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This Healthy Beef Stew in the Crockpot is perfect for a chilly winter evening when you need something hearty and satisfying to dig into. It’s a savory and comforting protein-packed dinner that the whole family can enjoy, and using your slow cooker makes it so much easier and effortless too!
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Soups and stews are my go-to comfort food, especially on days when I don’t feel like spending too long in the kitchen. I especially love this crockpot beef stew -- it's cozy, savory, and ticks all the boxes with flavors and textures.
Other popular options are my Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup or savory Beef Vegetable Soup on days when I’m looking for something rustic and hearty, and my healthy Greek Lemon Chicken Soup on occasions when I’m in the mood for something light, yet filling.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Rich and flavorful: The rich, savory base and the medley of flavors and textures is what makes this stew stand out.
- Low calorie: Most stew recipes call for the use of flour as the thickening agent. This recipe uses steamed cauliflower, which makes it an excellent low carb, low calorie option.
- High protein: With 32 grams per serving, this healthy beef stew will keep you full for a long time after you take the last bite!
Ingredients
- Beef: Use beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes. Other lean cuts of beef such as top sirloin steak, top road roast and steak, eye of round roast, and sirloin tip steak are all good options as well.
- Veggies: I used a mix of garlic and white onion to build the flavor and some carrots and peas. You’ll also need cauliflower to thicken the stew. If aren't a fan of peas, you can swap them for corn or potatoes instead.
- Balsamic vinegar: For a bit of tang and sweetness.
- Beef broth: Makes a savory base for the stew as well as keeps the beef nice and moist as it cooks.
- Tomato paste: To thicken the broth and add a bit of acidity and deeper flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce: For the umami deliciousness.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations & Dietary Modifications
- Meat swap: This recipe also works with chicken breasts. Place them into the slow cooker whole, and once they're slow cooked, you can shred them for the stew.
- Thickener: I wouldn’t recommend swapping the cauliflower for a different thickener. If you do need to substitute it, mix 2 tablespoons of arrowroot powder with some of the broth and stir it into the stew to thicken it.
- Add more veggies: You can add more vegetables to the stew if you like. Potatoes and corn make great additions as well as mushrooms, zucchini, and green beans.
How to Make Healthy Beef Stew in the Crockpot
Step 1: Season the beef. Trim the fat off the beef and chop it into 1-inch cubes. Add it to the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Add the veggies and broth. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme and beef broth.
Step 3: Cover and cook. Add the lid to the pot and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. During the final 30 minutes of cooking, boil the cauliflower florets in a pot of water until they’re tender, then drain the liquid and allow them to cool.
Step 4: Add the cauliflower and peas. Puree the cauliflower until it's smooth. Add it to the crockpot along with the peas during the final 15 minutes of cooking.
Step 5: Finish up and serve. Stir to combine and cook for 15 minutes. Serve hot or store for later.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store your leftover healthy crockpot stew in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow it to cool down completely and then transfer it to an airtight container.
- Reheating: Reheat the dish in the microwave on medium heat for 30-60 second intervals until it is heated through. You can also reheat it in a pot, but make sure you do it on low heat to keep it from burning.
Serving Suggestions
This hearty stew is hearty enough as a full meal on its own for lunch or dinner. It's perfect for those cooler nights when you want something warming and comforting. Here are some ideas for inspiration:
- For a heartier meal, I love serving this healthy slow cooker beef stew with some mashed potato muffins, steamed brown rice, or my favorite mashed potatoes and cauliflower.
- You can also team it up with a healthy bread side dish like pumpkin cornbread or cauliflower bread. They are both low in calories and naturally gluten free too!
Expert Tips
- Low and slow: High heat is an option but if time allows, I highly recommend cooking the stew on low for longer time. The slow cooking tenderizes the meat better.
- Blending the cauliflower: Make sure your cauliflower is fully tender before blending it. Puree completely so that it's very smooth and you won't even notice it in the stew.
- Cutting the meat: Use kitchen scissors to trim the fat from the beef and then cut it with a into one-inch pieces. It's an easy method to use instead of using a knife! Be sure to cut into even-sized pieces!
Recipe FAQs
Sure! I like it best in the slow cooker but you can. Add all the ingredients (except the cauliflower) to the Instant Pot and pressure cook for 30 minutes. Then, stir in the steamed, pureed cauliflower and serve!
Yes, I do this all the time! Sometimes I even make a double batch so I have more another meal in the future. Once it has cooked and cooled down completely, you can transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 90 days.
More Delicious Crockpot Recipes
If you tried this healthy beef stew recipe or any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below.
Healthy Crockpot Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef chuck
- ⅔ cup white onion diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- ⅔ cup peas frozen
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 2 cups beef broth low sodium
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce gluten free
- ½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoon thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 12 oz cauliflower florets
Instructions
- Cut the fat off the beef and cut into 1-inch pieces and add it to a slow cooker. Add the salt and pepper.
- Add the onions, carrots, garlic, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, balsamic, beef broth and thyme. Cover and set to cook on low 8 hours (or high 4 hours).
- About 30 minutes before the stew is done, add the cauliflower to a large pot and add water to cover the cauliflower. Bring to a boil. Boil 5-7 minutes or until cauliflower is soft. The smaller your florets, the faster this will be. Drain the cauliflower and set aside to cool 10 minutes.
- 15 minutes before stew is done add the cauliflower to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the cauliflower and frozen peas to the crockpot. Stir to combine and cook another 15 minutes to warm then serve!
- Store the stew in the refrigerator up to 5 days or in the freezer up to 90 days.
Notes
- Each serving is approximately 1 1/2 cups.
- If you don’t have fresh vegetables, you can make do with mixed frozen veggies too. Simply add them in. You don’t even need to thaw them.
- If the stew seems too thick, add a splash of beef broth of water to adjust its consistency.
- Remember to cut the beef into equal sized cubes. This ensures that they are cooked uniformly.
Nutrition
Hi! Under your instructions #2, I think you mean (or high 4 hours), not low. Just an observation. Great recipe!
Thank you for letting me know! I updated that.
A winner for a family dinner!
Thank you!
What size crock pot is this for, I have a 3qt?
The section in the blog post that says "what I used for the recipe" shows the slow cooker size. I believe mine was 8 quart.