Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew (with AMAZING Savory Flavor!)

Crock Pot Beef Stew in slow cooker with wooden spoon.

Easy Crock Pot Beef Stew (with AMAZING Savory Flavor!)

Crock Pot Beef Stew is comforting, delicious, and effortless to make in the slow cooker…loaded with vegetables, seasoned with herbs, and enhanced with a few special ingredients for deep, savory flavor!

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Total Time 8 10

Servings servings

Calories 411kcal

Author Samantha Skaggs

Equipment

6-quart or larger Slow Cooker

Ingredients

2 pounds beef stew meat
6 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon dried sage
2 bay leaves
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 ½ pounds yellow potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound carrots peeled and sliced
1 cup frozen green beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons water + 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt to taste

Instructions

Place stew meat in the bottom of large slow cooker. Top with garlic and sprinkle with dried herbs, bay leaves, and freshly ground black pepper. Pour beef broth over meat, and add balsamic vinegar, tomato paste, potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, and peas to crock pot. Stir all ingredients to combine.
Cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours or until beef is very tender.
About an hour before serving, use a fork to whisk cornstarch into water and pour in crock pot, stirring to distribute. Replace lid and allow broth to thicken slightly as stew finishes cooking. Season with salt, if needed, and additional pepper, to taste.

Notes

Instead of beef broth, water plus Organic Better Than Bouillon Beef Base may be used.
Fresh herbs may be substituted for dried herbs at a 3:1 ratio, since dried herbs are three times stronger than fresh. For example, instead of using 1 tablespoon dried parsley, you could substitute three tablespoons fresh parsley.
Yukon Gold (or yellow) potatoes hold up best in a slow-cooking stew, as do red potatoes. Russets are starchier and more likely to break down, so not as preferable.
If you'd like your frozen peas to remain bright green, you can wait to stir them in during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking time.
You may increase the amount of cornstarch slurry for a thicker stew.
While you may opt to cook your Crock Pot Beef Stew on HIGH for half the allotted time, I recommend cooking the recipe on LOW for the best flavor and most tender beef.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEAR YOUR BEEF BEFORE ADDING IT TO CROCK POT: (1.)Generously season the beef cubes on all sides with salt and pepper, to taste. (2.)Heat 2 tablespoons EVOO or vegetable oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. (3.)Working in batches so as not to crowd the pot, add a single layer of beef cubes and cook until they are browned on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. (4.)Transfer the browned beef to your slow cooker and proceed with the recipe.
TO CONVERT THIS RECIPE FROM CROCK POT TO STOVETOP: I'd recommend searing your beef first since you'll already be dirtying a pot! Along with the beef, add all of the other ingredients to your large pot or Dutch oven, increasing the beef broth to 6 cups total. Stir everything together and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low or so until simmering. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 1 ½ hours or until the beef is very tender. Watch the liquid level and add a little more, if necessary, or remove the lid and allow to evaporate for a bit if you'd prefer less liquid. Thicken as desired with a cornstarch slurry.

Nutrition