Some dinners need you standing over the stove, stirring and worrying. This slow cooker beef stew is the opposite. You toss everything into the pot in the morning, walk away, and come home eight hours later to a house that smells like a Sunday roast.
The beef cooks until it falls apart at the touch of a fork. The baby potatoes turn buttery and creamy, and the gravy is deeply savory, thick enough to coat a spoon. It’s the kind of meal that makes everyone slow down at the table.
This slow cooker beef stew with baby potatoes is as easy as comfort food gets. There’s no browning, no babysitting, and almost no dishes. If you can open a can of broth and shake a few seasonings, you can make this.
Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Melt-in-your-mouth beef. Chuck roast cooked low and slow turns tender and juicy every time.
- Truly easy. About 15 minutes of prep, then the slow cooker does the rest.
- Budget-friendly. Chuck roast and potatoes are some of the most affordable ingredients in the store.
- Family-approved. Mild, savory flavors that kids and adults both go for seconds on.
- Great for meal prep. The flavor deepens overnight, so leftovers are even better.
Ingredient Notes
The beef: Choose boneless chuck roast, cut into 1½-inch chunks. It has plenty of marbling and connective tissue, which breaks down into rich, tender beef during a long cook. Lean cuts like sirloin or round tend to turn dry and stringy. Cutting the meat yourself is cheaper than buying pre-cut “stew meat,” and the pieces are more even.
The potatoes: Baby potatoes (Yukon Gold, red, or mixed) hold their shape beautifully and need no peeling. If yours are bigger than a golf ball, cut them in half so they cook evenly. In the UK and Australia, look for “baby” or “salad” potatoes. Russets will work in a pinch, but they can break down and cloud the gravy.
The seasonings: The video uses a shaker of garlic and seasoning, plus dried minced garlic and onion. If you don’t have dried minced garlic, garlic powder works fine. A good beef broth makes the biggest difference to the gravy, so use low-sodium and season at the end. That way the stew doesn’t turn out too salty as it reduces.
Recipe Card
[Recipe card plugin goes here. For reference, here are the full ingredients.]
Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Baby Potatoes
Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 8 hours on low (or 4–5 hours on high) | Serves: 6
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs (1.1 kg) boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1½-inch chunks
- 1½ lbs (680 g) baby potatoes, halved if large
- 3 large carrots, cut into thick chunks (optional)
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp dried minced garlic (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
- 1 tbsp dried minced onion
- 1½ tsp seasoned salt or all-purpose seasoning
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme or Italian herbs
- 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
- Chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep the beef. Pat the chunks dry with paper towels and trim any large pieces of hard fat. Place them in the bottom of the slow cooker. Tip: Don’t skip patting the beef dry. Excess moisture dilutes the seasoning.
- Add the vegetables. Layer the onion and carrots over the beef, then nestle the baby potatoes on top. Keeping the potatoes on top helps them cook gently instead of turning mushy.
- Season generously. Sprinkle the dried garlic, dried onion, seasoned salt, pepper, and thyme evenly over everything. Make sure the potatoes get some seasoning too, since they soak up flavor.
- Mix the liquid. In a measuring cup, whisk the beef broth, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth. Pour it around the edges of the pot rather than over the top, so you don’t wash the seasoning off. Tip: The liquid should come about halfway up the ingredients. Vegetables release water as they cook, so resist the urge to add more.
- Cook low and slow. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours. The stew is ready when the beef shreds easily with a fork and the potatoes are fork-tender. Try not to lift the lid during cooking, since each peek adds about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Thicken the gravy. Stir the cornstarch and cold water together until smooth, then gently stir it into the stew. Cover and cook on high for 15 to 20 minutes, until the gravy turns glossy and thick. Tip: Always mix cornstarch with cold water first. Adding it straight to hot liquid makes lumps.
- Taste and serve. Season with extra salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley.
Nutrition Snapshot
Estimates per serving (1 of 6), including carrots. Actual values vary by brand and cut of beef.
- Calories: about 450
- Protein: about 38 g
- Carbohydrates: about 30 g
- Fat: about 20 g
For precise numbers, run your exact ingredients through a nutrition calculator.
Storage & Reheating
Refrigerator: Cool the stew, then store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavor gets even better on day two.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if the gravy has thickened too much. A microwave works too. Heat in 90-second bursts, stirring between each.
Freezer: Freeze for up to 3 months. Note that potatoes can turn slightly grainy after freezing. If you plan to freeze the whole batch, undercook the potatoes a little, or freeze just the beef and gravy and add fresh potatoes when reheating. Thaw overnight in the fridge before warming.
Budget Note
Made in the US with chuck roast and basic pantry items, this stew costs roughly $3 to $4.50 per serving, depending on your local beef prices. Prices will differ in the UK, Canada, and Australia, but chuck or “braising steak” is cheap everywhere.
To save money, buy a whole chuck roast on sale and cut it yourself, which is often 20 to 30 percent cheaper than pre-cut stew meat. Buying potatoes and carrots in bulk bags also cuts the cost noticeably.
Variations
Lighter version. Trim the beef well, use extra carrots, celery, and mushrooms to bulk up the pot, and swap half the potatoes for turnips. Use low-sodium broth and skip the cornstarch, letting the stew simmer uncovered at the end to thicken naturally. You’ll cut calories and carbs without losing the cozy feel.
Low-carb or keto. Replace the potatoes with cauliflower florets or radishes. Radishes lose their sharpness and become surprisingly potato-like after hours of slow cooking. Thicken the gravy with a pinch of xanthan gum instead of cornstarch.
Instant Pot method. Use the Sauté function to brown the beef, add everything else with only 1 cup of broth, and pressure cook on high for 35 minutes with a natural release. Stir in the cornstarch slurry on Sauté mode to thicken. It’s ready in about an hour instead of eight.
Gluten-free swap. This recipe is nearly gluten-free as written. Check that your Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, and broth are labeled gluten-free, since hidden gluten sometimes lurks there. Cornstarch is already a safe thickener.
FAQ
Do I need to brown the beef first?
No. Browning adds a bit more depth, but this recipe is built to be dump-and-go and still tastes rich. If you have 10 extra minutes, searing the beef in a hot skillet is a nice upgrade.
Can I use frozen beef?
It’s best to thaw it first. Putting frozen meat in a slow cooker keeps it in the “danger zone” temperature range too long, which is a food safety concern.
Why is my beef tough?
Usually it needs more time, not less. Chuck roast gets tender only after its collagen breaks down. If it isn’t fork-tender yet, keep cooking for another hour or so.
Can I make this ahead for a party?
Absolutely. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate, and reheat gently in the slow cooker on low for 2 to 3 hours. It’s a great way to feed a crowd with no last-minute stress.
What should I serve with beef stew?
Crusty bread, buttered rolls, or a simple green salad are all great. For extra comfort, serve it over mashed potatoes or egg noodles.
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