When the weather turns just right—you know, that crisp chill in the air where you just want to stay inside and nestle under a blanket—there’s nothing quite like a proper bowl of stew. Forget those bland, watery versions you might have tried! This Beef Stew With Italian Herbs is my absolute favorite kind of comfort food. I tweaked my standard beef recipe until the chuck roast practically fell apart with a nudge, infusing it with oregano, thyme, and rosemary.
Seriously, when this simmers, my whole kitchen smells like a cozy trattoria. It’s hearty, packed with tender vegetables, and unbelievably flavorful thanks to that herbal punch. As a culinary educator, I promise you, this recipe takes just 25 minutes of hands-on time and brings such wonderful warmth to any family dinner table. It’s rustic, familiar, and unbelievably good.
Why This Beef Stew With Italian Herbs Recipe Stands Out
This isn’t your average, boring beef stew, trust me on this one. What makes this Beef Stew With Italian Herbs truly special is how those classic Italian flavors elevate the whole dish. It’s easy enough for a weeknight, but tastes like you spent all weekend fussing over it. You can see some of my other quick favorites over at easy crockpot dinner ideas.
The big wins here are:
- Incredible deep, savory flavor profile.
- Beef that melts in your mouth—no chewing required!
- It’s mostly hands-off cooking time, which I love.
Aromatic Depth from Italian Herbs
Forget just tossing in a generic packet! We layer in oregano, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. That blend is what punches up the flavor complexity. It makes the broth taste rich and sophisticated almost instantly, turning a simple stew into something decidedly Italian.
Tender Beef Texture Achieved Through Slow Cooking
That gorgeous, falling-apart texture we crave? That comes from patience. Slow cooking is magic for breaking down the chuck roast we use. By keeping the heat low and slow over those hours, we transform a tough cut into something unbelievably succulent. It’s cooking smart, not hard!
Gathering Ingredients for Your Beef Stew With Italian Herbs
Okay, let’s talk shopping! This robust and satisfying Beef Stew With Italian Herbs is designed to feed six hungry people, so make sure you grab enough for seconds—it’s that good. The key to great stew isn’t complicated, but you do need to respect the ingredients, especially the beef cut you choose. We want depth, not greasiness, so quality counts here!
Vegetables and Aromatics
You’ll need a good base of veggies for flavor and bulk. Don’t skimp on the sautéing step, that’s where the sweetness starts!
- Celery ribs: Make sure you chop these into nice, sturdy 1/2-inch thick pieces (you need about 1 1/2 cups total).
- Onion: One large yellow onion, diced up small.
- Garlic: Four cloves, minced super fine—we want that flavor to burst!
- Carrots: About four medium carrots, cut into consistent 1/2-inch thick chunks so they cook evenly alongside everything else.
- Potatoes: Peel about 1.5 lbs of Russet potatoes and dice them into 1-inch cubes.
- Mushrooms: Eight ounces of cremini mushrooms, sliced, if you’re feeling fancy (they build great umami!).
Beef and Coating Components
This is the star! For the best texture, you want a cut that handles long cooking times well.
- Beef: Get 2.5 lbs of beef shoulder, chuck roast, or rump roast. Trim off any big chunks of white fat before you cube it into 1-inch pieces.
- Flour: 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour acts as our thickener, plus 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper for coating.
Liquids and Seasoning for Richness
This is where that delicious Italian aroma truly comes alive. We use 5 Tbsp of olive oil, but remember we divide it up for the sauté and the sear!
- Broth: Five cups of low-sodium beef broth so we can control the salt level ourselves.
- Vinegar: Just 1 Tbsp of bright red wine vinegar; it cuts through the richness beautifully.
- Tomatoes: Two cans (15 oz each) of diced tomatoes—don’t drain them!
- Herbs: This is critical! You need 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, 3/4 tsp crushed dried rosemary, and 1/2 tsp dried marjoram.
- Bay Leaves: Two of those for depth.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Easy Crockpot Beef Stew
Now for the fun part! Even though this is a wonderfully easy Crock Pot Dinner, those first few active steps make all the difference. We are going to build layers of flavor right from the start. Remember, even though this is technically an Easy Crockpot Beef Stew when you use the slow cooker setting later, searing the beef first is my non-negotiable secret—it adds huge depth! You can check out some great ideas for easy meals sometimes found in my easy recipes for kids category too.
Sautéing Aromatics and Preparing the Beef Coating
First things first: grab that big enameled pot. Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil and gently cook your celery and onion for about four minutes until they start smelling sweet. Toss in the minced garlic right at the end for just one minute so it doesn’t burn! Set that mixture aside in a bowl. Next, take your cubed beef for the coating—toss it with the flour, salt, and pepper inside a resealable bag. Seal it up tight and shake it until every piece is dusty! That bag method ensures you get an even coat, which is key for the next step.
Browning the Beef for Deep Flavor
This is where we build that gorgeous fond on the bottom of the pot! Add the remaining 3 Tbsp of oil to your hot pot and brown the beef in two batches so you don’t overcrowd it. When you take the first batch out, put the second batch in, and once that’s browned, transfer it to the plate too. Now comes the best part: pour in 1 cup of broth and that red wine vinegar. Scrape, scrape, scrape! Get all those dark, flavorful bits off the bottom of the pan. That’s pure gold for your stew!
Combining and Slow Simmering the Beef Stew With Italian Herbs
Time to combine everything for that long, slow magic! Add the rest of the broth, the tomatoes, all those wonderful Italian herbs, the mushrooms, and the sautéed vegetable mix back into the pot. Give it a good stir, taste it, and adjust salt and pepper if you need to. Bring it just to a boil, then pop the lid on, turn the heat way down, and let it simmer covered for 1 1/2 hours. After that first hour and a half, stir in your potatoes and carrots. Cover it up again and let it keep simmering for another hour and a half until everything is perfectly tender.
Tips for Success with Your Beef Stew Meat Recipes Crockpot
When you’re using Beef Stew Meat Recipes Crockpot like this one, a few little tricks can take your result from good to absolutely unforgettable. It’s all about giving that beef the best environment to get fork-tender. I’ve learned this over making hundreds of slow cooker meals. These tips are my tried-and-true ways of ensuring success every single time.
Achieving the Best Beef Tenderness
This is essential: when you cut your roast into cubes, try to notice the direction of the grain and cut against it! This helps immensely in breaking down those muscle fibers during cooking. Also, please, please make sure your liquid—that gorgeous broth—is covering all the meat and vegetables when you drop the lid on for that long simmer. If it’s exposed, it’s gonna get dry, and nobody wants dry stew beef!
Balancing the Italian Herb Flavors
Those dried herbs, while super convenient, need heat to really wake up, you know? That’s why we mix them in early! But here’s the pro move: give your stew a little taste test right before you put the lid on for the final slow cook. Does it need a pinch more salt? Maybe a tiny bit more pepper? Adjusting your seasoning here makes all the difference because once that stew has simmered for hours, the flavors lock in, and you can’t adjust as easily!
Ingredient Substitutions for Your Beef Stew With Italian Herbs
Sometimes you open the fridge and realize you’re one ingredient short, which is totally fine! We can absolutely make swaps in this Beef Stew With Italian Herbs without losing that essential Italian-inspired backbone. Cooking should be flexible, right? Just try to hang onto the dried herbs, because that’s what defines this amazing sauce!
Meat Alternatives
If you aren’t feeling beef this time, don’t panic. You can easily swap the chuck roast for an equal amount of venison shoulder or lamb shoulder. Cook them the exact same way—flour them, sear them deep brown, and let them simmer slowly. Lamb adds a bit more richness, while venison will be leaner, so keep an eye on your oil!
Vegetable Swaps
Potatoes are pretty traditional, but if you want a fun change, try swapping the Russets for parsnips or even sweet potatoes. Just remember, sweet potatoes cook a little faster, so you might want to drop them in about 15 minutes later than the recipe suggests so they don’t turn to mush.
Vinegar and Broth Options
If you are completely out of red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar is a fantastic stand-in! It’s a little sweeter, but it gives you that necessary acid to brighten up the whole stew. If you want a less beef-forward broth flavor, you can use a really high-quality vegetable broth instead of beef broth. It’ll still be savory, just a bit lighter!
Storage and Reheating Instructions for Crockpot Beef Stew Easy Crock Pot
It’s so helpful that this is one of those wonderful Crockpot Beef Stew Easy Crock Pot meals that actually improves overnight! Don’t rush to eat it all in one sitting; the flavors just marry better overnight.
Let the stew cool down completely on the counter before sealing it up tight in an airtight container. It lasts beautifully in the fridge for four days. When you’re ready to reheat, you have a couple of options. Either scoop out a portion into a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat, or if you’re low on time, you can reheat individual servings right in the microwave. Just stir it halfway through reheating so it heats evenly. You can find some other great easy savory recipe ideas here!
Serving Suggestions for This Hearty Meal
This stew is so rich and flavorful on its own, but the best meals always have something creamy or crunchy to scoop it up with! We need texture contrast, absolutely. Since we packed so much Italian flavor in, lean into that theme when you serve it up, okay? It truly makes the final presentation.
Bread Pairings
You simply must have something to soak up every last drop of that herby broth, right? I always grab a big loaf of crusty Italian bread, torn right there at the table. If you can find a nice, chewy French baguette, that works perfectly too. Don’t even think about skipping the dipping bread!
Topping Enhancements
Remember those fresh basil and parsley we talked about adding at the very end? Don’t skip those! They add a beautiful pop of color and freshness that cuts through the richness after all those slow cooking hours. And, of course, if you love Parmesan or Romano cheese, sprinkle it on generously right before it hits the table. It melts just slightly into the hot stew—heaven!
Nutritional Estimates for Beef Stew With Italian Herbs
I always try to keep things real, and while this Beef Stew With Italian Herbs is hearty comfort food, it’s actually pretty well-balanced! For a serving size of six people, you’re looking at around 550 calories, 28 grams of fat, and a whopping 45 grams of protein. That’s a solid meal!
Now, keep in mind that these numbers are just my best estimates based on the ingredients list I shared. For the full breakdown, you can always check out my general guidance over at my recipe disclaimer page. Happy eating!
Share Your Experience Making This Beef Stew Crock Pot Recipes Slow Cooker
Okay, now I’ve told you everything important about making this spectacular meal, from searing the beef to layering in those amazing Italian herbs. But honestly, I want to know how it turned out for you! These Beef Stew Crock Pot Recipes Slow Cooker are the kind of things that just make me happy, and seeing your results really brings me joy!
If this stew made your dinner table warm and cozy, please, leave me a rating below—five stars if it truly hit the spot! I love hearing what works for you. Were you using your slow cooker setting, or did you go the stovetop route?
Send me a note or tag me if you post pictures on social media! I’m Sarah Bennett, and as a culinary educator, your feedback helps me know what recipes to share next. You can always learn more about my mission in the kitchen over at my About Page!
Beef Stew With Italian Herbs
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion and cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Pour this mixture into a heat proof bowl and set it aside.
- Place the beef in a large resealable bag. Add flour, salt (about 1 tsp), and pepper (about 1/2 tsp). Seal the bag and toss well to coat the beef evenly in flour.
- Return the pot to medium-high heat and add the remaining 3 Tbsp olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add half of the beef. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the beef has browned, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer the browned beef to a plate. Add another 1 Tbsp oil to the pot, add the remaining half of the beef, and brown it.
- Slowly add 1 cup of beef broth, then add the red wine vinegar and the beef from the plate. Cook, stirring frequently while scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen browned bits, until the sauce thickens.
- Add the remaining 3 cups beef broth, diced tomatoes, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, bay leaves, mushrooms, and the sauteed veggie mixture. Bring the mixture just to a boil, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for about 1 1/2 hours longer, until the beef and vegetables are very tender.
- Serve warm sprinkled with fresh basil, parsley, and Parmesan cheese if you wish.