This hearty Slow Cooker beef stew is loaded with tender meat and perfectly seasoned vegetables. Easy comfort food at its finest!

I’m typing this up on the first cold(ish), rainy day of the fall, so it feels like kismet that I’m sharing this recipe with you. Talk about a dish that warms you up from the inside out!

Slow Cooker recipes are always welcome this time of year. There’s nothing better than coming home to a meal that has been cooking all day.

All this requires is some chopping and searing the beef to add an extra layer of flavor. You’ll just throw everything else into the slow cooker and let it do it’s thing! So easy for such a huge flavor payoff. Your house will smell amazing by the end of the day.

Can I skip searing the beef?

I know that sometimes the appeal of a slow cooker recipe is the ability to just mix everything together and let it cook. An extra step can be a little annoying. Please take that extra step, though! The flavor is much deeper when you get a dark sear on the beef.

If you want to save yourself some time, chop all of your veggies beforehand. Then, when you’re ready to cook, just sear the meat and throw everything else in.

At first, it will look like there isn’t enough liquid. Resist the temptation to add more! The veggies and meat will release their juices as the stew simmers. No one wants watery stew!

This is what it looks like before cooking.

Can you Freeze SLow COoker Beef STew?

Yes! This recipe makes A LOT of food, and since I’m not cooking for a large family, I experimented with freezing the leftovers.

I suggest you freeze it in the 2-cup portions, so you can reheat each serving individually. You can do this on a stovetop or in the microwave.

The meat won’t hold its form and will shred into the stew, but it will still be delicious. The potatoes and carrots hold their form nicely.

If you’re adding peas, I would freeze the leftovers without the peas and add them in when you defrost.

Can you use an instant pot?

I’m sure you can, but I haven’t tested that out yet. The typical time adaptation for an 8 hour slow coo is 30 minutes on high in the Instant Pot, but I can’t vouch for that.

Next time I make this, I’ll use an Instant Pot and update you here. Let me know in the comments if you give that a shot before I do!

Can I leave the peas out of this slow cooker beef stew?

Of course! It’s your choice. I like the peas for the added color and flavor, but the stew is just as delicious without them.

If you want to add the peas but are going to have leftovers, you may want to hold off on the last step of the recipe. Just add a handful of peas to the bottom of your bowl and let them thaw that way.

Otherwise, when you might have mushy peas if you reheat leftovers.

I’d love to hear from you if you make this recipe! Leaving a starred review and comment below helps my blog grow. I’m always grateful when you can take the time to do that!

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5 from 10 votes