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Slow Cooker Beef Stew

When the weather cools down, there’s nothing better than coming home to a warm, hearty meal that’s already done. This Slow Cooker Beef Stew is comfort food done the Well Balanced way — nourishing, flavorful, and full of wholesome ingredients.
The secret to making it taste like it simmered all day on the stove? Don’t skip the sauté! Browning the beef and aromatics first adds that deep, savory flavor that makes every bite satisfying.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 496
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb beef stew meat, cubed
  • 3 carrots peeled and chopped
  • 3 stalks celery chopped
  • 1 onion sweet, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced or pressed
  • 1 Tbs rosemary fresh, chopped
  • 1/4 cup parsley fresh, chopped
  • 2 Tbs avocado oil
  • 2 potatoes (e.g., russet or Yukon Gold) chopped into even pieces
  • 5 cups beef broth low-sodium
  • 2 bay leaves

Method
 

Prep
  1. Cube beef.
  2. Chop carrots, celery, and onion. Mince garlic.
  3. Chop rosemary and parsley.
  4. Set slow cooker to "Sauté" setting.
Make
  1. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the slow cooker and sauté beef until brown on all sides. Remove and set aside.
  2. Add remaining avocado oil to slow cooker and sauté onion, garlic, and rosemary until fragrant. If you don't have a sauté setting on your slow cooker you can sauté the beef and vegetables stovetop separately and add. Sautéeing adds a deeper flavor to the stew.
  3. Add carrots, celery, and pototoes and stir to coat.
  4. Return beef and juices to slow cooker. Add broth and bay leaves.
  5. Set slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. You want to cook the stew until the beef is tender.
  6. Remove bay leaves.
  7. For a thicker stew, remove some of the vegetables with broth and purée then add them back to the pot.
  8. Serve topped with fresh parsley.

Notes

Optional swaps: in place of yukon potatoes, you can use butternnut squash or sweet potatoes.
Nutrition
Facts
Calories
per serving
496
Amount/serving
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 17.7g
27%
Saturated Fat 5.2g
25%
Trans Fat 0.5g
Cholesterol 145mg
48%
Sodium 742mg
32%
Amount/serving
% Daily Value*
Total Carbohydrates 30g
10%
Dietary Fiber 5g
21%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 56g