Slow Cooker Beef Stew (Dump-and-Go)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Dec 8, 2025 (last updated Mar 20, 2026) 
If you’re looking for an easy slow cooker beef stew that’s hearty and classic, yet realistic for busy days, my version delivers! It has all the coziness with tender beef, rustic vegetables, and a thick, savory broth, but made simple with no pre-cooking. Perfect for cold nights or Sunday family dinners, it’s comforting, dependable and so delicious.
5 star review
“This was so good. What a slam dunk of a recipe. The meat was so tender and the flavor was so good! Best part, my 18 month old devoured this. Thank you!”
– Mel
Make this Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew for Dinner as Soon as it Gets Cold!
When the weather turns chilly, there’s truly nothing better than a cozy bowl of beef stew. My version is truly so cozy with a super-flavorful broth made with tomato paste, Worcestershire, bouillon, thyme, bay leaf, and a splash of red wine (or balsamic vinegar if you want a no-wine option).
And to make it extra easy, I developed thie recipe to skip pre-browning! The pantry staples give you the same depth you’d expect from browning the meat, but WITHOUT the extra step, and you know I love that! Carrots and potatoes bring balance and sweetness, while the beef turns absolutely fall-apart tender and juicy. Like, you can cut it with a spoon tender, just like my slow cooker Mississippi pot roast.
The finished stew is thick and hearty, with chunks of vegetables that hold their shape, a broth that clings to every spoonful, and a rustic, cozy feel that makes sitting down to dinner something you’ll truly look forward to. I also designed this recipe to be as simple as possible so you can enjoy it on a weeknight in addition to slow weekends at home.
Instead of complicated prep, the beef gets tossed in seasoned flour before it goes into the slow cooker, a simple trick I use to help the broth thicken naturally as it cooks. It’s freezer-friendly, reheats beautifully, and makes enough for a family dinner plus leftovers to serve over noodles or rice the next day! It’s hearty but not too heavy, the kind of meal that fits just as for both weeknight ease and weekend comfort.
Welcome to My Kitchen – Let’s Make Crockpot Beef Stew!
Testing Notes from My Kitchen for Classic Crockpot Beef Stew
- Coating the beef in flour before slow cooking helps the broth naturally thicken, which is important since you’re not getting the evaporation (and thus, natural thickening) you get with the stovetop version.
- Using red wine (or balsamic for alcohol-free) deepens flavor without extra steps like browning the beef first. Ditto the beef bouillon, so I don’t recommend skipping either.
- Peas add color and freshness if stirred in just before serving. I add them at the end so they retain their color and flavor.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew (Dump-and-Go)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup dry red wine (or 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar for alcohol-free)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon beef base (1 beef bouillon cube)
- 3-4 medium carrots, sliced into ½-inch thick rounds (about 1½ cups)
- 1 pound Yukon gold or yellow baby potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
- 2½ cups low-sodium beef broth
To Add at the End:
- ½-1 cup frozen peas (optional)
Equipment
Instructions
- Prep: In a medium bowl or zip-top bag, toss the beef with the flour, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
- Add to the Slow Cooker: In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, whisk together ½ teaspoon of salt, the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, wine or balsamic vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, bay leaf, and beef base.
- Add the floured beef, carrots, and potatoes. Pour in the beef broth and stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours, until the beef is very tender and the vegetables are soft but not falling apart. If the meat is not tender, it means you need to add more time.
- Add at the End: Sir in the peas during the last 10-15 minutes of cooking to warm through. Remove the bay leaf, taste, and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Cook Time: All slow cooker are different, so it may take more or less time depending your particular model. If the beef is tough when you test, it means it’s not cooked long enough. Add additional time in 30 minute increments until it’s very tender.
- Thickness: I’ve found the stew thickens considerably when allowed to cool slightly, making it even heartier when served, so consider allowing an extra 30-45 minutes for it to cool.
- Liquid: It may not look like enough liquid when you first add all the ingredients, but keep in mind the beef and the vegetables produce a lot of liquid while cooking. In testing I found this to be the exact ratio of liquid to veggies and meat to produce a stew rather than a soup. If the stew ends up being thicker than you’d like, simply add a splash of beef stock until it’s the consistency you’re looking for.
It was the first Dump-and-Go Dinner we tried and my husband and I loved it. Very easy, very delicious!
Wonderful to hear you enjoyed this beef stew, Jessica! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and for leaving a review!
This was so good. What a slam dunk of a recipe. My crockpot gets really hot so I did 4.5 hours on high and then 1 hour on warm, and that helped the sauce to thicken. The meat was so tender and the flavor was so good! Best part, my 18 month old devoured this. Thank you!
Mel, yay, I’m so happy to hear this beef stew was a hit, even with the little one! Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and leaving a review!
Hi Robyn,
this recipe looks great I can’t wait to try it. I have a question though. I only bought 1 pound of meat. Do I cut all the measurements in half and would the cooking time be the same
Thanks,Robyn
Hi Robyn, yes, you’ll want to cut all the other ingredient measurements in half for the ratios to work out for you. You won’t need to cut the cook time in half, however. Maybe just 30-60 minutes less? The slow cooker will come to temperature faster with less volume, but the cook time will stay the same after that. Let me know if you have any other questions!
Wow! I made this stew when I was hosting my card group (and my family) for dinner. It was received with rave reviews and many went back for seconds. It even made enough for leftover.
I did substitute no-salt-added vegetable broth because I much prefer it over supermarket beef broth. I accidentally substituted Better than Bullion vegetable base for their beef bullion but that’s because I discovered we were out of the beef kind. Also since we didn’t have any red wine open, I used 2 tablespoons of good balsamic vinegar in its place. That sauce mix did deepen the flavors of the stew, as promised and everybody complimented the sauce. With company coming over, I was very pleased not to have to brown the meat in two patches!
I was worried because the cut-up stew meat available at the supermarket was extra lean! I worried that it would be tough but it was very tender indeed! I cooked it about 5 hours on high before I added the bright green peas.
I added celery and mushrooms early on because I love vegetables but they did add enough liquid to require a slurry of extra flour and stock, which I stirred in to the crockpot on high without the lid on. It made a perfect gravy texture in five minutes with a little stirring.
Just my cooking notes above. I loved this healthy , easy and delicious recipe, made from scratch! I will definitely follow the blog for more real food cooking!
Theresa, these are fantastic notes, thanks so much for sharing! I’m so pleased to hear this one was a hit, and appreciate your review!