Cozy Beef Stew Vegetables (Printable version)

Hearty beef and root vegetables gently simmered for a comforting main dish.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
02 - 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

→ Vegetables

04 - 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
05 - 2 parsnips, peeled and sliced
06 - 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks
07 - 1 large yellow onion, diced
08 - 3 celery stalks, sliced

→ Flavor Base

09 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
11 - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

→ Liquid

15 - 4 cups beef broth, gluten-free verified
16 - 1 cup dry red wine or additional beef broth

→ Thickener

17 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
18 - 2 tablespoons cold water

# Directions:

01 - Season beef cubes generously with kosher salt and black pepper.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef until deeply browned on all sides, approximately 3 minutes per batch. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker.
03 - Add carrots, parsnips, potatoes, onion, and celery to the slow cooker with the seared beef.
04 - Stir in minced garlic, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, dried thyme, and dried rosemary until well combined.
05 - Pour in beef broth and red wine. Gently mix all ingredients to ensure even distribution.
06 - Cover the slow cooker and cook on low setting for 8 hours until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are completely softened.
07 - Whisk cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to form a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the stew. Increase heat to high and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until the stew achieves desired thickness.
08 - Remove and discard bay leaf. Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The beef becomes so tender it practically dissolves on your tongue after hours of gentle cooking.
  • Your whole house smells like a cozy cabin, and you barely lifted a finger after the first fifteen minutes.
  • It tastes even better the next day when all the flavors have had time to truly know each other.
02 -
  • Do not skip browning the beef—that golden crust is where the deepest flavor lives, and the slow cooker can't create it for you no matter how long it cooks.
  • The stew will taste thin and incomplete after eight hours, but that cornstarch slurry transforms it into something rich and satisfying in just fifteen minutes on high.
03 -
  • If your broth is particularly salty, add it in stages and taste as you go—you can always add more but you can't take it out.
  • The cornstarch slurry is the secret to silky thickness; if you just dump in cornstarch, you'll end up with gritty little flecks floating around.
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