Authentic Heritage Slow-Cooked Beef Stew

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-04 · Updated 2026-04-04

A deeply flavorful stew honoring tradition, featuring fall-apart beef simmered in a rich, aromatic broth with root vegetables for a true taste of comfort. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 190 minutes, pairs beef chuck roast, carrots, potatoes for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs beef chuck roast
• 3 medium carrots
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 large onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

The slow cooker we’d leave this in all day → Best Slow Cookers in 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat the beef chuck roast dry with paper towels, then season evenly with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sear the beef in batches for 4-5 minutes per side until deeply browned, transferring to a plate.
2. Step 2: Dice 1 large onion and 4 garlic cloves, then sauté in the same pot with the browned bits over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant. Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Step 3: Return the seared beef to the pot, add 4 cups beef broth, 3 thyme sprigs, and 2 bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and transfer to a preheated oven at 325°F for 2.5 hours until the beef is fork-tender.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, peel and dice 3 medium carrots and 4 medium potatoes into 1-inch cubes. After 2 hours of simmering, add the vegetables to the pot, cover, and return to the oven for 45 minutes more until vegetables are tender but not mushy.
5. Step 5: Remove the pot from the oven, discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Whisk 3 tbsp all-purpose flour with 2 tbsp cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.