This delicious beef stew is also known as Sophia’s Awesome Super Stew in our house, this slower cooker stew recipe is easy enough for my youngest child to make and yummy enough that the whole family requests it often.
One thing that I have made a point of doing this summer is teaching Sophia how to cook. I love working in the kitchen, and all of my children have learned how to whip up more than a few items. This really is just a part of our family life. I enjoy working with the kids in the kitchen plus I think it really helps them develop some great skills. Not only is this a way to practice fractions and other math skills, look at a bit of science, understand nutrition, it teaches them a valuable life skill. How to fend for themselves in a kitchen. Plus, I just really enjoy our time together.
Sophia always (almost) loves joining me in the kitchen and has become quite the chef. This summer we have focused more on dinners. In fact one week she claimed ownership of making every dinner that week. She would proudly rattle off the dinners that she made for the family. Waiting for the rest of the family to oh and ah and thank her for all of her hard work. Another lesson learned – feeding the family dinner does not really bring the family chef a boatload of appreciation and ohs and ahs. Since Sophia has done almost all of the grocery shopping with me as well – she has really learned how much work feeding this family can be.
Of the meals that we have worked on together this summer this is Sophia’s favorite. So much so that when we were on vacation in North Dakota, staying at my brother’s lake house, Sophia wanted to make a batch up to share with the whole gang. She even headed into town with me with a copy of the recipe to do the shopping.
When it was time to put it together she didn’t grumble at all about putting her fishing pole down and heading into the kitchen. I admit that I hardly ever use my crock pot durning the school year when I am teaching. My mornings start early enough as is and trying to add in preparing a crock pot meal before I head out the door just does not appeal to me.
But this summer – I have played around with a few recipes and I have loved using the slow cooker. It has been wonderful to get the meal prepared and the kitchen clean before dinner. It makes after dinner cleanup so much easier!
Best Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of stew beef, cubed, dredged in flour, salt and pepper, and browned in olive oil
- 32 ounces of beef broth
- I small can of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 5 carrots chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 small bag of red potatoes cut in half
- 1 can corn, or fresh cut corn from cob
- 1 – 2 teapoons cornstarch
Directions
- Mix together 1/4 cup flour and a pinch of salt and pepper in a sealable plastic bag.
- Add beef to bag, seal bag, and toss to coat beef chunks with flour mixture.
- Brown beef in skillet with olive oil.
- Mix together broth, tomato paste, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano,Worcestershire sauce, and garlic together in a large mixing bowl. Stir until broth and paste are fully combined.
- Place beef in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add chopped carrots, celery, and potatoes on top of beef.
- Pour broth mixture over all ingredients.
- Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
- Before serving, use a mug to scoop out a mugful of broth. Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch (2 teaspoons if you want stew thicker) into the broth in the mug. Once this is throughly combined and broth is thickening up – add this back into the stew. Stir to fully incorporate back into the broth and thicken stew.
- Sir corn into stew. Heat for few minutes.
- Stew is ready to be served.
- Enjoy!
We love eating stew served over biscuits or toast. I think that is the midwesterner in me 🙂
Since we made this at the lake – we made up a double batch. Sophia made dinner for 14 hungry family members! 
Once the stew was set to cook in the slow cooker we cleaned up the kitchen and headed back down to the water for more fun.
When it was all done – we simply served ourselves up and enjoyed!
And here is the printable version for you:
Ingredients
- 3 pounds of stew beef, cubed and browned in olive oil
- 32 ounces of beef broth
- I small can of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 4 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 5 carrots chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 small bag of red potatoes cut in half
- 1 can corn, or fresh cut corn from cob
- 1 - 2 teapoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Mix together 1/4 cup flour and a pinch of salt and pepper in a sealable plastic bag.
- Add beef to bag, seal bag, and toss to coat beef chunks with flour mixture.
- Brown beef in skillet with olive oil.
- Mix together broth, tomato paste, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano,Worcestershire sauce, and garlic together in a large mixing bowl. Stir until broth and paste are fully combined.
- Place beef in the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Add chopped carrots, celery, and potatoes on top of beef.
- Pour broth mixture over all ingredients.
- Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
- Before serving, use a mug to scoop out a mugful of broth. Mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch (2 teaspoons if you want stew thicker) into the broth in the mug. Once this is throughly combined and broth is thickening up - add this back into the stew. Stir to fully incorporate back into the broth and thicken stew.
- Sir corn into stew. Heat for few minutes.
- Stew is ready to be served.
- Enjoy!
Do you use a slow cooker? If so, what is one of your favorite recipes?
Two things I love – slow cooking and having kids in the kitchen. I can see how well a slow cooking recipe worked for you and your busy lifestyle. Looks like your family has so much fun.
Thanks Cynthia! I love having kids in the kitchen as well. I think it really sets them up for a life of healthy eating habits.