Here’s a detailed and tasty recipe for a slow cooker beef stew that’s hearty, flavorful, and perfect for a cozy meal:
Ingredients (6 servings)
- 2 lbs (900 g) beef chuck, cut into 1-2 inch cubes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth (preferably low sodium)
- 1 cup red wine (optional, can use extra broth)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (for thickening)
- 1 cup frozen peas (added at the end)
Instructions
- Brown the beef
- Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season beef cubes with salt and pepper.
- Sear in batches until browned on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker.
- Prepare the base
- In the same skillet, sauté onions and garlic until softened (about 2-3 minutes).
- Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 more minute.
- Assemble in slow cooker
- Add carrots, potatoes, browned beef, sautéed onion mixture, beef broth, red wine, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves to the slow cooker.
- Stir gently to combine.
- Cook
- Low setting: 7-8 hours
- High setting: 4-5 hours
- The beef should be tender, and the vegetables soft.
- Thicken the stew
- About 30 minutes before serving, mix flour with a little cold water to make a slurry.
- Stir into the stew to thicken.
- Add frozen peas and cook until heated through.
- Serve
- Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Serve hot with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes.
💡 Tips for extra flavor:
- Searing the beef adds depth to the stew.
- Using red wine enhances richness.
- For a thicker stew, you can also mash a few potatoes into the liquid.
If you want, I can also give you a shortcut 6-ingredient version that’s almost as rich but faster to throw together. Do you want me to do that?
