Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew

 Looking for a hearty and flavorful meal that practically cooks itself? This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is your answer. Tender beef cubes, colorful vegetables, and a rich, savory sauce come together with minimal effort, perfect for a busy weeknight or a cozy weekend dinner.

This easy homemade beef stew recipe is the best ever and is simmered with beef broth and made with filling and wholesome ingredients that create the perfect blend of comforting juicy flavors. The thick juices from this crockpot beef stew recipe make the beef and vegetables super tender and flavorful with rich notes that are hard to pass up.

This recipe takes advantage of the slow cooker’s magic, simmering the stew to perfection while you go about your day. The beef gets a delicious sear for extra flavor, then joins forces with aromatic vegetables and a paprika-infused broth for ultimate comfort food satisfaction.

The best part? This stew is easy to customize. Don’t have fennel? Swap it for celery or another crunchy vegetable. Prefer a thicker stew? A simple cornstarch slurry creates a luscious gravy in the final minutes.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil, divded
2 ½ pounds beef , cut into 1 ¼-inch cubes
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 yellow onions, medium; diced
1 fennel bulb, diced
4 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes
1 pound gold potatoes , baby Yukon gold; halved or quartered
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions:

Cover and cook on HIGH for 20 minutes to thicken up the sauce.

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat.

Add half of the beef cubes and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika, salt and pepper.

Cook, stirring occasionally until meat is seared golden brown, around 3-4 minutes. Transfer to the slow cooker and repeat with the remaining meat.

Reduce the heat to a medium-low, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and sauté the onion and fennel until soft, 4-5 minutes. Transfer to your slow cooker.

Stir in the remaining ingredients except for cornstarch and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

Combine the cornstarch with a bit of water to make the slurry.

Once the time is up, add the cornstarch slurry and stir well to combine.

Enjoy!