Recipe: Slow-Cooker Beef and Vegetable Stew (Complete Recipe)

2026-02-21

This stew is comfort food with practical prep. Browning the beef first adds deep flavor, and the slow cooker does the rest. Serves 6.

**Ingredients** - 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes - 2 teaspoons kosher salt - 1 teaspoon black pepper - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 large onion, diced - 3 cloves garlic, minced - 2 tablespoons tomato paste - 4 cups low-sodium beef broth - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce - 1 teaspoon dried thyme - 2 bay leaves - 4 carrots, sliced - 3 celery stalks, sliced - 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cubed - 1 cup frozen peas - 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

**Instructions** 1. Pat beef dry. Season with salt and pepper, then toss with flour. 2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker. 3. In same skillet, sauté onion 3 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Deglaze with 1/2 cup broth, scraping browned bits. 4. Add skillet mixture to slow cooker with remaining broth, Worcestershire, thyme, bay leaves, carrots, celery, and potatoes. 5. Cook on low 8 hours or high 4–5 hours, until beef is very tender. 6. Remove bay leaves. Stir in peas during last 10 minutes. 7. Taste and adjust seasoning. Finish with parsley.

**Why it works** Browning creates flavor compounds you can’t get from slow cooking alone. Flour lightly thickens the broth as the stew cooks, producing a rich but not heavy texture.

**Timing** - Prep: 25 minutes - Cook: 4–8 hours (hands-off)

Serve with crusty bread. Leftovers taste even better the next day and freeze well for up to 3 months.

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