Slow Cooker Highland Park Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-27 · Updated 2026-04-27

A hearty slow cooker beef stew featuring tender chunks of beef and a mix of root vegetables, perfect for warming up on a cool West Seattle evening. This American-inspired comfort-food recipe, ready in about 500 minutes, pairs beef chuck, cubed, carrots, peeled and chopped, parsnips, peeled and chopped for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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 lbs beef chuck, cubed
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 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: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 lbs cubed beef chuck and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until well browned; transfer to slow cooker.
2. Step 2: In the same skillet, sauté 1 large diced yellow onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, 3 chopped carrots, 2 chopped parsnips, and 2 chopped celery stalks for 5 minutes until fragrant and slightly softened.
3. Step 3: Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to deepen flavor.
4. Step 4: Pour in 1 cup red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the skillet, then transfer the mixture into the slow cooker with the beef.
5. Step 5: Add 4 cups beef broth, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper to the slow cooker; stir gently to combine.
6. Step 6: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.