Delicious, hearty, and Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew is everyone's absolute favorite. Made with super tender stew meat and potatoes to create a complete comforting meal.

Check out this warm and cozy Creamy Chicken and Gnocchi Soup and this Hearty Vegetable Stew while you are here!

Aside from chicken and dumplings, beef stew is easily one of my family's most favorite comfort meals. This one is especially a fave because you can add all of the ingredients to your crockpot, and come home to a full meal!

This recipe has been made in partnership with Pioneer®. My opinions are all my own.

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Gather ingredients for slow cooked beef stew:
How to make beef stew slow cooker:
The best vegetables to add to a stew recipe:
The best meat to use for beef stew:
Is chuck roast the same as stew meat?
Do I have to brown stew meat before slow cooking?
The secret to tender beef stew:
📖 Recipe

beef stew that has been cooked in a slow cooker

Gather ingredients for slow cooked beef stew:

With these few simple ingredients, your house will smell like a little piece of heaven!

Here is what you need to add to your crockpot:

Stew meat: most local grocery stores sell the meat precut and prepackaged.
Vegetables: potatoes, carrots, and onions were the veggies of choice for this recipe.
Seasoning: grab a package of Pioneer Ancho Beef Stew seasoning mix. It is PACKED full of flavor, and is really all that you need to get your stew seasoned to perfection.

beef stew in a bowl with potatoes and carrots with a serving spoon alongside the bowl

How to make beef stew slow cooker:

This slow cooker beef stew recipe cannot be any easier to make! You just need a crockpot, and all of your ingredients.

If possible, line your slow cooker with a liner to help with cleanup. Once the crockpot liner is inserted, add your cleaned and trimmed chuck roast stew meat directly into the pot.

Next, you will add the vegetables of your choice. For this recipe we used carrots, potatoes, and onions. Roughly chop them into bite size pieces, and add them directly over the steak meat.

baby potatoes, onions, and carrots in a bowl to be used for stew

Finally, you will mix your Pioneer Ancho Beef Stew seasoning mix with one cup of water, or beef broth. Then add the tomato paste, and mix all of this until it is fully combined.

Pour the beef stew seasoning directly over the meat and vegetables. You can sprinkle in some black pepper, and gently stir it up to ensure the meat and potatoes are covered with the chili powder seasoning.

Set the crockpot on high heat, place the lid on, and let the old fashioned beef stew slow cook for four to six hours.

carrots baby potatoes onions and stew meat in a crockpot for beef stew

The best vegetables to add to a stew recipe:

The most common vegetables found in a stew recipe are potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery. Potatoes make for a rich and hearty beef stew, and they also help to thicken it up.

One of the best thing about soup and stews is that you can really add anything you want! Here are some other delicious vegetable ideas to add:

Corn
Mushrooms
Cabbage
Squash

The key to adding any veggie, is to ensure it gets nice and tender, without completely dissolving into the liquid.

The best meat to use for beef stew:

Most local grocery stores sell packages of stew meat. To make things simple for you, this is the best option to go with. Chuck roast is another great option though.

When you get the meat home, give it a nice rinse and check to see if it needs to be cut smaller. You want your stew meat to be in about one inch bite size pieces, instead of being large chunks.

Is chuck roast the same as stew meat?

Simply put, yes. Stew meat usually comes from the shoulder, which is known as "chuck." However, the meat added to a package could very well be bits and pieces of leftover cuts from larger sirloins, roasts, or steaks that the butcher had.

Do I have to brown stew meat before slow cooking?

You do not have to sear the meat prior to adding it to the slow cooker. However, if you have the extra time- this is a great extra step to help lock in the flavor.

Simply season your meat, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil to a skillet, and place the meat into the hot oil and brown on each side for two to three minutes. Once it is browned on all sides, place it in the slow cooker.

The secret to tender beef stew:

The best secret to getting the most tender stew meat is to cook it low and slow. This is why the slow cooked method is ideal. If you do not have a crockpot, you can certainly make this stew recipe on the stove, or in the oven.

Just ensure that you add the right amount of liquids so that the beef can get nice and tender as it cooks. Use a heavy bottom pot or a dutch oven for the to get tender meat.

📖 Recipe

Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Beef Stew is an easy set-it-and-forget crockpot recipe. This hearty comfort meal features juicy chunks of beef, tender potatoes, and sweet carrots in a rich, savory broth.

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Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 4

Total Time: 4 10

Course: Soups and Stews

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 463kcal

Author: Tamara J.

Ingredients

2 pounds Stew meat cut into bite size pieces
1 pound Baby potatoes rinsed well
3 whole Carrots peeled and cut into bite size pieces
½ medium Onion rough chopped
1 cup Beef broth or water with ½ tablespoon beef bouillon
1 packet Pioneer Ancho Beef Stew seasoning mix
2 tablespoons Tomato paste
½ tablespoon Black pepper optional

Instructions

Place your slow cooker on high heat. Insert a "slow cooker liner" if you have one (it will save on clean-up time)!
Add the cleaned and trimmed stew meat into the slow cooker. Next add your baby potatoes, peeled and cut carrots, and onion directly over the stew meat.
In a separate bowl, combine the beef broth, ancho beef stew seasoning mix and tomato paste. Use a whisk or a fork and stir it until the seasoning and tomato paste are fully combined with the liquid.
Pour the stew seasoning mix directly over the meat and vegetables. Sprinkle in the black pepper and lightly stir the seasoning in with the meat and potatoes.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and let it cook on high for four hours, or low for 6-8 hours.
Open the lid and gently stir. Serve over noodles, rice, or by itself!

Video

Notes

Head to Pioneer's website to find a store near you.

If you cannot find the ancho beef stew seasoning mix add the following: 1 ½ tablespoon chili powder, ½ tablespoon seasoned salt, 1 teaspoon Onion powder, 1 teaspoon Garlic powder, 1 teaspoon Black pepper.