Thank you so much. Maria
Hi! I usually get it from Whole Foods and it looks like this. Enjoy!
Does this recipe freeze well?
Yes! I would put everything in a freezer safe container before making— then once ready to make, thaw and cook as directed. You’ll just need to leave out the flour until it’s cooked! You can also freeze the recipe after its made!
This was so amazing and comforting. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks for another fabulous recipe!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed!
The stew is in my slow cooker and the kitchen smells wonderful! Could you please give me some idea of the amount of a serving? I’m serving it to a diabetic grandchild and need to compute carbs.
Thanks!
About 1.5-2 cups approximately. Enjoy!
Can I make this into a freezer meal?
Absolutely! I would put everything in a freezer safe container before making— then once ready to make, thaw and cook as directed. You’ll just need to leave out the flour until it’s cooked! You can also freeze the recipe after its made!
Can I sub Almond flour by chance? Or would you recommend cornstarch if I don’t have regular flour on hand?
Cornstarch would work well. I suggest 2 tablespoons to start and then see how thick it gets. You might need more!
This was perfect until I added the flour. Next time I will leave it out. Delicious flavor.
Strange! I’m curious what happened when you added the flour that you didn’t like?
Very tasty!!!!! I used more potatoes as I only had a little more than 2 pounds of beef and added extra carrots and roughly the same in celery. Since this ended up making the stew thick, I omitted the GF flour and it turned out delicious. This smells soooooo good while cooking. I think the balsamic vinegar and black pepper add a lot of flavor in this dish. It’s also go the next day!!! It’s a keeper for sure. Thank you for sharing!!
Perfect! So glad you loved this one!
Really loved this version, especially adding in those peas! I didnt do the slow cooker instead using my pressure cooker since I was a bit pressed on time.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Loved this recipe, thank you! I made it for my husband and I for Easter, and we could not have been happier with the results. Ended up eating it a bit earlier than 7 hours on low but was perfectly juicy. Will definitely make again!
Perfect! So glad you both enjoyed 🙂
If you are not sure how much pepper to use, do not use “lots of freshly ground black pepper”. It ruins the meal and you can barely eat it but then you want to eat it because you knew it would have been delicious if you didn’t add all that pepper.
Lots doesn’t mean an excessive amount, which is sounds like what could have happened here. I’m not sure how much you could have added to make it inedible, but perhaps skip it next time?
Easy to use in my multi-cooker, where I can sear the meat. And then switch to slow cooking.
I use the Crock-Pot 5n1 multi-cooker.
Perfect! Glad that worked out well 🙂
I think I found this recipe on Pinterest originally but couldn’t latch onto it when I tried to find it just now. Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that this is THE BEST beef casserole recipe that I have made in my entire life ! Thank you so much for sharing it – I am not a good casserole maker, my mother made something similar when I was young but it didn’t have the yummy ingredients that yours has. I am 70 next week so I’ve been cooking a good few years and it’s sad to think I haven’t mastered a good casserole up until now! Thanks again from a New Zealand cook. x
Amazing! So happy you found this recipe and happy early birthday!
This recipe is wonderful! I’ve never used a chuck roast, cut up, for beef stew. What a wonderful idea! This recipe restored my faith in beef stew! I didn’t have fresh thyme, so I used dry, only a tiny amount because I’m not a thyme fan. I used more beef broth than wine. I followed everything else. My husband and i loved it.
Thank you for sharing this.
I made this about a month ago. Going to make again this week, even though we are having a heat wave! The crock pot doesn’t heat up the kitchen!
Perfect! So happy to hear that, Pattie 🙂
I don’t do well with tomatoes. Can I leave out the tomato paste? Or ideas for a substitution? Thanks!
Hmm the tomato paste helps to thicken plus give it flavor so I can’t say I would recommend leaving it out. Perhaps you could try bbq sauce + a little more flour?
This was amazing!!
Sadly my slow cooker was too small for me to add potatoes so I omitted them and used mashed to serve. I coated the beef pieces in flour before I browned them at the start and found I didn’t need to add any flour at the end 😊
I also didn’t have any beef stock so used chicken stock, I imagine beef stock would be tastier in the end but found a pleasing result using what I had. Will definitely make it again and again
I’m glad those little adjustments worked out well! Delicious with a side of mashed potatoes 🙂
Just curious if you think I could double this and it would fit in a 6qt slow cooker?? Thanks!
I don’t think it would all fit if you doubled the recipe — sorry!
Wow, this recipe is a keeper!! We hosted some friends for dinner last night, and I wanted to make some hearty comfort food to celebrate the first week of fall. I followed this recipe exactly, and it was SO delicious!! I paired the dish with corn bread muffins. Our friends raved about how good it was and even asked for the recipe. We will definitely be making this again this fall and winter. Thank you!
Perfect! So happy this one was a hit 🙂
Hi Monique! I have this saved for the end of this week for dinner and I can’t wait to try it! But I would actually love to use gnocchi instead of potatoes. Have you tried this before? I’m wondering what adjustments I’ll need to make. Thanks so much!
Hmmm great question. If you decide to use gnocchi, you’ll need to leave out until the stew is completely done, then the last 10 minutes of cooking stir in the gnocchi and allow it to simmer.
I know this is not orthodox cooking wisdom but I never fry my beef cubes before making stew and I find my stew is still delicious. It saves time, pans and significantly decreases the oil. Otherwise made as is. Great!
Husband says, “Damn good stew!”
Sounds like a win to me! 🙂
I’ve been looking for a good beef stew recipe forever. This was the closest I’ve found and I’m going to just tweak it a teeny bit to get it to (my definition) of perfect. Personally, I found the thyme to be overwhelming here – so I’m going to change that up a little bit the next time…maybe go down to 1/4t and add some rosemary? Will have to think about that…but thanks for sharing!
Let me know how it goes with some tweaks! It’s easy to customize 🙂 Enjoy!
Made this slow cooker beef stew and OMG it was absolutely gorgeous. I’m a very fussy eater and I haven’t eaten any type of stew since I was a child as I never liked it but this was so nice I actually went for seconds and so did my son he even put the gravy in a jug and just drank it on it’s because he said the gravy alone was nice. I will definitely be making this at least once a week from now on.
I’m so glad you found this one! Perfect dinner.
This was amazing!! I added frozen corn along with the frozen peas. Quick, easy and filling meal that will definitely be a staple during the winter months!
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Instead of a traditional Thanksgiving meal, we made this recipe and it hit the spot! It was easy to put together, SO flavorful, satisfying, and delicious. We will definitely make this again sometime soon! Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Love that idea! Happy holidays to you, too! 🙂
Seriously my favorite beef stew recipe and I’ve tried so many! The red wine, balsamic vinegar and worcestershire add an awesome depth of flavor. So good
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
I adjusted a lot of quantities: used 2.5 lbs chuck, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 yukon gold potato, and I added 8 ounces of mushrooms (that I sauteed with the garlic before adding it to the slow cooker). I left the amount of liquid the same and it was perfect. Loved the flavor and can’t wait to make it again.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
Late to the party, but I made this yesterday and it delicious!!!
Never late to the party! Glad you enjoyed!
Delicious recipe!
Glad you liked it!
My son is allergic to Worcestershire sauce. Will it make a big difference if I leave it out?
It should be fine! 🙂
So, so good and so easy. I used all broth bc I didn’t have wine on hand and it was perfect. Would also be the perfect setup for pot roast. Can’t wait for my leftovers tomorrow!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
This stew is fabulous! I added fresh rosemary and sauteed baby bella mushrooms.. AMAZING! Also, I made it in the Instant Pot on the slow cooker setting, which probably isn’t as good as an actual slow cooker, but it turned out wonderfully. Very flavorful and the meat was tender. I look forward to making it again!
Amazing! I’m glad it worked out well in your Instant Pot!
tender beef, deep flavor, simple instructions, family favorite. Make this!
Glad you enjoyed!
This recipe is delicious! I used stew meat instead to save from cutting a roast. I will make again
Perfect! Such a great dinner 🙂
Sorry to mark you down. In essence the recipe was good, and very easy, but the thyme completely overpowered it. I suggest omitting the thyme altogether, or maybe just a quarter of a teaspoon instead.
Sorry to hear that! Thyme is a very common herb in beef stew but you can absolutely use less if you’re not a big fan of it.
So so so good!!! Did this in my instant pot and added a few extra spices (the more the merrier for me) – onion salt, a pinch or two of cumin, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, tumeric and paprika, along with a splash of soy sauce. SO good. Also, served over egg noodles. Will be my go to recipe!!!
Perfect! Love the idea of egg noodles 🙂 glad you enjoyed!
This was fabulous! My husband is the pickiest eater (I wish I was exaggerating) and he even loved it! I didn’t have Yukon potatoes so I used one pound of baby red potatoes, and I only had 2 pounds of beef. I added 4 celery stalks and a bit more liquid just because my slow cooker tends to loose a lot of liquid while cooking, so to make up for extra liquid I did a dash extra of dried thyme and a few extra splashes of Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. I happened to have beef stock with red wine in it in my pantry so I didn’t add the wine separately. This is definitely being added to our winter meal rotation.
Perfect! So glad it was a hit!
Can this recipe be done in a Dutch oven pot on the stove?? Any recommendations ?
Yes! You can follow the recipe as indicated — just put your dutch oven over low heat and simmer covered for 5-6 hours. 🙂 I would also potentially add another 1/2 cup-1 cup of beef broth.
Just found this stew recipe, and it sounds delicious. I am wondering do the potatoes freeze well, or do they get mushy? Thanks for your help on this!
The potatoes should be fine!
My mother also made beef stew every winter and I find it so cozy and comforting but was always too intimidated to try it myself. This recipe is amazing….I followed it as is then added some fresh rosemary and thyme I had on hand….it turned out so delicious and I was so proud of myself! My husband and daughter went for seconds and I froze the leftovers to warm up for a busy week night meal. Thank you so much for this recipe!
So glad you found this one! Such a cozy dinner for winter 🙂
I made this recipe as written and it is a very good beef stew. I used the red wine and it gives it a nice rounded flavor. The couple issues I experienced were the prep took me around an hour and I cooked it for just under 8 hours and the vegetables could have used another 30-60 minutes but the meat was very tender. I will make it again and increase the cooking time. Thanks for this hearty recipe that was comfort food on a snowy night.
So glad you enjoyed! Hmmm yes feel free to increase the cooking time or chop up your veggies a bit smaller next time – that should help.
Thank you for sharing this!!!I made it exactly as instructed using one cup of red wine and it was very good,only thing is when I turned crockpot on I had fergot to plug in,I got home from work and it had sat all day,I put it in fridge and next morning it went on for 9 hours on low setting,turned out amazing!!!!will definitely be making again soon!!!thanks again
Oh no! I’m glad it still worked out!
Wow! Me and my husband are laying on the sofa struggling to breathe after eating our weight in this delicious stew! Fantastic easy recipe!
Glad it was a hit!
WOW, this recipe is everything I could have asked for in a beef stew. Healthy, filling, and all the taste of my Midwestern grandma’s recipe I can’t find!
I halved this recipe, and it came out wonderfully. This is going in my regular rotation of dinners!
Absolutely! So glad you loved it!
Made this for the 2nd time last night! It is SO delicious. A total crowd pleaser. I love the flavor and how tender the meat is. I used wine once and left it out another time. Tasted great both ways. Thanks Monique!!
Love that! Glad you enjoyed!
Best beef stew I’ve ever had! The flavor is incredible and the meat is so tender. Amazing!
I’m so glad! Our fav, too 🙂
This is the BEST beef stew I ever had. My mom made us beef stew as kids and we always used to joke about keeping her away from the crockpot bc the meat just got so dried out…. no dried out meat here!! Cannot say enough good things about this one!
Note: I like a more liquid stew so I added about 1 cup more beef broth, still thickened it at the end. Also usually get smaller cuts at the store bc that’s all they have and they work fine so don’t worry if you can’t find 3lbs mine end up being around 2.25-2.75 before trimming the fat!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
What size slow cooker? I have a lot 8 qt, and this recipe didn’t even get to the half way mark. Spices are standard. Really don’t know who this is rated as a 5
In the first instruction, you’ll see I mention a 6 or 8-qt slow cooker should work well. Did it not cook correctly in your 8-qt slow cooker? Sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy it as many readers have!
Kudo’s to your Mom’s recipe! This was by far the best beef stew I have ever made. Only addition I made was sliced mushrooms. Family loved it!
So happy to hear that! I’ll have to let her know 🙂