Description
Hearty and comforting slow cooker beef stew with tender vegetables and fluffy dumplings, perfect for a cozy meal. This recipe combines slow-cooked beef in a rich broth with fresh herbs and vegetables, topped with light homemade dumplings cooked directly in the stew.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Stew
- 2 lbs stew beef, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
- 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Season the stew beef with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss it in the all-purpose flour to lightly coat each piece.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Place the coated beef into the slow cooker. Add beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, chopped onion, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Stir everything gently to combine all flavors.
- Slow Cook the Stew: Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours, allowing the beef and vegetables to become tender and richly flavored.
- Prepare Dumpling Batter: In the last 30 minutes of the cooking time, prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture becomes crumbly, then stir in the milk to form a thick batter that is easy to scoop.
- Add Peas and Season Stew: When the main cooking time is up, stir the frozen peas into the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
- Add Dumplings to Stew: Drop the dumpling batter by spoonfuls (about 6-8 spoonfuls) on top of the stew evenly.
- Cook Dumplings: Cover the slow cooker again and cook for an additional 1 hour to allow the dumplings to set and cook through.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme sprigs. Serve the stew hot with tender dumplings on top and enjoy your comforting meal.
Notes
- For a thicker stew, you can remove the lid during the last 30 minutes to let some liquid evaporate.
- Use dry red wine such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot for the best flavor.
- Ensure the dumpling batter is thick enough to hold shape but not too stiff; add a splash more milk if needed.
- Fresh herbs can be used instead of dried for more aromatic results.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
