How to Make Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker
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Learn how to make beef stew in the slow cooker with this easy beef stew recipe. Loaded with vegetables and flavorful seasonings, this ground beef stew is the perfect hearty and filling comfort food dish.
I’m a big fan of slow cooker stews when the weather gets cooler and this easy beef stew is one of my favorites. It’s so easy to make, as it uses frozen vegetables, packets of seasoning, and tender beef. All you need to do is add all of the ingredients to the crockpot and go about your day. You will come home to an easy but delicious gourmet meal. How good does that sound?
Each spoonful of this flavorful goodness warms my belly and my soul. The combination of crushed tomatoes, beef broth, ranch dressing mix, and Italian dressing mix takes the stew’s flavor over the top – trust me. I just know your family will love this slow cooker beef stew as much as mine. It’s hearty, filling, scrumptious, and such an easy comfort food main dish to serve for supper when you’re busy during the week.
Alright, let’s learn how to make beef stew in the slow cooker.
Recipe Ingredients
- Lean ground beef
- Frozen stew mix (veggie mix) or gumbo mix
- Frozen butter beans or baby lima beans
- Small onion
- Chopped crushed tomatoes
- Beef broth
- Ranch dressing mix
- Italian dressing mix
How to Make Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker
Dump everything except the meat into the slow cooker/crock pot.
Take your meat and pinch off bits at a time to add to the crock pot, until it is all added. As discussed below, if I am using ground beef I add it raw. But if I am using larger chunks of meat I will sear it first in garlic and then add the to the .
Give this a little stir and turn it on. You’ll want to cook your beef stew on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.
Go about your day and get ready for a delicious supper!
Oh my. This crockpot beef stew is such a soothing bowl of deliciousness with flavors that hit all the right notes!
Enjoy! And hey, if there are any leftovers, it’s even better the next day.
Storage
- Store stew leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
- Beef stew also freezes beautifully, so I usually make extra and freeze it in single servings for my family to heat up or to take to friends who just need a little act of kindness for the day. Thaw in the fridge before reheating as above.
Recipe Notes
- You can use any type of beef you like to make this flavorful dish. If you use ground beef, you are going to add this ground beef uncooked. This adds more flavor to your stew. If you use larger chunks of cubed stew meat (opt for beef chuck roast), I like to sear the beef cubes in a little garlic butter before adding them to the stew. Searing the adds a whole bunch to the flavor.
- I buy the boxes of ranch and Italian dressing mix that has three or four envelopes in them and use one envelope per recipe. It’s cheaper to buy it this way.
- For the beef stock, you can also use two cups of water and two beef bullion cubes.
- Substitute the frozen butter beans for baby lima beans or the vegetable of your choice. Carrot, potato, celery, and frozen peas are stew favorites.
- Many recipes use to add , but I like the combination of the crushed tomatoes with the packets of beef stew seasoning mix in this instance.
Recipe FAQs
What is frozen stew mix?
A couple of people asked what this is so I came back to clarify. Frozen stew mix is just a mix of frozen veggies in a bag that you buy in the freezer section. Usually, it’s green beans or okra, corn, chopped onions, and sometimes tomatoes and such. It can be any blend of frozen veggies you like, though. I love the type that has okra in it for this stew.
What do you serve with this ?
Serve your stew with crusty slices of bread, cornbread, crackers, or homemade buttermilk biscuits to soak up the juicy broth. You may also want to serve it with cauliflower rice, quinoa, brown rice, mashed potato, or mashed sweet potato.
Can you put raw beef in the slow cooker?
Yes, you absolutely can! I break up my uncooked ground beef and add it to the slow cooker as is. You can do the same if using beef chuck pieces. However, searing it just adds to the depth and flavor of the stew, so I highly recommend it if you have time.
How to make ?
If you want to cook this in the , first place it on saute to sear the with the onion and . Then add the remaining ingredients, seal the , and high- the for 35 minutes. After, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then your will be done.
Check out these other sensational stews:
Ground Beef Stew (With a Secret Ingredient)
Beef and Smoked Sausage Stew in the Crockpot
Our Family’s Southern Chicken Stew Recipe
Lentil Stew (Budget Friendly & Delicious)
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef uncooked (or seared beef chunks)
- 1 bag frozen stew mix or gumbo mix 12-ounce
- 1 bag frozen butter beans 12-ounce, can substitute for baby lima beans or veggie of your choice
- 1 chopped small onion
- 1 can crushed tomatoes 29-ounce
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 package ranch dressing mix 1-ounce
- 1 package Italian dressing mix .7-ounce
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker except the beef. Using your hands, pinch off bite-size pieces of beef and drop them into the slow cooker. Beef doesn’t have to be uniform or done a certain way, it just needs to be in smaller pieces.1 pound lean ground beef, 1 bag frozen stew mix or gumbo mix, 1 bag frozen butter beans, 1 chopped small onion, 1 can crushed tomatoes, 2 cups beef broth, 2 cups water, 1 package ranch dressing mix, 1 package Italian dressing mix
- Stir ingredients together. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.
~H. Jackson Brown
This too shall pass…you may be feeling sad that he is getting ready to move out, but since you have determined that yall have raised him right you know he will be okay and you still have Katy at home. When she leaves, there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth and then something wonderful will happen. You and your honey will have the place to yourselves again. Remember those early days of your marriage when there were no children, no money to go out, etc. Didn’t you still find wonderful things to do together that helped to bind those roots of love deep into each of your hearts? Well, guess what, you’re going to get to do that over again, and one the kids are out of college you may actually have the money to travel together and go somewhere you have always wanted. But at some point you will realize that raising two morally strong and really good human beings, pays back in them really caring about you and how you are. My girls check in with me a least every other day. Its a wonderful thing!
What wonderful girls you have! Yes, when Katy goes, I’m just gonna have to go on a big trip or something to get me out of town for a bit. Thank you for your wisdom! We have indeed been blessed with being entrusted with two wonderful children who have a heart for the Lord!
Christy, I so enjoy everything that you write. It will all be okay. Our oldest son is 45 and lives with his family in CA. We live in SC. While in college, at Clemson, I asked him to be home by 1 a.m. Often he was not and I worried about him driving out and back. Once he moved out with a couple of buddies I didn’t worry about him any more. We often message each other over FB and see him once a year, times over the telephone are precious. Our 39 yr old lives close and we see him each week. We adopted two sons (as babies) and now they’re 18 and 10. We are going through all of that all over again. It turns out okay, it’s just HARD on us moms. I will be praying for you and Brady. Hang in there.
What a wonderful family and testimony you have! thank you for your encouragement, wisdom, and prayers.
Christy, this stew looks yummy! I have been looking for easy things to make for supper. Tax season means that I work at two different jobs, one from 9:30-2:30 as a church secretary, and one from 4:30-9, working in a tax office, so my family needs some assistance with supper. My older daughter is living at home with her 6 month old baby, so she is able to help on that end, but is in need of ideas. The slow cooker is a huge help! Thanks so much for helping us out!
Hey Laura! Hang in there! Hopefully tax season will fly by for you. I hope you have some down time soon and be good to yourself! If you don’t mind, on a selfish level, kiss some baby feet for me 😉
Thank you for being here!
Christy – I can relate to this 100%! I am so glad you leveled with your boy, and he reciprocated! What a sweetie! That is probably a moment in time he will recall for forever, as he will miss your suppers when he’s gone, I’m sure! Thanks for showing us moms how to do it right…just be honest with em’ huh?
Thanks for the stew recipe…I have been wanting to try this, and can’t wait to use your secret ingredients! 🙂
You’re a Gem!
hey Bobbie! It’s good to get it right every now and then, lol. Goodness knows I’ve had my share of parenting missteps. God, in His mercy, often covers those in grace, thank goodness. I’ve tried, as my kids grow up, to let them see that I’m human and just be honest about when I am struggling with my feelings, so that they know I’m not perfect and it’s okay to have to work to be the person you want to be, if that makes sense. I do this on an age appropriate level, of course!
Thank you for being here, you’ve encouraged me today! Have a blessed one and thank you for blessing me!
Christy, you have such a precious, sincere way of expressing yourself. My son is 10, but it feels like I was changing his diaper just yesterday. It definitely goes by way too fast for this momma. I always sneak a kiss when he’s sleeping and whisper how much I love him. Thank you for sharing your season of change with us!
Jennifer
Oh Jennifer! This took me back to when my Brady was ten years old. So fast! He went through a few years (about 14-16) where he didn’t want me hugging and kissing on him. I think all boys go through that time as a way of stepping into their own and proving they don’t “need” their Mama’s, but if you’re patient and respect that, they do come around again! I know you didn’t ask for advice but when you said his age my immediate thought was “warn her just in case!”. He hugs me tightly these days, and doesn’t even pull away when I kiss his cheek. Thank you for taking me back to sweet memories and for being here.
I have no words of wisdom to share, because you clearly have “it” in control. You are a wise person, and you have imparted wisdom to your son, and he has taken it as his own. Well done, You!
Still…it’s hard. I went through it 5 times, and each was difficult in ways that were, in some ways, different. And, I find that when they come home for a visit (all live hours away from home) and then when they leave…there is a sadness with that. Comfort comes from knowing they are doing what they want to be doing. Good luck!
Amen, thank you for this encouragement and knowing you’ve survived it five times is heartening!
I’ll try not to write too many more posts about it but you know graduation is coming and then there is the big moving day. @,@
My kids both have left the nest and just live within 10 miles from me. My son checks on me about every month. The other child, a girl no less, only comes around or calls about every 6 – 9 months or so. I don’t understand it either, especially as a single mom, I sacrificed it all to raise them. So, enjoy your all’s time together.
Sadly, I can relate on both ends of this spectrum. I have a 28 year old son who calls or texts maybe every month or so unless, I do the same to him first. But, when I was younger and had a young child, I would call or see my mother much more than I do now. Now that my son is grown and gone, I find that life is actually busier and time gets away from me. I stop and suddenly have to think how long has it been since I spoke or saw mom. unfortunately right now I can say with certainty that I have not seen my mom for almost 9 months (5 hours away) and I have not spoken with her for a week. I used to live 4 blocks away and we could drop in on one another. Now its not so easy.
My Mom passed away @ age 64 from a sudden heart attack. I spoke with her daily and saw her 2-3 times a week. I am Thankful because I have no regrets even though if I am missing her I can think of a few. My family went through a lot after Mom passed away. My 2 teenage sons, my hubby and me cried for years. Our family loved my Mom more than anything in life. She was a beautiful Christian Mom, M-I-L, Grandma. She was always there if we needed her. All of her family including my brother and his family and her brothers and sister. Her parents were deceased and my Dad was deceased also. My sons friends knew her and cried. Parents called me to tell me how upset their children were. Please make time to go see your Mom more often. You don’t want regrets to have to live with.
I too had an extraordinary mom. Greatly loved by everyone who knew her. One of those rare people, that our Lord puts before us. A memory to behold for ever. She has been gone for 17 years, yet, her love is as present now as if she was right here today. The examples are multi – multi, and we discuss them still. Laugh hard, and bringing her to mind in a conversation, brings smiles to everyone’s lips. God greatly blessed us, she was the most loving, charitable, humble person and when she passed, we knew how much God loved her. In a time as this, it is good to think about people that have blessed our lives and have brought great joy into it. Thank you for allowing me to share.
You are so so right! I lost my parents three weeks apart and it almost killed me. I can understand not being able to visit often if you are hours away BUT there is absolutely no excuse to not call them, I don’t care how busy you are! Take the time.. they took the time to raise you, didn’t they? Sad just very sad
Wondering if I can make this on the stove?
Please find someone that needs company too – I found a wonderful family that makes me feel that I am adopted into theirs. Sometimes I visit with their mother (93 years young) and sometimes watch their grandchildren (3, 2, and less than one year). My small family is stretched over several states and even though we talk – I need to see & feel that I am part of a family. You will be able to fill a need to someone at the same time they help you. Please try!
This is wonderful advice. We need not feel lonely, there ARE others who would benefit from a stand-in grandparent or auntie. My hands are full at the moment, with 4 married children and 6 grandchildren, but whenever I hear someone lamenting about not being able to spend more time with their families, I encourage them to become available to a family without a grandma or auntie nearby.
I love everything about this thread. Y’all are such a loving community. Sending you love and prayers, PH, and thank you all for letting me be a part of this wonderful group of people.
Thank you Christy. I have always found encouragement through your posts. I don’t mean to be negative in my thoughts above. I just meant, sometimes things happen out of our control. UPDATE: My daughter called me up out of the blue yesterday and asked if I could babysit her kitten while they go to Nashville TN. Eagerly, I said yes and that’s what I’m doing right this moment! God works in mysterious ways. He gives us little nudges every now and then to keep us hanging onto hope. There is hope in the details. AMEN! Have a nice rest of the weekend.
Hey PH! No worries! We all have days, times, moments, when our hearts are aching and I absolutely understand. Please know I’m praying for you and yours and rejoicing over that phone call!
Can we see a picture of said son? I want to see him all grown up with a beard.
It’ll get better later on. We lived in Ohio, and I moved out when I was 18. The relationship between my mother and I got better after that, but suddenly I had my own home to run, college classes to attend, and two to three jobs at once to hold down. She was a single mother, so it was just the two of us, and I’m sure she felt very lonely and neglected when I left. After a while, the kids usually come back around when they settle into a groove. Since then I moved to Florida, and Mom moved to Kentucky. We text every day. 🙂
I kinda sorta made my mother get a phone she could text from years ago just so we could text during busier days. She said she didn’t think she’d ever use it. Yup, she was a pro by day 2.
My mother always said that when girls grow up, you end up having more in common with them so you get even closer. Your relationship is an encouragement that testifies to that!
Love this group, Christy!
I understand all to well. I have three children. My son lives about 80 miles from me and my daughter lives about the same amount of miles but in the opposite direction. I spoke to my mom & dad on the phone at least once a day sometimes more. I would visit them several times a week. When my children were little we lived next to my parents. My children were over there every day. My mother passed away Christmas morning 5 years ago. Since then my children don’t talk to me much. I guess she was the one that kept them straight. My dad loves and does anything he can for them but they just don’t visit or call anymore. It hurts me the way they do him. They seem to only contact us if they need something. They have plenty of time to go to their dads house but can’t drive 10 more miles to my house. They don’t call me unless they want something. My son in law passed away unexpectedly 3 years ago leaving behind my daughter and 4 grandsons. My daughter got mad at me about something and didn’t speak to me for almost 3 years. She remarried almost 2 years ago ( i wasn’t invited to her wedding) She told everyone that her step mother was her mother. I haven’t met her husband or seen my grandsons since their father’s funeral. I saw her at my sons wedding last September. We are now talking but still haven’t met my new (to me)son in law or seen my grandsons. My son doesn’t call me. He got custody of his two daughters (thanks to me I found out they were in foster care in another state) 2 years ago. The child services didn’t even know he was their biological father. I’m the one that told him what was going on. I don’t get to see them very often. My youngest daughter lives near me but very seldom calls or visits. Sorry I guess I vented to much. Just always know your family is the only ones that you can depend on in good or bad times. They will always be there for you.
I would like to give a little note that I started many years ago. I have 2 boys and 2 girls so you probably can’t tell me much that hasn’t happened that’s new. Also 7 grandchildren and 4 greats. 3 children, 3 grandchildren, (
all married)are ministers. How I praise God for my family. My advice: I wrote the name of each child on a index card, then their spouse and children and families. I’ve added each addition. I give each child a day for extra prayer. Those cards where I have folded them in my hand are coming apart but praying pays off. Put them in God’s hands.