Slow Cooker Beef and White Bean Stew
The perfect slow cooker stew, featuring tender beef, root vegetables and white beans. An easy meal for any night of the week.
I’m really not big on New Year’s resolutions. I kind of figure, why wait until the beginning of the year to start something you could do any day. Only sometimes it’s something that really hits you and makes you go ‘I really want to be better this year’. Case in point, organizing and keeping better records. I spent the better part of the afternoon inputting hundreds of receipts into a spreadsheet. Making matters worse, my calculator was broken because my kids enjoyed playing with it as if it were a phone so that slightly complicated things. I’m basically 80% done with my records, I think, for the last year. Way to power through. I sure did shock myself there. But it would be so much nicer to not have to worry about a giant stack of receipts again. I’m hoping to make it more of a monthly process. Of course, we’ll see if that really happens or not.
Practically right after finishing up my goal for the day, I went on Amazon and searched for a new calculator. Did you know they come in pretty colors? I’m kind of excited about that. I know, that’s such a girl thing to be excited about. I get it. I’m fine with that. It’s pretty and I’ll call it my own… until the kids steal it and hide it somewhere again. It’s totally bound to happen.
Now let’s talk food.
I figured we’d continue with the slow cooker theme this week. After sharing this slow cooker chicken parm meatball soup and slow cooker chicken enchilada soup, it seemed fitting to end the week with another flavorful slow cooker recipe. If you haven’t figured out yet, I love using my slow cooker.
So, we’re moving right along into a must make savory beef stew. This isn’t a traditional basic veggie and beef stew, it’s better. It’s packed full of goodies and flavor from the variety of root vegetables, spinach and white beans. Let’s not forget the tender slow cooked beef, the star of the dish. Definitely give this a try. If you’re a fan of beef stew, you’ll love this easy and practically effortless recipe.
Slow Cooker Beef and White Bean Stew
Ingredients
- 1 1/5 lb beef stew meat, trimmed and cubed to 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 C yellow onions, chopped
- 1/2 C carrots, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 30 oz Northern white beans, drained and rinsed
- 30 oz petite diced tomatoes
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 C beef broth
- 5 oz baby spinach, roughly 6-7 cups
Instructions
- Add all ingredients, minus spinach, to the bowl of a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours. When 4 hours has passed, stir in spinach. Cover and cook for an additional 15-30 minutes.
- Divide among bowls and enjoy.
Notes
More recipes to try:
Mini shepherd’s pies
Deep dish Chicago style pizza
Beef and Guinness pies with puff pastry
Chicken Parm meatballs
Chicken schnitzel
Buffalo chicken stuffed shells
Italian sausage and pepper pizza
Slow cooker cheddar ale and bratwurst soup
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I am totally with you on New Years Resolutions. I don’t really make them, and when I do…I fail at them.
I am all over this slow cooker beef and white bean stew because
1. Well, yum.
2. My hubby is going to L-O-V-E it
3. Slow cooker.
Thanks for sharing girl!
Fingers crossed I don’t fail, but no promises lol. And thanks! I hope you both enjoy it :)
Dammmn..I’m hungry now thanks this is a must try thanks for sharing
Thanks Marvin :)
Those bowls are seriously the cutest! I want them! As well as this beef stew (although it does NOT have bacon or BBQ sauce :P). I guess I can stray off my normal path for ONE meal…
Thanks Carla :) And you’re totally allowed one meal without bbq or bacon ;) I guess
I’m with you…not really into new year’s resolutions. But I’m thinking I should start to use my slow cooker more often…not because it’s the new year but because it’s Jan 10 and I see this awesome recipe I’d love to try. :) Yummo!
Thanks so much Tina :)
Can you cook this on low? Would it be the normal 8 hours? I’d like to have it on low while I’m at work all day. Looks yummy!
I imagine that you would work fine, though I haven’t personally made it that way.
Thanks for the recipe. Do you find there’s any difference if you brown the stew beef first?
Unrelated, but if you’re spending the time to put your data into a spreadsheet, it might be worth learning out to use the calculator functions built-in to spreadsheets. That’s what a spreadsheet is designed for.
Some say browning adds a bit of flavor, but I personally don’t find the extra work and mess to be worth it. As for the calculator and spreadsheet… the calculating feature wouldn’t be effective for adding items on a physical receipt as I was not adding individual items to the spreadsheet, but totals from individual receipts… thus the need for a stand alone calculator. :) Enjoy the recipe!
Just letting you know I directed my cousin to your site cause she loves soup and she’s feeding hungry teenage boys and we know how teen boys eat.
Thank you so much! That’s very sweet of you :)
This looks soooo good, Rachel! Repinning from you at Pinterest right now. Thanks for sharing and have a great weekend!
Thanks so much Stacy! You too!! :)
My family would love this! Such a great hearty winter soup
Thanks Tieghan! :)
This is a perfect sounding stew! YUM! And, I love your bowls! Too cute!
Thanks so much Autumn!
This beef stew looks absolutely perfect for these cold winter days. Love the easiest of any slow cooker recipe.
Thanks Laura!
You had me at slow cooker. Or maybe it was the beef. Then again…the white beans! My husband recently went hunting. Now I have 2 freezers full of venison and plan on using it in this delightful looking stew. Thanks!
haha! Whatever it was that had you… I hope you enjoy it! :)
My records are a mess. Sigh
My receipts are still sitting in a bag. I have yet to organize that giant mess. I have a feeling in a few weeks I will be complaining about that on Twitter…haha. I love all these slow cooker recipes coming our way. Perfect for the cold winter weather. P.S. Where did you get those bowls? Love <3
Hmmm I don’t remember where I got them. I have so many fav prop stores it’s hard to keep track!
Your indulgence please! White bean stew with meat is a crossword clue. Nine letters, fourth one is S, last three are LET. Can you help? Thanx. Bob
I couldn’t immediately think of the answer, even though it was right there, so I asked some friends. Your answer is… cassoulet! :)
Do you use dried beans or cooked?
Canned beans, that have been drained and rinsed, are used.
Is it 30 oz or 3 oz with the beans and toms?
30-oz each.
This was a wonderful dish. I did this on the stovetop over the day on Sunday rather than use a crockpot. The house was permeated with a fabulous aroma. I used dried great northern beans soaked overnight and used a mix of baby arugula and spinach. Otherwise followed the recipe. I will definitely make this again.
So glad you enjoyed it, Angel! :)