Slow Cooker Beef Stew

This slow cooker beef stew is packed with fork-tender beef, hearty vegetables, and a rich, savory broth. It's an easy crockpot dinner that's cozy, comforting, and always a family favorite.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Keyword beef stew recipes, slow cooker stew recipes, stew recipes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8 30

Total Time 8 40

Servings servings

Calories 556kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast trimmed and cut Into 1-inch cubed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups to 2 1/2 cups water
2 large beef bouillon cubes
1 (10.75-ounces) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 medium onions sliced
2 large Russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 medium carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
2 stalks celery cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces whole mushrooms trimmed
3/4 cup frozen peas thawed

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pour flour (1/4 cup) into a 1-gallon Ziplock bag. Add meat (2 1/2 pounds), in batches, and shake to evenly coat all pieces.
Add oil (2 tablespoons) to a large skillet and heat. When the oil is hot, brown the meat in batches without crowding it. Transfer meat, when it's browned, directly to the crockpot. Add 1 1/2 cups water and bouillon cubes (2) to the skillet and cook, stirring up the brown bits from the bottom of the skillet and dissolving the bouillon cubes. Remove from heat and add tomato soup (1 can), Italian seasonings (3 teaspoons), bay leaves (2), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon) and stir to combine. Pour into the crockpot over beef. Add the onions (2), potatoes (2), carrots (3), celery (2 stalks), and mushrooms (8 ounces).
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the beef and veggies are tender. If needed, add more water. Add the thawed peas (3/4 cup) to the last 20-30 minutes of cooking. Discard bay leaves and serve.

Notes

Brown the beef in batches. Crowding the pan causes the meat to steam instead of develop the deep, caramelized flavor that makes this stew so rich and satisfying.
Give it the full cooking time. Tough beef simply needs more time. Cooking low and slow allows the connective tissue to break down, creating fork-tender bites.
Don't skip the deglazing step. Scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the skillet and add it to the slow cooker. That's where much of the savory flavor comes from.
Wait to add extra salt. Between the beef broth, bouillon, and condensed soup, the stew may already be perfectly seasoned. Taste before adding more.
Stir in the peas at the end. Adding frozen peas during the last few minutes keeps them bright green and prevents them from becoming mushy.

Nutrition