Slow Cooker Beef and Mushroom Stew: Easy & Hearty

This hearty slow cooker beef and mushroom stew is so quick to put together, and it makes the perfect dinner for a cold winter’s evening. Simply add some boiled or mash potatoes and green vegetables on the side for an easy meal without fuss.

TOTAL TIME INVESTMENT: 8 HOURS 30 MINUTES

When I hear the word stew, I am transported back to the thin, tasteless dishes that passed for dinner at boarding school.  A good stew is thick, rich with flavour, deeply satisfying, and a far cry from anything I ever ate at school. 

Stews are generally made from cheaper cuts of meat, which means they require a long slow cook to make them edible. Take your favourite stew recipe, apply a few simple tweaks and you can turn virtually any recipe into a slow cooker meal.

And to make sure your next slow cooker meal tastes unbelievably delicious, make sure you grab my cheatsheet for great slow cooker meals from my Resource Library. Simply click the link below or request the password at the end of this post.

One of my favourite stews is this hearty beef stew with large chunks of beef, cooked slowly, that shred easily into the savoury sauce. 

And as beef and mushrooms are the very best of friends, it seems only natural to add mushrooms to any beef stew I make.  The deep, savoury notes of the mushrooms compliment the beef perfectly, almost melting into the sauce as the stew cooks. Delicious!

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Ingredient Substitutions For Beef and Mushroom Stew

The slow cooker is getting a good work out this winter.  I love that I can load it up in the morning, and come home on a cold, wintery evening to a dinner without effort.  And whilst it may seem like this slow cooker beef stew cannot be mixed up at all, that is so not how I do things.

Want to make this beef and mushroom stew your own? Then why not try:

• Using Chicken stock or vegetable stock in place of the beef stock.
• Switching up the root vegetables. Squash, sweet potato, parsnips or even potatoes can all be used in place of/as well as carrots.
• Replacing the Worcestershire sauce can with an equal volume of soy sauce.

If you need a gluten free option, replace the plain flour in the beef and mushroom stew with a good gluten free flour. You could also use lentil flour as a gluten free option to thicken the stew.

Frequently Asked Questions About Slow Cooker Beef Stew

What meat is best for the slow cooker?

The tougher cuts of meat that have some fat and connective tissue are the best option for slow cooking. The connective tissue breaks down as it cooks, basting the meat so it doesn’t dry out during the cooking process and adding delicious flavour to the final dish.

Do you have to cook meat before adding it to the slow cooker?

You do not have to cook meat before putting it in the slow cooker, but there are many benefits to doing so. Browning the meat adds both flavour and colour to the finished dish. You can find more information on browning meat for the slow cooker here.

Can you overcook stew in the slow cooker?

You can overcook stew in the slow cooker. The meal will still be edible, but longer cooking will diminish the flavour of the finished dish, and the stew may dry out slightly as the moisture evaporates.

If you cannot be home when the cooking process is scheduled to finish, consider investing in a simple timer that will switch your slow cooker off. Or better yet, purchase a slow cooker with a built in timer that switches the meal to warm when the cooking cycle is completed.

Can you put raw mushrooms in the slow cooker?

Raw mushrooms can be put directly into the slow cooker, and should be added at the start of the cooking time.

Mushrooms will, however, release a lot of liquid as they cook. The liquid adds flavour to the cooking broth but it is necessary to account for this released moisture to ensure the finished dish is not swimming in liquid.

If using raw mushrooms in a slow cooker, the best strategy is to reduce other additional liquids in the recipe by at least 1/4 to 1/2 cup.

Can you freeze slow cooker beef stew?

Most beef stew recipes, like my beef and mushroom stew, freeze brilliantly. Place leftover stew in airtight containers and store in the freezer for up to three months.

Defrost frozen beef stew in the fridge overnight before reheating.

What To Serve With Slow Cooker Beef Stew

This slow cooker beef and mushroom stew is really a meal in itself so doesn’t really need a lot of accompaniments to complete the meal. Although a starchy side to soak up the delicious gravy wouldn’t go astray.

Some of my favourite dishes to serve alongside a rich beef stew are:

• Steamed, boiled or mashed potatoes
• Cauliflower & leek mash
• Twice baked roasted garlic potatoes
• Wilted green spinach
• Steamed or roasted broccoli
• A simple green salad

Basically any simple side dish will work in this situation. And don’t forget dessert!

Tips And Tricks for Delicious Slow Cooker Beef and Mushroom Stew

There really is nothing better than coming home after a busy day knowing your dinner is already under control. So I leave you with a few tips to ensure your beef and mushroom stew is as delicious as it can be:

1. The right cut of beef is the key to this dish.  Choose a cut with a little fat and connective tissue that is suitable for long, slow cooking. In Australia, look for chuck or round steak, stewing steak or gravy beef. If you are in another locale, you may need to check with your butcher for the appropriate cut if it is called something different.
2. I like to brown the beef and the onions in a fry pan before adding them to the slow cooker.  I then deglaze the pan with the beef stock, and pour all that flavour into the slow cooker as well.  It is just one of the things I do to improve the flavour of the dish. However this is not an essential step so if you are short of time just skip it.  Your beef and mushroom stew will still taste great.
3. If you want to get ahead, the meat, vegetables and herbs can be assembled in the slow cooker insert and stored in the fridge overnight.  Mix the sauce ingredients and store separately.  In the morning, put the insert into the slow cooker, pour over the sauce ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Proceed as per the recipe.
4. Stew is always better the next day, so if you are really organised, make the dish a day ahead and reheat it for dinner the following day. You can either cool the stew in the insert and store it in the fridge overnight, then reheat it on low for 2 – 3 hours before dinner. Or you can transfer the cooked stew to an ovenproof dish and reheat it in the oven for 30-40 minutes at 180C.
5. I used a large 6L (6 quart) slow cooker to make this stew. If your slow cooker is big enough, double the recipe and freeze the extras for another meal.
6. Leftover beef and mushroom stew will keep in the fridge for up to two days, and can be frozen for up to three months. 
7. Leftover stew also makes delicious beef and mushroom pot pies which is a great way to reinvent leftovers and feel like you are actually eating a whole new meal without the effort. Or if pie is not your thing, try some of these other great ideas for using up that leftover stew.

Other Slow Cooker Recipes You May Enjoy

My slow cooker is one of the most important gadgets in my kitchen when it comes to getting a meal on the table during those really busy days. That and my programmable rice cooker that is.

If you are looking for more slow cooker meals, then you may enjoy:

• Slow Cooker Mild Chicken Curry
• Slow Cooker Vegetable Soup
• Slow Cooker Leg of Lamb with Garlic & Rosemary
• Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Tagine

And you can find all the slow cooker recipes on my blog here.

Enjoy!

Made this recipe? Tell me how it went in the comments below.
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Slow Cooker Beef and Mushroom Stew

Hearty Slow Cooker Beef & Mushroom Stew is the perfect dinner for a cold winter’s evening. With some simple boiled potatoes and green vegetables on the side, this is an easy dinner without the fuss.

Course Appetiser/Main Meal

Cuisine Australian

Keyword beef and mushroom stew, slow cooker beef and mushroom stew, slow cooker beef stew

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 426kcal

Author Tania @ The Cook’s Pyjamas

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg (52 oz) chuck or stewing steak, cut into large pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 40 g (1/4 cup) plain flour
• 300 ml (1 cup + 1/4 cup) beef stock
• 40 ml (2 Tablespoons) tomato paste
• 20 ml (1 Tablespoon) Worcestershire Sauce
• 300 g (4 1/3 cups) mushrooms, quartered
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tablespoon thyme leaves
• 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil, if browning ingredients

Instructions

• Turn your slow cooker on to low to warm the insert.

If browning the ingredients

• Whisk the beef stock, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce together, and set aside.
• Brown the beef chunks on both sides in a fry pan over a medium high heat. Avoid overcrowding the pan as the meat will stew rather than fry.
• When browned, transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
• Add the onions to the fry pan (adding more oil if necessary). Fry for 5 minutes or until softened.
• Add the garlic to the pan and fry for 1 minute.
• Scatter the flour over the onions, and continue to fry for one minute.
• Pour the beef stock mixture into the fry pan.
• Stir briefly to incorporate the flour mixture into the stock, then pour the contents of the fry pan into the slow cooker.
• Add the mushrooms, carrots, bay leaf, and thyme to the slow cooker.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir thoroughly to coat the beef and vegetables in the sauce.
• Place the lid on the slow cooker.
• Cook for 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on high.
• At the end of the cooking time, stir through the parsley and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
• Serve with boiled potatoes and green vegetables.

To cook without browning the ingredients

• Add the beef, mushrooms, carrots, bay leaf, and thyme to the slow cooker.
• Whisk the (cold) beef stock, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and flour together until smooth.
• Pour the sauce over the contents of the slow cooker.
• Season with salt & pepper.
• Stir everything together and replace the lid of the slow cooker.
• Cook for 8 hours on Low or 4 hours on high.
• At the end of the cooking time, stir through the parsley and adjust the seasonings if necessary.
• Serve with boiled potatoes and green vegetables.

Notes

1. Choose a beef cut with a little fat and connective tissue that is suitable for long, slow cooking. Look for chuck or round steak, stewing steak or gravy beef.
2. The meat, vegetables and herbs can be assembled in the slow cooker insert and stored in the fridge overnight.  Mix the sauce ingredients and store separately.  In the morning, put the insert into the slow cooker, pour over the sauce ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Proceed as per the recipe.
3. Stew is always better the next day, so if you are really organised, make the dish a day ahead and reheat it for dinner the following day.
4. I used a large 6L (6 quart) slow cooker to make this stew. If your slow cooker is big enough, double the recipe and freeze the extras for another meal.
5. Leftover beef and mushroom stew will keep in the fridge for up to two days, and can be frozen for up to three months. 

Update Notes: This post was originally published on 6th August 2016. It was updated on 10th April 2019 to include ingredient substitutions, FAQ’s, nutritional information and to improve the readability of the text. It was updated again on 4th July 2019 to include a Table of Contents, side dish suggestions and Frequently Asked Questions.