The BEST Slow Cooker Beef Casserole

A hearty and warming Slow Cooker Beef Casserole with lots of chunky vegetables. Perfect for those cold winter nights, this slow cooker beef stew is super tender and the meat just falls apart. It freezes really well too, so perfect for batch cooking.

If you are looking to use your slow cooker more, then this is the recipe that is going to convince you to do that. A super easy and comforting beef stew that the whole family will love. It's easy to adapt to include vegetables that you know your family are going to eat too. When life gets busy, stick this meal in the slow cooker.

Why should you try it?

What you will need

Step by step

One: Heat a little oil in a frying pan and add the beef. Cook the chunks of meat for about 2 minutes until all sides are browned.

Two: Meanwhile, chop all the vegetables.

Three: When the beef has browned, remove it from the frying pan and put in the slow cooker bowl. Add the vegetables to the frying pan and cook for 5 minutes.

Four: Place the cooked vegetables in the slow cooker bowl with the beef and add the other ingredients. Cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours.

What meat to use in a casserole

The great thing about cooking a beef stew in a slow cooker is that you don't have to use expensive cuts of beef. You can go for the cheaper cuts like braising steak, because cooking it low and slow makes it really tender. I wouldn't use anything too lean, as it tends to dry out.

Do you have to sear the meat first?

You don't have to, but I really don't think it is a step that should be skipped. It really does lock in all the flavour. Make sure you sear it on all sides and that there is plenty of room in the pan, so it browns rather than steams - you might need to do it in batches.

What vegetables can be added?

Really chunky root vegetables like carrot, parsnip and swede work well. You could also add some chunks of potato and then you don't need to serve it with anything.

Flavour adding vegetables like onion, shallots, leek, celery are nice too and then you can add some colour by adding some peas, spinach, kale or green beans about 30 minutes before it is finished cooking.

How long to cook for

Slow and low is the key here, so we cook it on low for 7 hours. You could cook it on high for 4 hours instead though. You want the meat to be tender, but not falling apart so much that it's like shredded beef. If you like shredded beef, then why not try our Slow Cooker Pulled Beef recipe?

How to thicken gravy

The thickness of a stew/casserole really is a personal thing. This isn't really thin, but it isn't a really thick gravy either. If you want to thicken it, then make a slurry and then add it to the slow cooker.

Not sure what a slurry is? Take some cornflour and a little cold water and mix together until a fairly thick paste (1 tbsp cornflour and 2 tbsp water. Then stir that in to the slow cooker about 30 minutes before serving to thicken the stew up.

What to serve this with

I think mashed potato goes perfectly with a beef stew, as they are both so comforting. We love this root vegetable mash, as it adds some extra goodness, but for some extra indulgence, why not have it with our Creamy Mashed Potato?

You could serve it with rice or couscous or even on a baked potato. Sometimes we like to have some warmed crusty bread and then use it to scoop everything out and then mop up all the juices left behind.

How to store and reheat

Make sure the beef stew cools completely and then put in an air tight container. It will then keep in the fridge for 2-3 days. You can also keep it in the freeze for up to 4 months.

To reheat, make sure it is defrosted thoroughly if you have frozen it, and then heat through on the hob/stove or microwave.

Extra tips

• You don't have to sear the meat first, however it really does make a difference to the finished dish as it seals all the flavour in.
• Root vegetables work really well in this stew, however you can give it a green boost by adding some leafy greens about 30 minutes before the stew is ready.
• You don't have to serve this stew with anything. You could add some potatoes to the stew and cook it all together.
• Thicken the dish by adding a cornflour slurry

More beef recipes

If you’ve tried this Slow Cooker Beef Stew or any other recipe on the blog then let us know how you got on in the comments below, we love hearing from you!
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Recipe card

The BEST Slow Cooker Beef Casserole

A hearty, savoury Slow Cooker Beef Casserole with onions, leeks and mushrooms. Perfect for those cold winter nights.

Low Carb

4.43 from 7 votes

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: British, French

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours

Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

Allergen:

Meat

Mustard

Phosphates

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 367kcal

Ingredients

UK measures - US measures

• ▢ 500 g braising steak cubed
• ▢ 1 large onion cut into chunks
• ▢ 1 large leek sliced
• ▢ 10 mushrooms quartered
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves crushed
• ▢ 500 ml vegetable stock
• ▢ 250 ml red wine (if you don't want to use wine, then add more stock)
• ▢ 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• ▢ 4 tbsp fresh rosemary chopped
• ▢ 2 tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste)
• ▢ 1 pinch sea salt and black pepper

Instructions

• Heat a little oil in a frying pan and add the beef. Cook the chunks of meat for about 2 minutes until all sides are browned.
• Meanwhile chop all the vegetables.
• When the beef has browned, remove it from the frying pan and put in the slow cooker bowl. Add the vegetables to the frying pan and cook for 5 minutes.
• Place the cooked vegetables in the slow cooker bowl with the beef and add the other ingredients. Cook on low for 7 hours or high for 4 hours.

Notes

• You don't have to sear the meat first, however it really does make a difference to the finished dish as it seals all the flavour in.
• Root vegetables work really well in this stew, however you can give it a green boost by adding some leafy greens about 30 minutes before the stew is ready.
• You don't have to serve this stew with anything. You could add some potatoes to the stew and cook it all together.
• Thicken the dish by adding a cornflour slurry

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 367kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 746IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 4mg

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DisclaimerThe nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.