Cozy Crock Pot Beef Stew

Crock Pot Beef Stew is the ultimate comfort food, ready to warm you up on chilly winter nights. After making this many times, I’ve perfected the recipe to ensure tender beef and a rich, flavorful gravy. The cozy aroma of this stew filling your home is simply irresistible. If you’re looking for more hearty crock pot recipes, try my Crock Pot Pepper Steak or Mexican Birria Crockpot. Jump to the recipe or keep reading for my best tips. If you love recipes like this, you’ll also enjoy Crock Pot Pepper Steak and Mexican Birria Crockpot.

What You'll Need for Cozy Crock Pot Beef Stew

Choosing the right ingredients makes a big difference, but this recipe is forgiving enough to work with what you have.

• 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• Optional: Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Optional: Crusty bread, for serving

How to Make Cozy Crock Pot Beef Stew

1. Step 1: Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear beef on all sides until browned. Remove beef from skillet and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Step 3: Place beef, potatoes, carrots, and onion mixture in the crock pot. Pour in beef broth and add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
4. Step 4: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until beef is tender and potatoes are cooked through.
5. Step 5: Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with crusty bread and garnish with fresh parsley.

Storing & Reheating Cozy Crock Pot Beef Stew

Short-Term Storage

Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Make-ahead tip: This recipe can be made ahead of time. Just store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Freezing Cozy Crock Pot Beef Stew

Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

How to Reheat Without Drying It Out

Oven: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Microwave: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

Recipe Notes

• Chef tip: To make this stew even more flavorful, you can brown the beef and onions in the oven. Just place the beef and onions on a baking sheet and broil for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Best substitution: If you don't have beef broth, you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.
• Make-ahead: This recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If your stew is too thin, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. If it's too thick, you can thin it out with a little water or broth.

Cozy Crock Pot Beef Stew

⏱

Prep

15 minutes

🍳

Cook

8-10 hours

⏳

Total

8-10 hours 15 minutes

🍽

Serves

6 servings

🥗

Diet

Gluten Free

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Seasonings

• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf

Optional Toppings

• Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
• Crusty bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Step 1: Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear beef on all sides until browned. Remove beef from skillet and set aside.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, add onions and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Step 3: Place beef, potatoes, carrots, and onion mixture in the crock pot. Pour in beef broth and add thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
4. Step 4: Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until beef is tender and potatoes are cooked through.
5. Step 5: Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot with crusty bread and garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

• Chef tip: To make this stew even more flavorful, you can brown the beef and onions in the oven. Just place the beef and onions on a baking sheet and broil for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Best substitution: If you don't have beef broth, you can use chicken broth or vegetable broth. The flavor will be slightly different, but still delicious.
• Make-ahead: This recipe can be made ahead of time and frozen. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Scaling: This recipe can be easily doubled or halved to serve more or fewer people.
• Troubleshooting: If your stew is too thin, you can thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. If it's too thick, you can thin it out with a little water or broth.

Storage

• Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freezer: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
• Oven reheat: Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
• Microwave reheat: Reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
• Make ahead: This recipe can be made ahead of time. Just store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Nutrition Per Serving

• Calories: 420
• Protein: 35g
• Fat: 12g
• Carbs: 35g
• Fiber: 4g
• Sugar: 4g
• Sodium: 800mg
• Cholesterol: 105mg
• Sat. Fat: 4.5g

Nutritional values are estimates only. Actual values may vary by brand and portion size.

Cozy Crock Pot Beef Stew FAQs

A Warm Final Note

I can’t wait for you to try Cozy Crock Pot Beef Stew and see how effortlessly it comes together. When you make it, pop back here and leave a rating or share how it turned out — I love hearing from you!