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This crockpot beef stew is hearty, full of flavor, and super easy to put together! It’s made with beef chuck roast, potatoes, carrots, and a few other simple ingredients.
I love serving it with creamy mashed potatoes, but feel free to serve it with rice or the side dish of your choice.
This is hands down the best stew I’ve ever made! It cooked on high in the slow cooker for 4 hours, and the house smelled incredible!
The meat was cooked to perfection, and the potatoes and carrots were perfectly tender.
For more of my favorite crockpot meals, check out this crockpot chili, crockpot shredded chicken tacos, and crockpot cheesy beef goulash.
INGREDIENT NOTES & SUBSTITUTIONS
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
- Beef – You’ll need 2.5 lbs of chuck roast, bottom round, or top round beef. Make sure to trim off any excess fat, but keep a little bit for some flavor.
- Carrots – Baby carrots or regular carrots work. Avoid canned or frozen carrots.
- Green Peas – Frozen green peas work best for this recipe, Make sure to add them 3-5 minutes before serving otherwise they will turn mushy.
- Potatoes – Use Yukon gold potatoes, red potatoes, or baby potatoes for best results.
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Cut the beef chuck roast into 1-inch cubes and season it on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper. Coat each piece of beef in all-purpose flour and shake off any excess flour.
- Heat about 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the beef chunks and cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides. Don’t overcrowd your skillet. Remove the beef from the skillet and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium low, add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Add more oil, if needed, and keep an eye on the onions so they don’t burn. Stir in the garlic and cook for 10 seconds.
- Place the beef and onion mixture into the crockpot along with the remaining ingredients except for the green peas, water, and cornstarch. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- Once the time is up, make sure the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender, and the beef is super tender. If not, cook for an additional 30 minutes.
- Use a spoon or ladle to skim off any excess grease at the top and discard it.
- Combine the cornstarch and water and mix well. Stir it into the stew and cook for 5 minutes. Add the green peas and cook for 1-2 minutes. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
BEST MEAT FOR BEEF STEW
I highly recommend using chuck roast for this recipe. It’s my favorite for making beef stew! Bottom round roast and top round are other great choices as well.
BEST POTATOES TO USE
The best potatoes for beef stew are those that hold their shape well during the hours it cooks. I highly recommend using Yukon gold potatoes, red potatoes, or yellow baby potatoes.
TOP TIPS
- I think three tablespoons of cornstarch was plenty to thicken the stew. If you find that your stew is a bit runny, no worries because it will continue to thicken after it’s done cooking.
- Feel free to season this stew to your liking! Want to make it a bit spicy? Add some cayenne pepper or the spices of your choice for extra spice and flavor.
- Avoid pre-packaged, pre-cut beef stew meat from the store, particularly the bright red beef cubes. Choose meat with ample marbling, as this ensures juicy and tender beef stew. The bright red store-bought beef won’t achieve the desired tenderness no matter how long you cook it.
- Trim any excess fat and make sure to brown the beef in hot oil for maximum flavor!
STORAGE AND REHEATING
If you have any leftovers, allow them to cool completely then transfer to an air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Simply reheat in the microwave, stovetop, or oven until heated through.
Tried this crockpot beef stew? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. And consider following me on Facebook or Pinterest!
Crockpot Beef Stew
Equipment
- Crockpot or any slow cooker
Ingredients
- 2.5 lbs beef chuck roast , cut into 1-inch cubes
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups beef stock
- ½ cup red wine , optional
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 sprig thyme
- 2 cups carrots , cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 cups baby potatoes , halved
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 1 beef bouillon cube
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch, to thicken stew
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- oil, for browning beef
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the beef chuck roast into 1-inch cubes and season it on both sides with Kosher salt and black pepper. Coat each piece of beef in all-purpose flour and shake off any excess flour.
- Heat about 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the beef chunks and cook for 4-5 minutes on both sides. Don't overcrowd your skillet. Remove the beef from the skillet and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium low, add the onions and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Add more oil, if needed, and keep an eye on the onions so they don't burn. Stir in the garlic and cook for 10 seconds.
- Place the beef and onion mixture into the crockpot along with the remaining ingredients except for the green peas, water, and cornstarch. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours.
- Once the time is up, make sure the carrots and potatoes are fork-tender, and the beef is super tender. If not, cook for an additional 30 minutes. Use a spoon or ladle to skim off any excess grease at the top and discard it.
- Combine the cornstarch and water and mix well. Stir it into the stew and cook for 5 minutes. Add the green peas and cook for 1-2 minutes. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- I think three tablespoons of cornstarch was plenty to thicken the stew. If you find that your stew is a bit runny, no worries because it will continue to thicken after it’s done cooking.
- Feel free to season this stew to your liking! Want to make it a bit spicy? Add some cayenne pepper or the spices of your choice for extra spice and flavor.
- Avoid pre-packaged, pre-cut beef stew meat from the store, particularly the bright red beef cubes. Choose meat with ample marbling, as this ensures juicy and tender beef stew. The bright red store-bought beef won’t achieve the desired tenderness no matter how long you cook it.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
