Johnson's Hearty Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-02 · Updated 2026-04-02

A comforting, slow-simmered beef stew featuring tender beef, earthy root vegetables, and a rich tomato-based broth. This american-inspired slow cooker ready in about 120 minutes pairs cut into 1-inch cubes beef chuck roast, medium, peeled and diced carrots, medium, peeled and diced parsnips for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 410 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 lb, cut into 1-inch cubes beef chuck roast
• 2 medium, peeled and diced carrots
• 1 medium, peeled and diced parsnips
• 2 medium, peeled and diced potatoes
• 1, finely chopped onion
• 3 cloves, minced garlic
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Step 1: Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels, then season evenly with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2. Step 2: Add beef in a single layer, searing for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply browned; work in batches to avoid crowding. Remove beef and set aside.
3. Step 3: Add chopped onion and garlic to the pot, cooking for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until darkened.
4. Step 4: Return beef to the pot, add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, beef broth, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours until beef is fork-tender.
5. Step 5: Remove bay leaf. For thicker sauce, mix flour with 2 tbsp cold water, then stir into stew and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes until sauce coats the back of a spoon.