Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe (Easy & Hearty!) - Grace and Good Eats (2024)

This Slow Cooker Beef Stew requires almost no prep work. Just dump the ingredients into your slow cooker and walk away!

I am not a fan of cold weather, but I am a huge fan of cold weather food. I love warm soups, spicy chili, and all things that can be made in the slow cooker; like this simple beef stew. It’s great because it’s full of flavor but can easily be customized with veggies your family likes.

As you can see from the above, my family likes meat, potatoes, and carrots. ? Feel free to add in some green veggies- peas or green beans, and corn would be a nice addition. My daughter especially likes it with pasta shells, so I usually make her some on the side and add it to her bowl just before serving.

This is also a freezer meal, so it can be made ahead of time and pulled out to throw in the slow cooker when you’re ready.

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Beef Stew

This hearty beef stew doesn’t have a lengthy ingredients list, but packs in lots of flavor. Here’s what I used to make this easy beef stew in the slow cooker:

• Onion
• Stew meat
• Water
• Beef stock
• V-8 juice
• Barbecue sauce
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Potatoes
• Salt and pepper

How to Make Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

It’s easier than you’d think to make classic beef stew in a slow cooker! Just place all the ingredients into a slow cooker, then add the lid. Cook on high for 6 to 7 hours or on low for 8 to 9 hours. Seriously, that’s it!

What to Serve with Beef Stew

I love serving this hearty beef stew with fresh bread or rolls, a side salad, or cornbread. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Perfect Yeast Rolls
• Buttermilk Cornbread
• Jalapeño Cheddar Dinner Rolls
• Mashed Potatoes
• 7 Up Biscuits
• Buttermilk Drop Biscuits

Can You Freeze Beef Stew?

Yes! Place all the raw ingredients except the potatoes into a large freezer bag. Then, when ready to cook add in the potatoes and pop everything into the slow cooker!

Tips for the Best Ever Slow Cooker Beef Stew

• I prefer using lean stew meat in my homemade beef stew. You may need to go to the meat counter to find it at your local grocery store.
• If you don’t have V-8 where you live, it’s essentially a tomato-based vegetable juice.
• There’s no need to brown or saute any of the ingredients beforehand. Just chuck it all into the slow cooker and cook!

More Easy Slow Cooker Dinners:

• Crockpot Cheeseburger Soup
• Crockpot Taco Chili
• Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken
• Crockpot BBQ Meatballs