Beginner-Friendly Slow Cooker Beef Stew

🍲 Slow Cooker Beef Stew (Simple & Hearty) 🇺🇸

✅️ Ingredients (Serves 4–5):

◾️ 1½ lbs diced beef (chuck or stew meat)

◾️ 1 medium onion, chopped

◾️ 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced

◾️ 3 celery stalks, chopped

◾️ 1 small can chickpeas (15 oz), drained & rinsed

◾️ 1 lb baby potatoes, halved if large

◾️ 2 beef bouillon cubes (OXO), crumbled

◾️ 1 tsp beef gravy granules (optional)

◾️ 1–2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

◾️ Boiling water – just enough to cover the ingredients

◾️ 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water (to thicken)

🍴 Directions:

👉 Step 1:

(Optional) Brown the diced beef in a hot skillet for 3–5 minutes until browned. This gives extra flavor.

👉 Step 2:

Add to the slow cooker: beef, onion, carrots, celery, chickpeas, potatoes, bouillon cubes, gravy granules (if using), and Worcestershire sauce.

👉 Step 3:

➡️ Pour in just enough boiling water to cover everything. Stir gently.

👉 Step 4:

Cover with the lid or use a clean tea towel under the lid to catch steam and prevent extra liquid.

👉 Step 5:

Cook on:

HIGH for 4–5 hours

LOW for 7–8 hours

...until the beef is tender and veggies are cooked.

👉 Step 6:

In the last 30 minutes, stir in the cornstarch + cold water mix to thicken the stew.

👉 Step 7:

Taste and adjust seasoning (salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce) if needed.

✅️ 4 Easy Tips:

➡️ Tip 1: Browning the beef = more flavor. But it’s fine to skip if you’re in a hurry.

➡️ Tip 2: Cut all vegetables in similar sizes so they cook evenly.

➡️ Tip 3: Don’t overfill the slow cooker. Leave space at the top for steam.

➡️ Tip 4: Not a fan of chickpeas? 👉 Replace with frozen peas in the last 10 minutes or leave them out.