If you love a thick and hearty slow cooker beef stew, this is the recipe for you. This is the best slow cooker beef stew you will ever try and so easy. It comes together in minutes. While it cooks throughout the day, it develops all the wonderful old fashioned beef stew recipe flavors you expect to taste. If you are looking for a recipe to throw in the crock before work, this slow cooker beef with onion soup mix is exactly what you need. You will be excited to race home for dinner after work and have it ready to eat.
Recipe Ingredient Notes
- Beef stew cubes
- Carrots (you could also use baby carrots)
- Red potatoes
- Bay leaf
- Dry onion soup mix
- Cream of mushroom soup – If you do not have cream of mushroom soup, you can replace it with cream of chicken. This replacement will alter the taste of the stew slightly.
- Tomato sauce
- Frozen green peas
Equipment Needed
- Crock pot / slow cooker (THIS one is my favorite to use)
- Non-stick cooking spray
- Small-sized mixing bowl
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Stew
- Begin by spraying the bottom of your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray, or if you prefer easier cleanup, check out these amazing slow cooker liners. I am always a fan of less work after a making a delicious meal.
- Then, place the beef cubes on the bottom of the slow cooker, then add in the carrots you have chopped, and diced red potatoes and then top it off with the bay leaf.
- Now, in a small mixing bowl, add in one package of onion soup mix (the ounces may vary depending on the brand you use), cans of cream of mushroom soup, and tomato sauce, and frozen peas.
- Mix everything together well and then pour it over top of the beef and veggies, trying to spread it as evenly as possible.
- If desired, you can place a bay leaf on top for added flavor, but it’s not necessary.
- Then, simply put the lid on the slow cooker and turn it on low and set the timer between 7-10 hours.
- If you need to, it can cook on high for 5-6 hours, but we prefer the low and slow method (the meat just falls apart after cooking for that long!).
Freezer Meal Modifications
This meal can easily be made into a freezer meal. Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag (or another freezer-safe container). Mix contents together in the bag and zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove the bag from the freezer and thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours. Then spray the slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray and the pour contents of bag into the slow cooker. And simply cook on LOW for 7-10 hours (or HIGH for 5-6 hours).
Recipe Tips
- If you do not have beef stew cubes at your grocery store, you can buy your favorite beef roast and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- To make the recipe heartier, double the meat.
- Be sure to start this beef stew recipe early enough as it does take most of the day to cook and develop all those lovely flavors. It can cook for up to 10 hours in the slow cooker.
- You can customize your vegetable add-ins. Here are a few suggestions: green beans, veggie mix, corn, green peppers, and red peppers.
Explore More Delicious Stew Recipes
Stews are our favorite fall and winter meal. Here are some of our favorite comforting stews that we know your family will love. For more stew inspiration, check out our full list of stews.
- Instant Pot Beef Daube Stew with Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Instant Pot Ground Beef Vegetable Stew
- Slow Cooker Chunky Roast Stew
- Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken Stew
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef stew cubes
- 4 large carrots, (sliced)
- 4-6 red potatoes, (cut into large cubes)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 packet dry onion soup mix, (about 1 ounce packet)
- 2 cans cream of mushroom soup, (10.75 ounces each)
- 1 can tomato sauce, (8 ounces)
- 1 package frozen green peas, (10 ounces)
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place beef cubes at the bottom of the crock pot. Layer carrots, then potatoes, placing bay leaf on top.
- In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients and pour over beef and veggies.
- Cover with lid and cook on low 7-10 hours (you could cook it on high for 6-7 hours, but I highly recommend the low and slow method).
Juliesews
I just thought i'd remind people that when using a crock pot to NOT open it. until it says to. Opening it ruins the process and will take longer to cook....
This looks sooo delicious, can't wait to try!!! :)
I did use only 1/2 can of tomato soup and a can of El PATO (Spicy) tomato sauce to give it a Kick!!
I would not recommend this to a family w/kids or you can do what I did which was to add a little sour cream to cool it down . I cooked it for a full 9 hours and the meat was very tender as well as the carrots and potatoes.