Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Perfect for fall, this is a healthier, freezer-friendly comfort food perfect for family dinners or gifting to someone who needs a hearty meal. 30 minutes of hands-on work + all day crock-potting = OMG THAT’S GOOD! 🍲
Introduction: A Hug in a Bowl
Comfort foods do more than satisfy hunger — they wrap you in a warm hug that even Olaf would envy. For me, beef stew has always been one of those meals. My mom used to make it when the weather turned cold; she referred to it more as a soup but it was definitely a super-hearty stew. I remember coming home gymnastics practice in the evenings with the house filled with the smell of everything good and comforting about her ”soup”. This meal represented more than just dinner, it was a reminder that we were loved.
This Slow Cooker Simply Seasoned Beef Stew with Garlic Mashed Potatoes 🍲 is my way of honoring my mother’s recipe while giving it a healthier, updated twist. Yes, it’s super hearty and comforting, but it uses fresh vegetables, careful seasoning, and slow cooking to achieve the same effect. The result is an indulgent dinner that’s a bit lighter — one you can make for your family on a weeknight or freeze and gift to a friend who needs the comfort of a home-cooked meal. Plus, it doesn’t require standing over the stove for hours waiting for the meat to tenderize, like my mom did back in the 1980s and 1990s. The only catch I’ll say is this: if you want to cook and serve this on the same day, plan to prep the ingredients the night before then add to the crockpot before you head out the door in the morning. My schedule allows for me to pop by the grocery store after I’ve dropped the kids at school, run home to prep the ingredients and add to the crockpot and getting to my first “to do” by 9am.
Regardless of how you do it, just don’t forget to plug the crockpot in and turn it on!
Why Crockpots Are a Lifesaver
I love a good crockpot meal, and I believe that crockpots are the secret weapon that every home should have. All it takes is maybe 20- 30 minutes of hands-on prep, and the crockpot does all the work for you, transforming your simple ingredients into a deep, rich creation. It’s definitely a kitchen workhorse worth its weight in gold.
On weekdays when life is doing its best life-ing, I love knowing that dinner is quietly simmering away without needing my constant attention. The crockpot does beautiful work without me needing to give it directions…the beef becomes spoon-tender, the vegetables soak up the savory goodness, and bay leaves infuse the entire dish, adding characteristic flavor we attribute to comfort food. Dinner tastes like it took all day to cook because it did (except you didn’t have to stand over it).
That’s what I love about crockpot meals…they give you time back to your day without sacrificing a day’s worth of cooking.
I have 3 crockpots in different sizes.
My 8 quart crockpot is perfect for the slow cooker beef stew recipe, and for meals you’re making for the family (with leftovers) or for a large crowd. Check out my 8 quart crockpot option on Amazon.
My 4 quart crockpot is probably the hardest working in my kitchen. I use it most often for my weekly chicken salad, and it works fantastic for smaller meals or a smaller crowd. You’ll find it here on Amazon.
My little guy is my 2 quart crockpot, the one that I didn’t think was necessary but I absolutely needed. I don’t use it often, but it’s perfect for warm dips and appetizers, and for creating a mix to scent your home during the holiday season. Find a smaller crockpot here on Amazon.
Creating a Healthier Beef Stew
Traditional beef stew recipes are super hearty, but leave you feeling like you can hardly roll yourself away from the table. Most traditional recipes start with canned soups, fried meats, heavy roux bases or super-salty seasoning packets leaving you hypertensive and heavy. Are they delicious? Yes. Are they good to your body? Absolutely not. Anything that leaves your body feeling out of sorts or ill is not worth eating.
This recipe lightens things up while keeping all the flavor:
- Beef, trimmed at home – By cubing chuck roast yourself, you control how much fat goes into the pot. But…if you’re in a rush, you can definitely buy it pre-cut.
- Simply Seasoned blend – My all-purpose seasoning adds incredible flavor without artificial ingredients. Not overpowering, simply perfect. Purchase here on Etsy: Simply Seasoned
- Lots of vegetables – Carrots, celery, mushrooms, and onion add flavor, nutrients, and texture.
- Broth over canned soup – Love a good broth. If you make your own, definitely use it.
- Roasted garlic mashed potatoes – Yum! Creamy and flavorful, using less butter than traditional versions.
This is basically the same comfort food we had as kids, but upgraded in a way that’s lighter, more nourishing, and still very filling.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew: Ingredient Spotlight
Each element in this dish has a role to play:
- Chuck Roast: “Affordable” and ideal for long, slow cooking. (Let’s be real…beef isn’t exactly affordable in general, but stew meat is certainly more affordable than skirt steak.)
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: Beautifully buttery by nature, these cook faster than Russets with far more flavor and less starch; perfect for creamy mashed potatoes.
- Garlic: Sharp, crunchy cloves transform into sweet, rich, spreadable goodness once roasted.
- Bay Leaves: Bay leaves add subtle but noticeable depth — but remember, count them in and count them out since they’re not well suited for eating. There are 3 leaves in this recipe, so make sure to remove all three bay leaves before serving or freezing.
- Carrots, Celery, Mushrooms, Onion: Obviously a power-house combination adding flavor, depth, and nutritional value. These form for veggie backbone to balance out the hearty beef. (Tip: You don’t have to limit the number of veggies here; add as many veggies as you want and can fit into the crockpot.)
- Simply Seasoned Blend: This is my signature seasoning; tons of flavor to perfectly enhance the dish without “overdoing it.” You can purchase yours here on Etsy: Simply Seasoned
These ingredients marry beautifully, proving that wholesome food doesn’t not have to be complicated. In fact, you’ll be shocked at the complexity and depth of flavor given the minimal effort on your part.
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Slow Cooker Beef Stew
This slow cooker beef stew uses tender chuck roast and veggies to create a healthier, family-friendly comfort food. Super savory and delicious, it’s perfect for fall, perfect for gifting, and perfect for freezing.
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
2–3 pounds of chuck roast, cubed (or beef stew meat)
4 carrots, cut into large chunks
4 stalks of celery, cut into large chunks
1 package sliced mushrooms
1 yellow onion, cut into large chunks
2 tablespoons Simply Seasoned, divided
1/2 cup Dale’s All Purpose Seasoning or Worcestershire sauce
3 bay leaves
2 cups beef broth
2 tablespoons flour (optional)
Instructions
Clean beef chunks and add to crockpot.
Add 1.5 tablespoons of Simply Seasoned and the Dale’s Seasoning/Worcestershire and stir well so all chunks are coated.
Top with carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms.
Sprinkle on flour (if using) and add remaining Simply Seasoned.
Add bay leaves and pour in beef broth.
Stir gently, and cook in crockpot on low heat for 6-7 hours.
Stir well, and remove bay leaves before serving over garlic mashed potatoes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 7-8 hours
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
These creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes are made with roasted garlic, butter & milk. The perfect comfort food side for weeknight or holiday meals, and stunningly delicious with beef stew. I prefer my mashed potatoes on the chunkier side; see note for smoother finish.
Ingredients
Instructions
Wash potatoes and wrap in foil. Cut ends from garlic cloves, and wrap all in one piece of foil. Bake at 350F for 30-45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Once cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and garlic, and add both to a large pot on stove. Mash well with a fork*, then add butter, salt and milk, and stir well to incorporate. Cook slowly on low heat at least 5 minutes, stirring often to avoid burning. Taste and adjust salt and butter to preference.
Notes
For extra creamy, smooth potatoes, process baked potatoes using a food mill or blender prior to incorporating butter, salt, and milk on stovetop.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Serving Suggestions & Options
The classic way to enjoy this dish is with the garlic mashed potatoes, but that’s not your only choice:
- Classic comfort: Serve as written for a hearty, soul-warming meal.
- Lightened up: Spoon over mashed cauliflower or serve with brown rice.
- Cozy twist: Hollow out bread bowls and ladle stew into the center.
- Meal prep friendly: Divide into containers and eat soup-style.
Changing it up makes it easy to keep this dish in rotation.
Slow Cooker Beef Stew Servings & Leftovers
This recipe makes 6–8 hearty servings, and is perfect for leftovers. In fact, it tastes even better then second day anyway, as flavors will have more time to deepen.
Now, if you want to switch up how you enjoy the stew, you can…
- Make Shepherd’s Pie: Pour stew into a baking dish, top with those mashed potatoes and bake until golden.
- Make Pot Pie: Add stew to ramekins, cover with store-bought puff pastry and bake according to puff pastry’s directions.
- Make a Lunch Bowl: Make some noodles, and serve reheated stew on top (granted, you may end up dozing at your desk afterward…don’t say I didn’t warn you.)
How to Store & Reheat Slow Cooker Beef Stew
I’ll make this quick, with the main point being you want to keep everything fresh:
- Cool quickly: Once cooking is complete, don’t allow the stew to sit out longer than two hours.
- Store separately: Keep stew and potatoes in different containers so they’ll hold texture better.
- Refrigerate: Store stew and potatoes in separate airtight containers for up to 3–4 days.
- Reheat gently: If stew thickens too much, add a splash of broth to thin it out. If potatoes thicken too much during reheat, add a splash of milk.
Trust me, if handled well, your leftovers will taste just as good (if not better) than day one.
Freezer & Gifting Instructions for Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Know someone with a new baby? Need to send a meal to someone who is grieving? Trying to cook a “just in case meal” to store in your freezer? This stew is perfect for all those things, making it a perfect and thoughtful option for whatever situation arises.
- Freeze separately: Store stew and potatoes in separate, freezer-safe containers.
- Label and date: Include reheating instructions (see #3).
- Reheating: Thaw overnight in the fridge, heat stew on stovetop, reheat potatoes with milk or butter. Add a splash of broth or milk respectively, to loosen up (if needed).
- Gifting? Include a salad kit or a loaf of bakery style bread for a full meal.
There’s power in sharing a homemade dish; I wrote more about this in my post on Bereavement Cooking. Food will absolutely not fix a broken heart or make the early days of parenthood less stressful, but it provides the tangible comfort your friends & family need – and that is what matters most.
Reflections: Food as Love
This stew goes way deeper than a simple recipe. This stew reminds us that food is one of the simplest yet most profound ways we care for one another. The joy of sharing food with love has existed for centuries, and I know it will continue to be one of the most acts to show humanity.
Sharing food was my mother’s love language. It was more than just a nagging “to do” on the daily list of life. Cooking was (and is) about tradition, connection, and confirming that you are important, you are valued, and you are loved.
So…the next time you’re craving true comfort food, pull out your crockpot, count your bay leaves, and let this stew simmer all day in your home. Serve it, freeze it, or gift it to someone who needs a reminder of care, love and support.
Meals like this are worth making again and again, and passing down to as many generations as are blessed to come.
Stay seasoned,
Shauna
*Note that I may receive a small commission on any items purchased using links provided in this post. Thank you!
