Beef · Slow cooker

Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew | One Pot Chef

Beef stew is the ultimate slow cooker win: chuck in your veg and meat, forget about it for hours, and come back to a thick, glossy casserole that tastes like you've been cooking all day. This version is brilliantly simple, bacon and tomato paste do the heavy lifting, but it's also your blank canvas for whatever you fancy adding next time.

R By Richard · Adapted from OnePotChefShow · Published 8 May 2026
👁 2.2M source views ❤️ 22.9k source likes
⏱Prep 10 min
🍲Slow cook 6 hr (Low) / 3 hr (High)
🍽Serves 6
✓Confidence 92%
Easy Slow Cooker Beef Stew | One Pot Chef

Source video by OnePotChefShow on YouTube. This recipe was adapted with strict source-fidelity rules.

This is a no-fuss beef stew designed for the slow cooker from the start. Diced beef goes in raw alongside chunky vegetables, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock, then cooks low and slow until the meat is tender and the gravy thickens. Optional bacon adds a smoky, salty depth. Serve with crusty bread, rice or pasta for an easy weeknight dinner or lazy weekend lunch.

Ingredients

Main
  • 500 gdiced beef steak, diced small
  • 6 slicesshortcut rindless bacon slices, diced
  • 3 largepotatoes, washed, peeled and diced (about fist-sized each)
  • 1 largecarrot, washed, peeled and diced
  • 1 largebrown onion, peeled and chopped
  • 2 tspgarlic, crushed (about 1 to 2 cloves)
Sauce
  • 250 gtomato paste
  • 1 tbspWorcestershire sauce
  • 1 litreliquid beef stock
  • freshly ground black pepper
To finish
  • 1 tspcornflour, mixed with a little hot water to form a slurry

Method

  1. Add the chopped onion, crushed garlic, diced carrot and diced potatoes to the slow cooker. Keep the vegetable pieces small so they cook evenly.

    ~5 min

  2. Add the diced beef and the diced bacon (if using) on top of the vegetables.

    ~2 min

  3. Spoon in the tomato paste, splash in the Worcestershire sauce, and season with freshly ground black pepper.

    ~1 min

  4. Pour in the beef stock (or use 500ml stock plus 500ml red wine for a richer version).

    ~1 min

  5. Mix the cornflour with a little hot water to form a smooth slurry, then pour it into the pot.

    ~1 min

  6. Stir everything together gently, then put the lid on the slow cooker.

    ~1 min

  7. Cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours, or on High for 2 to 3 hours. Resist the urge to lift the lid or stir during cooking.

    ~360 min

  8. Once cooked, the beef should be tender and starting to break apart, and the vegetables soft. Switch off the slow cooker and let it sit for a few minutes; the sauce will thicken further as it cools slightly. Serve with crusty bread, rice or pasta.

    ~5 min

Frequently asked

Do I need to brown the beef first?
No. This recipe is designed as a true dump-and-go stew, with the raw beef going straight into the pot. If you want a deeper flavour, you can brown the beef in a hot pan first, but it is not required.
Can I leave out the bacon?
Yes. The bacon is optional and adds a smoky, salty note. Replace it with a similar amount of mushrooms, or simply leave it out altogether.
Why is my stew watery at the end?
Slow cookers retain a lot of moisture. The cornflour slurry helps, and the sauce will thicken further once you switch off the pot and let it rest for a few minutes. For a thicker gravy, stir in an extra teaspoon of cornflour mixed with cold water in the final 15 minutes on High.
Can I add red wine?
Yes. Swap 500ml (2 cups) of the beef stock for red wine for a richer, more rounded flavour.
What should I serve with it?
Crusty bread is ideal for mopping up the gravy. It also works well over rice, pasta or buttery mashed potato.
Extraction notes (transparency): All ingredients and quantities taken directly from the description's recipe fact sheet, with method confirmed by the transcript. Bacon quantity (6 slices) given in description but transcript only says 'some bacon'; quantity retained from description.