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Living Well Mom

Simple, easy, and natural ways to care for your family.

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Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew

By Erika in Dinner

dairy-free gluten-free grain freeThis post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Beef stew cooking in crock pot
Beef stew cooking in crock pot

When the temperature starts to dip, I keep this beef stew crock pot recipe on our weekly meal rotation. Not only is it incredibly easy to make thanks to the slow cooker, but it’s filled with veggies—and yes, your children will actually eat them!

I love trying out a variety of new recipes with my family, but sometimes I just can’t beat the classic favorites. In fact, this crockpot beef stew is one of my family’s most-requested meals.

This stew is filled with tender beef, delicious vegetables, and savory seasonings that make a satisfying meal that’s perfect at the end of a cold winter day.

Beef stew crock pot recipe this idea now...

Beef Stew Crock Pot Recipe

As any busy mom will understand, I love that I can put this slow cooker recipe together in the morning, turn my crockpot on, and have dinner ready later without any additional prep.

I always love recipes that can be made in the slow cooker. It almost feels like cheating a bit – all you really have to do is dump the ingredients into the cooker and let it do its magic!

Plus, you’ll have the added bonus of your home smelling absolutely incredible all day long!

My mom used to cook slow cooker beef stew regularly when I was a kid and I always hated it. It was probably just picky kid taste buds, but I was not a fan and because of that, when I grew up, I avoided beef stew for a long time. Then one day, I decided to give a new beef stew recipe a chance and I ended up loving it!

Over time, I’ve changed the recipe to my taste along with converting it into a slow cooker version (the original required 2-3 hours of cook time in the oven, sometimes more depending on the potatoes – and that was time I don’t usually have.)

But this slow cooker recipe is perfect because you can throw everything in the crockpot in the morning (even at noon) and come home hours later to a delicious hearty dinner waiting for you, with no further prep required.

Beef stew in a bowl in front of a crock pot

Healthy Beef Stew

I’ve made this beef stew with regular potatoes for years, but recently, I converted it to a Paleo-friendly recipe. This healthy beef stew recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, and uses sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. To be truthful, I think this healthy beef stew is even more delicious than the original!

The only downside to this recipe is that beef stew meat can be expensive, especially if you’re on a tight grocery budget. But I often buy just 1 pound of stew meat and use more sweet potatoes and carrots to make it more affordable. While my husband loves more meat, he knows he’ll get this dinner more often if it doesn’t cost as much, so he’s game too. And the kids don’t notice!

healthy beef stew recipe

How to Make Beef Stew in the Crock Pot

This easy beef stew recipe requires 4 hours of cook time on high or 6-8 hours on low.

Plus, there’s just a tiny bit of prep, but it’s minimal. Prep time takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on how interrupted you are.

Bowl of a made beef stew crock pot recipe

Ingredients:

  • Beef stew meat
  • Olive oil
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Chopped onions
  • Chopped carrots
  • Celery
  • Diced tomatoes
  • Beef broth
  • Garlic cloves
  • Parsley
  • Basil
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Tapioca starch (can be replaced with flour if you are not attempting to avoid gluten)
  • Bay leaf

Beef Stew Crock Pot Recipe

Cut your beef stew meat into 1″ cubes and cook over medium-high heat with 1-2 Tbsp olive oil. You’re just looking to brown the meat, not fully cook through.

While the meat is cooking, you can chop the vegetables. You’ll need 3-4 large sweet potatoes (peeled and cut into 1″ pieces), about 3-4 cups of chopped carrots, and 2-3 cups of chopped celery.

Next, put the chopped sweet potatoes into the bottom of your slow cooker.

Then, add 1/2 cup chopped onions.

I hate chopping onions because it burns my eyes. It literally hurts! So I do what my grandmother did – I simply buy frozen chopped onions. So much easier!

chopped sweet potatoes and onions in a slow cooker

The meat should be browned by now (if it browns before, just turn the heat off). Drain, then place on top of the sweet potatoes and onion.

Chunks of beef on top of cubed sweet potatoes

Next, add the celery, carrots, and 4 minced garlic cloves.

layout of printable recipe binder pages
chopped celery, beef, and sweet potatoes in a crock pot

Then, add 2 cans of diced tomatoes and 3 cups of beef broth (this is my favorite brand). (You’ll need a total of 4 cups of beef broth for this recipe – you’ll save 1 cup for the next step.)

Sprinkle 2 Tbsp basil, 1 Tbsp parsley, 2 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper on top.

Beef stew crock pot recipe with spices on top

Thicken the Stew

Next, pour the remaining 1 cup of beef broth (again a total of 4 cups for this recipe) into a bowl or glass measuring cup. Add 3 Tbsp tapioca starch/flour.

beef broth with tapioca starch

Next, mix with a fork. The tapioca will stick to the bottom and be very hard to stir for a few seconds, but then it will suddenly begin to dissolve and you can stir it easily.

Yes, I make a mess when I cook.

tapioca starch and beef broth in a measuring cup

Pour the broth/tapioca starch over the stew.

Put a bay leaf on top (optional.)

beef stew crock pot recipe before cooking

Cook the Beef Stew

Put the lid on and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.

easy crock pot beef stew cooking

Before serving, stir to combine all the ingredients.

Crock pot beef stew in a bowl

Enjoy!

More Slow Cooker Recipes:

  • Easy Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
  • Beanless Turkey Sweet Potato Chili
  • Unbelievably Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
  • Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Print

Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

This easy Slow Cooker Paleo Beef Stew recipe requires minimal prep and is so delicious and hearty with tender beef, tasty vegetables, and savory seasoning that even kids love it!

  • Author: Erika Bragdon
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 4 hours
  • Total Time: 4 hours 20 mins
  • Yield: 6–8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2–3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1” cubes
  • 1–2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 3 large sweet potatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped onions
  • 4 cups chopped carrots
  • 3 cups celery, chopped
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups beef broth, divided
  • 5 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 Tbsp parsley
  • 2 Tbsp basil
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 3 Tbsp tapioca starch (flour)
  • 1 bay leaf, optional

Instructions

  1. Brown the beef stew in a dutch oven with the olive oil; drain.
  2. In the meantime, chop the vegetables.
  3. Put the sweet potatoes and onion in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the browned beef, then the celery, carrots, garlic, diced tomatoes, and 3 cups of the broth. Sprinkle the parsley, basil, salt, and pepper on top.
  4. In a measuring glass, add the remaining 1 cup of beef broth and mix with the tapioca starch. Whisk until blended, then pour over the top of the stew.
  5. Cook on high for about 4 hours or slow for 7-8 hours (depending on your slow cooker.)

Just pin it below to find the beef stew recipe later!

Beef stew cooking in crock pot

Dear mom, I have so much more I’d love to share with you…

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    Filed Under: Dinner, Paleo, Recipes, Slow Cooker, Soup Tagged With: dairy-free, gluten-free, grain freePublished on December 4, 2020

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    About Erika

    Erika Bragdon is a second-generation homeschooling mom with 3 kids at home and 1 in college. She lives in the beautiful hills of New Hampshire on a small farm and loves writing, baking, nature, and sharing flower essences and more natural solutions with moms.

    Comments

    1. Ellen Christian says

      January 22, 2016 at 2:09 pm

      Thank you! I’ve been looking for some new Paleo recipes to try!

      Reply
    2. valmg @ From Val's Kitchen says

      January 25, 2016 at 8:46 am

      We’re big fans of slow cooker beef stew. I always find it interesting to see all of the different ways people have to make a dish!

      Reply
    3. Tammilee Tips says

      January 26, 2016 at 12:18 am

      This looks so good!! I know my husband loves a good stew would make good leftovers for his luncht oo!

      Reply
    4. Andrew says

      January 26, 2016 at 10:29 am

      This looks delicious. I love making things in the slow cooker, especially during wintertime. Thanks for sharing your recipe!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
    5. diane says

      January 26, 2016 at 10:39 am

      that looks delicious! I am always looking for new slow cooker recipes!

      Reply
    6. Yaffa says

      March 6, 2016 at 8:21 pm

      Hi I’m Yaffa I was wondering if you could replace tapioca starch with arrowroot?

      Reply
      • Erika says

        March 7, 2016 at 9:40 am

        Yes, that should be fine. They’re similar enough.

        Reply
    7. Karen says

      October 21, 2016 at 11:23 pm

      I just made this today for a hearty dinner to serve with some guests and it was delish–everyone loved it!! Will definitely be my go to beef stew recipe and it was so easy. Prep takes a little longer than 1/2 hour, at least for me, but nothing complicated. I didn’t have the traditional chuck stew meat on hand, but had a piece of london broil which I cut up into chunks, and 2 medium strip steaks that I put in whole after first browning both sides. All the meat was tender and flavorful. A crowd pleaser for sure.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erika says

        October 24, 2016 at 10:00 am

        Thanks for the great report, Karen. I’m so glad everyone loved it!

        Reply
    8. Erika says

      October 27, 2016 at 10:35 am

      I use a 7 quart, but I add extra vegetables. This should work in an average sized 4.5 quart. Just use more or less sweet potatoes, etc. depending on your slow cooker size.

      Reply
    9. Deb Stamm says

      September 26, 2017 at 11:18 pm

      Found this last week and made it to take to an event. Everyone loved it and I was able to eat Primal at a group outing !!!
      Thank you for the share. I did add some parsnips that I had left over but they only enhanced it. The stew had so much flavor. I used reduced sodium broth and tomatoes. I did salt the stew meat as it was browning and then added to salt as called for it the recipe and the level seemed very good and with all the flavor did not miss the extra sodium.
      Thanks for your blog and I will be an avid reader from now on,

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Erika says

        September 27, 2017 at 3:07 pm

        I’m happy to hear everyone loved it, Deb. I love your tweaks! thanks for sharing.

        Reply
    10. MaryAnn says

      November 12, 2017 at 4:32 pm

      Hi! This is cooking away and smells wonderful! Do you have the nutrition facts?

      Reply
    11. RTC Foods says

      November 23, 2020 at 12:41 am

      This stew is so delicious, my family loved it!

      Reply

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Erika Bragdon sitting on a bench drinking a drink out of her mug

    Welcome! I’m Erika and I’m the creator behind Living Well Mom.

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