Crockpot Beef Stew Recipe

closeup of a slow cooker with beef stew and a wooden spoon

4.80 from 45 votes

This Crockpot beef stew is a slow cooker classic! It's simple to throw together and so hearty for a warming family meal on a chilly or rainy day, and there's no fancy ingredients needed.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time10 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Crockpot beef stew, slow cooker beef stew

Servings:

Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil divided
2 pounds boneless stewing beef cubes or chuck
1/2 medium onion chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes peeled & diced (fairly large bite-size pieces)
4 large carrots peeled & cut into fairly large bite-size pieces
3 sticks celery chopped
3 cups beef broth
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons cornstarch optional

Instructions

Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a skillet and sear half the beef cubes (brown them on all sides) over medium-high heat. Transfer to a plate and then add the remaining oil to the skillet and brown the second batch. Once all the beef is seared, transfer it (and any juices on the plate) to your slow cooker.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Transfer the skillet contents to the Crockpot.
Add the remaining ingredients (except for the bay leaves and cornstarch) to your slow cooker. Stir/toss well.
Gently add the bay leaves in. Cook on low for 10 hours or until the beef is tender.
Optional: to give the stew a thicker consistency, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir it into the stew, and then cook until it's thickened up a bit (give it 10 minutes or so).

Notes

Update for 2022 - This recipe has been tweaked to make it more delicious and with the optional cornstarch addition. Here's the original recipe from 2018 if you loved it as-is.
I suggest cooking this on low for the 10 hours vs. on high for less time. Stewing beef is not tender, and slow cooking it gives it a chance to tenderize. If using chuck, you may get away with less than 10 hours.
This recipe freezes well.
This is the 7-quart Crockpot I used to make this recipe.
Want to make this in your Instant Pot? Try the Instant Pot version instead. Or try my Stovetop Beef Stew.

Nutrition