Slow Cooker Thick and Chunky Beef Stew
This hearty beef stew is slow-cooked to perfection with tender beef, potatoes, carrots, and savory herbs for the ultimate comfort food dinner.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
1 pound lean chuck beef, cut into cubes
¼ cup flour (use non-grain flour for Whole30)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 large carrots, sliced into thick rounds
½ cup snap peas, shelled
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup red bell pepper, diced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme)
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper, divided
2½ cups low-sodium beef broth
½ cup red wine (or extra broth, optional)
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional, for thicker stew)
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional garnish)
Instructions
Prep Beef: Coat beef cubes with flour. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, sear beef until browned on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker.
Assemble: Add celery, carrots, snap peas, potatoes, red pepper, onion, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, beef broth, red wine (if using), and tomato paste into the slow cooker. Stir gently.
Cook: Cover and cook on low 8–10 hours (or high 4–5 hours) until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are soft.
Finish: Remove bay leaf. Adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
Tomato paste helps naturally thicken the stew but can be omitted.
For Whole30 or Paleo, replace flour with arrowroot or cassava flour and skip red wine.
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months.
