Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Cozy slow cooker beef stew with leeks, potatoes, carrots, and fresh herbs. The stew is made with boneless chuck roast that becomes tender and delicious after cooking all day. This is classic comfort food!
At this time of year, when the days can shift from spring-like and warm to cold and chilly, there’s still justification to make something cozy in the slow cooker.
And this slow cooker beef stew is the perfect thing to make. It features tender chunks of chuck roast cooked low and slow, with fresh vegetables, seasonings, and herbs added at the very end. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it recipe that simmers all day, so when it’s time to eat, all you need to do is ladle it into bowls and enjoy.
Ingredients
- Boneless chuck roast: You will need a chuck roast that is approximately two pounds. Cut it into pieces about 2 inches.
- Tomato paste
- Beef broth
- Onion
- Garlic
- New potatoes or baby red potatoes: You can use other waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold potatoes, too. If you use larger potatoes, cut them into chunks about 2 inches in size.
- Leek: One large or a couple of smaller ones will work.
- Carrots
- Seasonings: Dried oregano, salt, pepper, and soy sauce.
- Herbs: Fresh parsley and fresh chives
How to Make It
Brown the Beef
Season the beef pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the beef on all sides. Add the tomato paste, stir to coat the beef, and then transfer the meat to the slow cooker.
Deglaze the Pan
Pour 1/2 cup of the beef broth into the pan. Bring it to a simmer and scrape up all the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Combine
Add all of the beef broth to the slow cooker. Add the leek, garlic, oregano, and onion to the slow cooker. Stir and add the potatoes, carrots, and soy sauce. Stir again.
Cook
Cook the stew on low heat for 7 to 8 hours, or until the beef is tender.
Garnish and Serve
Stir the fresh herbs into the stew just before serving.
Recipe Tips
I cut the potatoes and carrots into larger pieces to prevent them from overcooking. If you cut them into smaller pieces, be aware that they may end up mushier.
Leftover stew will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days. Or, you can freeze it. If you freeze it, allow it to cool to room temperature, and then store it in a freezer container. You can store it in the freezer for a couple of months.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Cozy and comforting beef stew with leeks, carrots, potatoes, tender beef, and fresh herbs. The stew simmers all day for a cozy dinner.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 pound boneless chuck roast cut into 1” pieces
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth, divided
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large leek, thinly sliced (white and tender green parts)
- 1 pound new potatoes, sliced in half (see note)
- 12 ounces carrots, sliced into 1” pieces
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sliced fresh chives
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Season the beef pieces with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place the beef pieces in a single layer in the pan. Brown them on all sides. Add the tomato paste and stir until the beef is evenly coated. Transfer the meat and all of the pan juices to the slow cooker.
- Place the pan back on the heat and add 1/2 cup of beef broth. As it simmers, scrape up all of the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Transfer the broth to the slow cooker and then add the remaining broth.
- Add the oregano, onion, garlic, and leek to the slow cooker. Stir, then add the potatoes, carrots, and soy sauce, and stir again.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook the stew for 7 to 8 hours or until the beef is tender. Stir the herbs into the stew before serving.
Notes
Potatoes: New potatoes aren’t always the same size – you can slice most in half, but if there are large ones, slice them in quarters.
You can store leftover stew in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. It may thicken when cold, so thin it with a few splashes of broth or water when reheating.
Nutrition
- Calories: 490
- Sugar: 9.5g
- Sodium: 1026.7mg
- Fat: 15.5g
- Saturated Fat: 6.2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36.3g
- Fiber: 7g
- Protein: 51.1g
- Cholesterol: 134mg
The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.
More Recipes with Chuck Roast
I hope you try this beef stew! It’s so cozy – perfect for a chilly day when you want something comforting.
Happy cooking,
This slow cooker beef stew post and recipe have been updated from the archives. The post was first published in April 2018.
This slow cooker beef stew looks and sounds amazing! Can’t wait to try it!
Should I cook the meat then flour it or flour it then cook it in the pan?
Hi Jack, for this recipe you don’t need to flour the beef.
I’m a sucker for a good slow cooked beef stew. Definitely one of my favorites.
So many wonderful meal ideas here! Thank you so much! I’m going to try the beef stew tonight!
I made this and we just finished the leftovers – Really liked the recipe! Nice blend of flavors. I used a chuck roast that needed to come out of the freezer and it was so tender.
So glad you liked it!
This is a go-to recipe in the winter for my family. Love it!