Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew Recipe for Comfort Meals Recipe
This Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew is a comforting, hearty meal perfect for chilly days. Tender beef cubes, potatoes, carrots, and peas are slow-cooked in a rich, flavorful broth infused with herbs and tomato paste. Set-it-and-forget-it simplicity meets classic home-cooked goodness in this satisfying stew.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7-8 hours (low) or 4-5 hours (high)
- Total Time: 7 hours 20 minutes to 8 hours 20 minutes (low) or 4 hours 20 minutes to 5 hours 20 minutes (high)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course, Stew
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
For the Stew:
- 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For Garnish:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Preparing the Beef: Start by placing the beef cubes in a large bowl. Sprinkle the flour over the beef and toss until all the pieces are coated evenly. This helps to thicken your stew later. Season with a little salt and pepper for extra flavor.
- Browning the Meat: In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, brown the beef cubes in batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook each batch for about 5 minutes or until they are a nice golden-brown color. Transfer the browned beef to the crock pot when done.
- Adding the Vegetables: Now, it’s time to add the veggies! In the crock pot, add the sliced carrots, diced potatoes, chopped onion, and minced garlic to the browned beef.
- Mixing the Broth: Next, pour in the beef broth, and add the tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Stir everything well to combine all the ingredients so they’re evenly distributed.
- Cooking the Stew: Cover the crock pot with its lid. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. You want the beef to become tender and the vegetables to be cooked through.
- Adding the Peas: About 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, gently stir in the frozen peas. Make sure to remove the bay leaf before serving to avoid an unpleasant bite.
- Final Touches: Give your stew a taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Once everything is seasoned to your liking, it’s time to serve!
- Serving the Stew: Serve the hot beef stew in bowls, garnished with freshly chopped parsley for a pop of color. This stew is perfect with some crusty bread on the side for dipping!
Notes
- For extra flavor, brown the beef thoroughly but avoid burning it to keep stew taste balanced.
- You can substitute frozen mixed vegetables in place of peas if preferred.
- Adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste toward the end of cooking.
- Use a good quality beef broth for best flavor results or homemade broth if available.
- Leftover stew tastes great the next day and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- If stew is too thick after cooking, add a bit of water or additional broth to reach desired consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (about 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
Keywords: beef stew, crock pot stew, slow cooker beef stew, comfort food, easy stew recipe, hearty meal, winter recipe
