This comforting slow cooker beef stew fills the kitchen with rich aromas while tender beef and hearty vegetables quietly simmer. First, browning the meat locks in flavor; then potatoes and baby carrots soak up a red-wine broth, giving you a satisfyingly simple one-pot dinner that waits until you’re ready to ladle it up.
Table of contents
Comforting Slow Cooker Rustic Beef Stew
Course: MainCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
20
minutes6
hours30
minutes410
minutes480
kcal6
hours50
minutesFork-tender beef, potatoes, and carrots gently cook all day in a slow cooker for the coziest winter meal.
Ingredients
3 lb beef stew meat, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3 onions, sliced
1/4 cup dry red wine
4 large potatoes, cubed
1 cup baby carrots
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 cups boiling water
1 (1-oz) packet dry onion soup mix
1/4 cup warm water
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Directions
- Combine 1/4 cup flour and salt in a zip-top bag; add beef and shake to coat.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Brown coated beef on all sides in batches.
- Transfer browned beef to a 6-quart slow cooker.
- Melt butter in the same skillet; sauté onions until soft, then add to slow cooker.
- Deglaze skillet with red wine, scraping browned bits, then pour liquid into slow cooker.
- Add potatoes, carrots, parsley, and pepper to the cooker.
- Stir onion soup mix into 2 cups boiling water; pour over ingredients.
- Cover and cook on High for 30 minutes, then switch to Low for about 6 hours until beef is fork-tender.
- Mix 1/4 cup warm water with 2 tbsp flour; stir into stew 15 minutes before serving with lid off to thicken.
What You’ll Need
Gather these ingredients and tools before you start:
- 3 lb beef stew meat (chuck roast, 1-inch cubes)
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour (divided)
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 medium yellow onions, sliced
- ¼ cup dry red wine (Cabernet or Merlot)
- 4 large russet potatoes, cubed
- 1 cup baby carrots
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 (1-oz) packet dry onion soup mix
- ¼ cup warm water
- Crusty bread for serving
- Equipment: 6-quart slow cooker, large skillet, zip-top bag, wooden spoon
Detailed Cooking Instructions
Time needed: 7 hours
Slow cooker beef stew loaded with tender meat, potatoes, and carrots.
- Coat the beef
Shake beef cubes with 1/4 cup flour and salt in a bag.
- Brown the meat
Heat oil and brown coated beef on all sides; transfer to slow cooker.
- Sauté onions
Melt butter, cook onions until soft, and add to cooker.
- Deglaze
Pour red wine into skillet, scrape up bits, and add liquid to cooker.
- Add vegetables
Stir in potatoes, carrots, parsley, and pepper.
- Pour broth
Combine onion soup mix with boiling water; pour over contents.
- Slow cook
Cook on High 30 minutes, then Low 6 hours until beef is tender.
- Thicken gravy
Stir 2 tbsp flour with warm water; add during last 15 minutes, uncovered.
Tips & Tricks
- Skip the wine? Swap it with low-sodium beef stock for an easy crockpot beef stew the kids will love.
- Gravy boost: Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste during browning for deeper color and the “crockpot beef stew with gravy” texture many cooks want.
- Veggie rotation: Add frozen peas during the last 10 minutes if you prefer extra greens.
- Leftovers reheat well: Warm the stew gently on the stove with a splash of water until steaming; it thickens overnight and tastes richer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Two frequent issues are skipping the browning step, which reduces flavor, and lifting the lid repeatedly, which drops the temperature and extends cooking time.
Brown the meat first, add aromatics like onion soup mix, and cook on Low so the collagen melts slowly and the stew develops a deep, beefy taste.
Yes, raw beef will cook through, but searing it beforehand builds a richer crust and adds body to the final gravy.
Time is the secret; low, slow heat lets connective tissue break down, giving you fork-tender meat and a silky broth.
Save This Recipe
If this stew made your day warmer, bookmark it now or pin the photo for an easy dinner idea next snowfall.
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