Inspired by the tomatoey beef stew that my mom and grandmother used to make, this comforting, all-in-one meal is loaded with tender meat and wholesome vegetables and comes together in snap.
Since it’s always nice to know how family and friends rate various meals, I can report that my young nieces were over for dinner a few months back and each ate four bowls. (The servings did grow more modest with each helping because I couldn’t imagine where they were putting it!)
My family enjoys this stew with a side of cornbread. (Pictured recipe is linked below.) Others have mentioned what I’ve believed for years: though this stew tastes great straight from the slow cooker, leftovers are a special treat as the flavors meld and improve over time.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew (with Instant Pot option)Yield: 8 servings
Inspired by the tomatoey beef stew that my mom and grandmother used to make, this comforting dish is loaded with tender meat and wholesome vegetables and comes together in snap.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 (16-ounce) bag baby carrots or 3 large carrots, sliced
- 2½ pounds cubed stew beef (I like chuck roast)
- 3 ribs celery, chopped (I include any leaves)
- 1½ pounds baby potatoes (I often use a bag of Green Giant’s Klondike minis)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can sliced stewed tomatoes, with juice
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can low sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ – 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried thyme, oregano, basil, and rosemary)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Optional for serving: chopped fresh parsley, crusty rolls or cornbread
InstructionsTo make in your slow cooker: Layer the onions, carrots, beef, celery, and potatoes in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add all of the remaining ingredients—except the peas and starting with 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt—and gently stir to incorporate. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the beef, carrots, and potatoes are tender. Stir in the peas, and allow to cook for 5-10 more minutes. Adjust for seasonings, adding the remaining salt to taste, and sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.
To make in an Instant Pot: Drizzle olive oil in the bowl the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function. Wait until it’s hot, and then add the meat (you’ll need to do this in batches), browning on all sides. Add the remaining ingredients, seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Vent to release any remaining pressure, and then carefully open the lid.
Helpful hints•When cooking in my slow cooker (the method I most often use for this stew), I never bother to sear the meat first, although you can. In that case, you’ll need a few tablespoons of olive oil to sear the beef cubes in batches on the stovetop before adding to the slow cooker—or right in the slow cooker if your model has that option.
•If I’m home, I like to give everything a good stir one time, roughly in the middle of the cooking process.
•I have cooked the stew on high for 3½ to 4 hours, but I find the meat to be slightly more tender when cooked using lower heat for a longer time.
•I don’t thicken the gravy, but you may. Do note that it will naturally thicken somewhat as it rests.
•My grandmother and mother would add a pinch or two of sugar at the end to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. I don’t do this anymore, but you may.
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- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 (16-ounce) bag baby carrots or 3 large carrots, sliced
- 2½ pounds cubed stew beef (I like chuck roast)
- 3 ribs celery, chopped (I include any leaves)
- 1½ pounds baby potatoes (I often use a bag of Green Giant’s Klondike minis)
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can sliced stewed tomatoes, with juice
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can low sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1½ – 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided use
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried thyme, oregano, basil, and rosemary)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Optional for serving: chopped fresh parsley, crusty rolls or cornbread
To make in your slow cooker: Layer the onions, carrots, beef, celery, and potatoes in a 6-quart slow cooker. Add all of the remaining ingredients—except the peas and starting with 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt—and gently stir to incorporate. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until the beef, carrots, and potatoes are tender. Stir in the peas, and allow to cook for 5-10 more minutes. Adjust for seasonings, adding the remaining salt to taste, and sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.
To make in an Instant Pot: Drizzle olive oil in the bowl the Instant Pot and turn on the sauté function. Wait until it’s hot, and then add the meat (you’ll need to do this in batches), browning on all sides. Add the remaining ingredients, seal the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes. Vent to release any remaining pressure, and then carefully open the lid.
•When cooking in my slow cooker (the method I most often use for this stew), I never bother to sear the meat first, although you can. In that case, you’ll need a few tablespoons of olive oil to sear the beef cubes in batches on the stovetop before adding to the slow cooker—or right in the slow cooker if your model has that option.
•If I’m home, I like to give everything a good stir one time, roughly in the middle of the cooking process.
•I have cooked the stew on high for 3½ to 4 hours, but I find the meat to be slightly more tender when cooked using lower heat for a longer time.
•I don’t thicken the gravy, but you may. Do note that it will naturally thicken somewhat as it rests.
•My grandmother and mother would add a pinch or two of sugar at the end to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. I don’t do this anymore, but you may.
A welcome side to soups, stews and salads, Southern with a twist cornbread is naturally gluten-free with a dairy-free option.
For a slightly different take on stew, this recipe for O’Brien Irish Stew came from the mother of a childhood friend. It’s her Irish family’s authentic dish that has stood the test of time for both its ease and flavor. I haven’t tried, but I’m confident you could follow the oven method used in the Irish stew for the recipe on this page.
I made this last night in the instant pot. It was delicious!! Perfect for a cold rainy night!
Great news, Jen. This would have been ideal comfort food given yesterday’s weather!
It was yummy – made it with buffalo and instead of peas, last 30 minutes put fresh green beans – my husband likes gb’s came out great!! KML
So happy you enjoyed and love that you used buffalo. Thanks for the great feedback!
Looking forward to making the stew ..planning on using bison . Will let you know how it is.
Kathleen, I’ve been tempted to give bison a try so I anxiously await your feedback!
Anxious to try this in my Instant Pot . I got it for Christmas and try to use it once a week. I am always looking to try new recipes.
I hope you enjoy it, Jane. I’ve been working on a few other Instant Pot recipes, one of which should be ready to share soon. It’s fun to find news ways to use it, although I do still enjoy my good old slow cooker. If you have any personal favorites with your new machine, feel free to share!