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Rustic bowl of thick slow cooker beef stew with carrots and parsnips

Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Beef Stew
  • 2 lbs beef chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 medium parsnips peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large sweet potato peeled and cubed
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth low sodium
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 3 tablespoons cold water

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the beef cubes with salt and pepper, and sear them in batches until browned on all sides (about 5 minutes per batch). Transfer the browned beef to your slow cooker.
  2. In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until fragrant, then transfer to the slow cooker.
  3. Add the carrots, parsnips, and sweet potato to the slow cooker.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the tomato paste, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the meat and vegetables in the slow cooker.
  5. Nestle the fresh rosemary sprigs into the liquid.
  6. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef and vegetables are very tender.
  7. About 30 minutes before serving, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Stir this mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and let it cook for another 30 minutes to thicken the stew.
  8. Remove the rosemary sprigs, taste for seasoning, and serve hot with crusty bread!