I would say this is the perfect cozy fall or winter meal, and it is! But after making this pot roast/ beef stew recipe for years upon years, it’s really a great meal all year long for the busy mom, for hosting a crowd, or for anyone craving something hearty and delicious. It’s a great meal to bring to a new mom or a friend in need of comfort. Heck, the leftovers even freeze well. What I’m saying is, this is one of those meals that is a solid win and needs to be printed in your kitchen recipe notebook or at the very least, pinned or bookmarked.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
With hearty chunks of potatoes, tender carrots, savory onions, and meat that falls apart with a fork, this will quickly become one of your go-to comfort foods.
When I get busy, I try to keep it simple by getting out the slow cooker. I use my multi-function Instant Dutch Oven as a slow cooker, which makes browning the meat a streamlines process, but it’s not required for this recipe. Crockpots are great for all seasons, perfect for putting together healthy, delicious and filling meals that don’t require me to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
Have you seen my epic list of healthy, kid-approved crockpot meals?
It truly does not get any easier than this simple and delicious slow cooker beef stew. It’s hearty and wholesome; a meal that the whole family enjoys.
Beef Stew Crock Pot Ingredients
Meat. You can make this two ways: One, using a traditional chuck roast. For that method, let it cook all day and shred it about 30 minutes before serving. However, the second method has quickly become our family’s favorite. It’s more of a beef stew take on the recipe because I cut the meat into cubes (or you can purchase beef stew meat which is already cubed) prior to adding it to the slow cooker which creates bite sized, super tender meat- perfect for kids.
Potatoes. I prefer using Yukon gold potatoes, but you can swap them for little red potatoes or even russet potatoes cut into large chunks. I don’t recommend sweet potatoes for this recipe.
Carrots. I add extra when I make this dish because my youngest loves them, so adjust as needed. If you prefer your carrots less tender, wait and add those about half way through the cooking time instead of at the beginning.
Onions. Quartered for big, flavorful slices. Add more or less depending on your preferences.
Spice Packet. This makes prep fast and easy. I prefer using the Simply Organic Brown Gravy Packet because of it’s simple and clean ingredient list and delicious, deep flavor.
Cream of Mushroom Soup. I like to use Pacific Foods’ Organic Cream of Mushroom soup because of their simple ingredient lists. However, I’ve also had success using cream of chicken soup, too.
A couple notes to read through and consider before you get started:
- This meal needs to cook for a long time, so if you choose low, make sure it gets at least 10 hours of cook time. If not, use the cook on high option for 6-8 hours. Do you like to eat early in the evening? You might want to consider setting up and starting the dish before you even go to bed the night before. It’s a tough dish to overcook, so it’s better to err on that side and switch your slow cooker to keep warm if necessary, rather than having to crank it up later on when you feel it needs more time to cook.
- For even more of a deep flavor, try adding a bay leaf or two at the beginning, a splash of dry red wine or a couple teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce.
- You can add whole mushrooms for a nutrient boost. Add these in during the last hour of cooking.
- For an additional pop of color and sweet flavor, add in frozen peas during the last hour of cook time.
- If you want it to be more soup like for serving over rice or in a bowl, add beef broth before you cover and cook it. If you want it thicker, add a few tablespoons of all purpose flour and give it a good stir while it cooks the last hour. This will give it even more of a gravy consistency.
- Depending on which packet and cream soup you use, you’ll need to adjust the final product with salt and pepper to fit your preferences. All the packets contain different amounts of sodium and other flavors, so my advice is to save the extra seasoning until the end and you’ve had a chance to taste it.
- A sprinkle of fresh parsley tops off the dish nicely visually and flavor-wise. If you have a heat lover, serve with a splash of hot sauce.
- Warm dinner rolls and butter make an excellent companion to serve with beef stew. My go to roll recipe. The kids especially love using these to soak up all the remaining juices and gravy of their meal.
- Tweak it however you like to fit your preferences; the main staples will guarantee this crock pot beef stew is a success!
I hope you and your loved ones enjoy this cozy and hearty meal as much as we do. It’s like a hug on a fork! If you try it and like it, I really appreciate you leaving a five star review. Enjoy!
Easy Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker
Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: dinner, recipes
Cuisine: dinner
Description
This delicious and comforting easy beef stew in the slow cooker takes less than 10 minutes to prep, all day to cook and make your house smell amazing, and no time at all to devour.
- 2 lbs stew meat, cubed
- 1 packet Simply Organic dried gravy mix
- 1 can Pacific Foods cream of mushroom soup
- 2 large onions, quartered
- 4–5 Yukon gold potatoes, large diced
- 3/4 lb (6-8 large) carrots, cut into 1–2 inch sized pieces
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Add meat to the slow cooker and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Add chopped onions, potatoes, and carrots.
- Add gravy mix and cream of mushroom soup.
- Mix well to coat all the ingredients.
- Cover and set to low for 12 hours or high for 6-8 hours.
Keywords: fall, pot roast, Slow Cooker
