Slow-Cooked Beef Bourguignon with Pearl Onions and Mushrooms

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-20 · Updated 2026-06-20

A rich, hearty French stew featuring tender beef chunks slowly braised in red wine with pearl onions and mushrooms, perfect for cozy winter nights. This french-inspired slow cooker ready in about 500 minutes pairs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes, red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir), beef broth for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 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

• 2 lb beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
• 2 cups red wine (Burgundy or Pinot Noir)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
• 12 oz button mushrooms, halved
• 12 oz pearl onions, peeled
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat dry 2 lb beef chuck cubes with paper towels, then brown them in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until deeply caramelized. Transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
2. Step 2: Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the skillet, then sauté 1 large diced yellow onion, 4 minced garlic cloves, and 2 peeled and sliced carrots for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen flavors.
3. Step 3: Sprinkle 2 tbsp all-purpose flour over the vegetables, stirring constantly for 2 minutes to form a roux. Slowly pour in 2 cups red wine and 1 cup beef broth, scraping the skillet bottom to loosen browned bits. Bring to a simmer for 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Step 4: Pour the wine mixture over the beef in the slow cooker. Add 12 oz peeled pearl onions, 12 oz halved button mushrooms, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Stir gently to combine.
5. Step 5: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours until beef is fork-tender and the sauce is rich and thick.
6. Step 6: In the last 15 minutes, melt 2 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms and pearl onions until golden and caramelized, then stir them back into the stew before serving.