When you need a filling supper that practically cooks itself, this kind of slow cooker meal is hard to beat. It is budget-friendly, hearty, and especially nice on a busy day when you want to load everything in the pot early and come back to a warm dinner later. The beauty here is that the gravy and long cooking time do the heavy lifting, so there is no need to fuss with extra seasonings or browning if you want to keep things simple.
Serve it with warm bread, buttered rolls, or a simple green salad to round out the meal. If you want to stretch it even farther for a hungry family, spoon it over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or fluffy rice to catch all that rich gravy, and a side of applesauce or steamed green beans makes it feel extra homey.
4-Ingredient Crock Pot Beef Stew
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 lb beef stew meat
1 1/2 lb baby potatoes, halved
1 (16 oz) bag baby carrots
2 (12 oz) jars beef gravy
Directions
1. Place the halved baby potatoes and baby carrots in the bottom of the slow cooker insert.
2. Add the beef stew meat on top of the vegetables.
3. Pour the beef gravy evenly over the top, covering the meat and vegetables as much as possible.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, until the beef is tender and the potatoes and carrots are fully cooked through. Resist the urge to rush it on high if you are using inexpensive stew meat, since low and slow gives the best texture.
5. Gently stir, then ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
For extra richness: If you have a few more minutes, brown the beef in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. It is absolutely optional, but it can give the gravy a deeper flavor.
For picky eaters: Cut the potatoes into smaller pieces before cooking so everything is easy to scoop and eat. You can also serve the meat, carrots, and potatoes separately in each bowl for kids who like their foods kept apart.
For a thicker gravy: If you would like the sauce a little thicker at the end, remove the lid for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking, or mash a few of the soft potatoes right into the gravy and stir gently.
For budget shopping: This is a nice meal when you need to feed a group without spending much. Depending on store prices, the whole pot usually lands around $12 to $15 and makes a very satisfying dinner for six.
For storing leftovers: Cool leftovers and refrigerate them in a covered container for up to 3 days. The flavor gets even better the next day, and the stew reheats well on the stove or in the microwave.