Description
A hearty and comforting slow cooker beef stew with tender vegetables and fluffy dumplings, perfect for a warming meal.
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 the pieces in flour until lightly coated.
- Combine stew ingredients: Place the coated beef in the slow cooker and add beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, chopped onion, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Stir to combine all ingredients well.
- Cook the stew: Cover and cook the stew on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours until beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
- Prepare dumpling batter: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, mix together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbly. Stir in milk to form a thick batter that can be scooped.
- Finish stew and add peas: When cooking time is up, stir the frozen peas into the stew and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed.
- Add dumplings: Drop 6–8 spoonfuls of the dumpling batter evenly onto the surface of the stew.
- Cook dumplings: Cover the slow cooker and continue cooking for 1 more hour until dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme sprigs. Ladle stew and dumplings into bowls and enjoy your comforting meal.
Notes
- You can substitute red wine with additional beef broth if preferred.
- For a thicker stew, increase flour coating on beef or use a slurry of flour and water before adding to slow cooker.
- Make sure dumpling batter is thick enough to hold shape but still moist enough to cook through properly.
- Herbs can be tied in a bouquet garni for easier removal before serving.
- Leftover stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and dumplings are best served fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 620 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: 95 mg
