Description
A hearty and comforting Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings recipe featuring tender beef, flavorful vegetables, and fluffy dumplings cooked to perfection in a slow cooker. Perfect for a cozy family dinner.
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 beef with salt and pepper, then toss it in the all-purpose flour to lightly coat the pieces evenly.
- Assemble the stew in the slow cooker: Place the floured beef into the slow cooker and add beef broth, red wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, chopped onion, chopped carrots, cubed potatoes, bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Stir gently to combine all ingredients.
- Cook the stew: Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours, until the beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
- Prepare the dumpling batter: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in milk to form a thick batter that is easy to scoop.
- Add peas and dumplings: When the initial cooking time is up, stir frozen peas into the stew and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Using a spoon, drop 6 to 8 spoonfuls of dumpling batter evenly onto the stew’s surface.
- Cook dumplings: Cover the slow cooker and cook for 1 additional hour to allow the dumplings to cook through and become fluffy.
- Serve: Once dumplings are cooked and the stew is hot, remove bay leaves and herb sprigs. Ladle stew and dumplings into bowls and enjoy your warm, comforting meal.
Notes
- For a thicker stew, mix an additional tablespoon of flour with cold water and stir into the stew about 30 minutes before adding dumplings.
- You can substitute red wine with additional beef broth if you prefer a non-alcoholic version.
- Use vegan butter and plant milk to make the dumplings vegan-friendly.
- For extra flavor, brown the beef in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker (optional).
- If you prefer a slower cook, use the low setting for 8 hours instead of high for 5 hours.
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: 75 mg
