Mildly Spiced Beef and Vegetable Stew

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-05 · Updated 2026-04-05

Hearty stew with tender beef and colorful vegetables in a subtly spiced tomato broth, designed to please even the most selective eaters. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 445 minutes, pairs stew beef, carrots, celery for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, 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

• 1.2 lbs, cut into 1-inch cubes stew beef
• 2 medium, peeled and diced carrots
• 2 stalks, diced celery
• 1 medium, diced onion
• 2 cloves, minced garlic
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 tbsp (optional for thickening) cornstarch

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

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place the 1.2 lbs stew beef, cut into 1-inch cubes, in the slow cooker; season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper.
2. Step 2: Add 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced, 2 stalks celery, diced, 1 medium onion, diced, and 2 cloves garlic, minced; cook on LOW for 1 hour to sear meat.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, 1 cup beef broth, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, and 1/4 tsp salt; cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours.
4. Step 4: Remove bay leaf and stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas; if stew is too thin, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water, stir into stew, and cook uncovered on LOW for 15 minutes until sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.