Slow Cooker Bison and Wild Rice Stew

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-24 · Updated 2026-04-24

A deeply savory stew with tender bison, nutty wild rice, and roasted root vegetables, simmered to meld flavors in the slow cooker. This American-inspired slow-cooker recipe, ready in about 440 minutes, pairs bison stew meat, wild rice, carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 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 bison stew meat
• 1 cup wild rice
• 2 medium carrots
• 2 medium parsnips
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 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: Place 1.5 lbs cubed bison stew meat in the slow cooker, then add 2 diced carrots, 2 diced parsnips, 1 diced yellow onion, and 2 minced garlic cloves.
2. Step 2: Stir in 1 cup rinsed wild rice, 4 cups beef broth, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
3. Step 3: Cover and cook on low for 7 hours until the bison is fork-tender and the wild rice is fully absorbed, with the broth thickened to coat the back of a spoon.