Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe with Red Wine and Mushrooms

Rich, tender beef stew slow-cooked in red wine with earthy mushrooms — a hearty, low-carb comfort dinner made without potatoes.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 7

Total Time 7 20

Servings: 6 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Calories: 340

For the Beef

2.5 lbs chuck roast, cut into chunks (or pre-cut stew meat)

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons oil, for searing

For the Stew Base

1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry red wine (Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon)

2 cups beef broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (or ½ tsp dried)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)

1 bay leaf

Added Later

8 oz cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with

2 tablespoons cold water (for thickening)

Sear the beef — Pat the beef dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear on all sides in a hot pan with oil until well-browned. Transfer to the slow cooker.
Sauté and deglaze — In the same pan, sauté the onion and garlic until fragrant, then pour in the red wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
Combine in the slow cooker — Pour the wine mixture into the slow cooker along with the beef broth, tomato paste, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Stir to combine.
Cook — Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
Add mushrooms — Stir in the sliced mushrooms during the last 30-45 minutes of cooking.
Thicken the stew — Stir in the cornstarch slurry during the last 30 minutes, or remove the lid to let the sauce reduce naturally.
Remove bay leaf and serve — Discard the bay leaf, adjust seasoning as needed, and serve warm.

Don't skip the searing step — it builds significant depth of flavor through the Maillard reaction.
Use a dry red wine you'd actually enjoy drinking, since the flavor concentrates as it cooks.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
For a low-carb side, serve over cauliflower mash instead of potatoes.