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Nothing says comfort food like a bowl of hot stew. Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew is the perfect meal for a cold day.
This time of year is all about comforting meals with the family. Nothing beats a hot meal when it’s colder than cold outside. Growing up my mom made dinner and poured each of us a glass of milk. I do the same thing for my kids and this Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew was the perfect recipe to serve with a cold glass of milk. The slow cooker makes dinner so much easier and my kids absolutely loved this stew. It was such a winning meal in all the ways!
I’m working with The National Milk Life Campaign to talk all things milk. My kids ask for milk during the day like it’s a special treat. They love drinking it and I love giving it to them! They have no idea they’re drinking something so nutritious when they’re guzzling down a glass of milk. We’re talking nutrients like B vitamins (riboflavin, B-12 and niacin) for converting their food into energy, high-quality protein for lean muscle, Vitamin A for healthy immune systems, potassium to help regulate the balance of fluids, and bone-building nutrients like calcium, Vitamin D, and phosphorus. And at just about a quarter per serving, milk delivers more nutritional value per penny than just about any other beverage. Another win!
Some of America’s favorite foods and tastes include milk as a foundation. Macaroni and cheese and alfredo sauce are just two of our favorites. Milk accentuates the flavors of these dishes and many others. Did you know that the average American household spends about 10% of their budget on food – nearly $80 a week for groceries? One year of dairy milk will cost the average family $628 vs. $1,222 per year for vanilla almond milk. That’s nearly $600 per year in savings! (Based on an average family size of 2.58 people per the 2010 US Census. Additional Reference: U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration. U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census Summary.)
So what makes this stew recipe easy? Besides cooking in a slow cooker, some of the ingredients make this recipe less complicated than a typical stew. You can purchase stew meat that has already been cut for you. You can also throw baby carrots in instead of taking the time to cut large carrots. And dried herbs also make this dish an easy one. Just head over to your spice rack and you’ll have most of them there! This recipe is so yummy and super easy to put together. Whether you’re serving Sunday dinner or an easy weeknight meal, the family is going to love eating a hot bowl of this stew with a glass of milk.
Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lb stew meat
- salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb russet potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
- 2 c baby carrots
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into large chunks
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 3 c beef broth
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tsp dried bay leaves
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 c flour
Instructions
- Place olive oil in a large saute pan. Salt and pepper the stew meat and add to the pan. Heat meat over medium until each piece is brown but not all the way cooked; remove from heat and place in the crock pot.
- Place potatoes, carrots, and onion in a 6-quart slow cooker. In a medium bowl, combine minced garlic, beef broth, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried bay leaves, and paprika.
- Pour mixture into the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Combine 1/2 c. stew broth and flour in a small bowl and pour into the slow cooker. Cook for 30 more minutes until thickened.
- Serve hot with dinner rolls and a cold glass of milk. Enjoy!
I hope you love this recipe! Check out Milk Life for even more recipes. You can also find Milk Life on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.
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Marie says
This looks great Erika. I barely put my slow cooker away in Winter 🙂
Alli says
Thank you! I use my slow cooker all the time in the winter too.
Julia says
This looks so comforting and delicious! Perfect for a cold winter night. Adding this to my meal plan next week! Thank you!!
Alli says
Thanks, Julia! I love hot meals when it’s freezing outside.
Becca says
This looks delicious! I heard the other day that some low carb recipes use radishes instead of potatoes in slow cooker beef stew–dying to try that!
Alli says
Ooh that’s new! Thanks for the tip! I need to try that.
Lexi says
Maybe I missed something, but does the browned meat go into the Crock-Pot, too?
Alli says
Hi Lexi! Oh heavens, yes, the meat goes into the crock pot too. Kind of an important part of the instructions that I forgot!! Thanks so much for pointing that out.
Lexi says
Awesome! I’m so excited to try this recipe!
Alli says
Thanks so much, Lexi! I hope you love it!
Chris Jackson says
Does dregging the meat with flour first make much of a difference? Thanks. Great and easy recipe.
Alli says
Dredging will most likely just add more color to the outside of the meat and maybe a little more flavor. Thank you!
Alisha Moore says
This is currently in my crockpot— for the second time! I make it exactly as directed and it’s absolutely wonderful!! My family of four devours it, no leftovers!
Alli says
Hi Alisha! I think I was meant to read your comment today because I just received one from someone who said the recipe was hard to follow and didn’t taste good. So I’m REALLY glad that you love it so much!! Thank you so much for leaving your comment. It made me so happy!
Michelle Quinn says
Thank you for posting this recipe. It was easy to follow. Such a classic meal – I’m hoping my kids won’t complain. It’s in the slow cooker now. 🙂
Alli says
Thanks so much, Michelle! I hope you loved it! Thank you for leaving your comment. 🙂
Brianna says
Kind of a confusing recipe. Also didnt turn out that good in my opinion. Definitely takes longer than 15 minutes to prep also..
Alli says
Hi Brianna! Thank you for leaving your comment. I apologize that the recipe was confusing and it didn’t turn out for you. This is the first time I’ve heard either of those things from people! I re-read the recipe and it’s pretty straightforward. Please let me know if you have any specific questions or where you might need clarification for next time. Thanks!
Paige says
Did you peel the potatos first?
Alli says
Hi Paige! For these pictures I did, but I don’t always when I make this stew! Depends on how lazy I am that day. Haha
Amber says
You refer to slow cooker and crock pot.
Aren’t they the same???? I’m confused!
Alli says
Yes! Sorry, they’re the same thing. I need to pick one term and stick with it. haha