Low Calorie Slow Cooker Beef Stew is a hearty and delicious meal perfect for a cold day. The slow cooking process allows the flavors to develop and the beef to become tender and juicy. Stovetop instructions included!
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Check out my Slow Cooker Chicken Stew and my Crockpot Salsa Chicken Tacos for more delicious recipes!
This low calorie slow cooker beef stew recipe is a classic comfort dish. The ingredients are combined in a slow cooker and cooked on low heat for 8-10 hours, allowing the flavors to develop and the beef to become tender and juicy.
Whether you're feeding a large family or looking for a simple and delicious dinner, this beef stew is a must try.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- The slow cooking process allows you to add all the ingredients to the slow cooker in the morning and come home to a hot and delicious meal that's ready to eat.
- The slow cooking process makes the beef tender and juicy, which is the hallmark of a good beef stew.
- You can customize this recipe to suit your taste by using different vegetables or adjusting the amount of spices.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Lean Beef Stew Meat: The base of the stew.
- All-Purpose Flour: Used to create a crust on the beef that helps to seal in the juices and add flavor.
- Salt & Ground Pepper: Added seasoning.
- Olive Oil: Used to brown the beef.
- Vegetable Broth: Helps to deglaze the pan.
- Onion & Garlic: Add flavor and aroma to the stew, and also help to build the base for the broth.
- Potatoes & Carrots: Provides a starchy and sweet contrast to the savory broth, and also add texture and nutrition to the stew.
- Celery: Adds a mild, slightly bitter flavor to the stew.
- Red Bell Pepper: Adds a sweet and slightly spicy flavor to the stew, and also provides a pop of color.
- Bay Leaves, Beef Broth & Fire Roasted Tomatoes: Added to enhance the flavor of the stew.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Coat the beef with the flour. Shake off the excess flour, then sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper on the beef.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Brown the beef over medium heat.
Step 3: Add the vegetable broth. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, which is about 5 minutes.
Step 4: Transfer the beef and its sauce to the slow cooker.
Step 5: Add the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery, red peppers, bay leaves, broth, tomatoes, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in the slow cooker.
Step 6: Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, or until the beef is tender.
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Expert Tips
- Searing the beef in a mixture of olive oil and all-purpose flour before adding it to the slow cooker helps to create a crust that seals in the juices and adds flavor.
- After searing the beef, make sure to deglaze the pan with the broth to pick up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Choose potatoes that hold their shape well, such as Yukon gold or russet potatoes, as they won't turn to mush during the slow cooking process.
- Slow cooking is the key to creating a delicious and tender beef stew, so make sure to give the stew enough time to slow cook on low heat.
- Taste the stew before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.
Variations
- Add different vegetables: Add other vegetables, such as turnips, parsnips, or butternut squash, to the stew for a different flavor and texture.
- Use different spices: Add different spices, such as thyme, rosemary, or paprika, to the stew to give it a different flavor profile.
- Make it spicy: Add a diced jalapeño pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes to the stew for a spicy kick.
- Use different types of broth. Use chicken broth or mushroom broth for a different flavor.
- Make it vegetarian: Substitute the beef with tofu, tempeh, or seitan, and use vegetable broth to make a vegetarian version of the stew.
Stovetop Beef Stew
- In a large bowl, combine the beef cubes with the flour, ½ teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Toss the beef until it's evenly coated with the flour mixture.
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Add the floured and seasoned beef cubes to the pot. Brown the beef on all sides, stirring occasionally. This will take a few minutes, and browning the beef adds flavor to the stew.
- Once the beef is browned, add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pot. Sauté them with the beef for about 2-3 minutes until they become fragrant and the onions turn translucent.
- Pour in the vegetable broth, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This helps to deglaze the pot and incorporate those flavorful bits into the stew.
- Add the cubed potatoes, sliced carrots, chopped celery, diced red bell peppers, bay leaves, beef broth, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper to the pot. Stir all the ingredients together.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let the stew simmer for about 1.5 to 2 hours. Stir occasionally and check the beef for tenderness. The stew is ready when the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
- Remove the bay leaves before serving.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Refrigerate leftover stew in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Let the stew cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer safe plastic bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible from the container or bag before sealing. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating: If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Microwave or heat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.
Recipe FAQ's
A good cut of beef for stew is one that has a good amount of marbling, such as chuck roast or stew meat. These cuts will become tender as they cook in the slow cooker and will add flavor to the broth.
Yes, you can use frozen beef for stew. However, it's best to thaw the beef before adding it to the slow cooker, as cooking from frozen can increase the cooking time and affect the texture of the stew.
Yes, if the stew becomes too thick, you can add more broth or water to thin it out. Stir in a small amount of liquid at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
Yes, you can add other seasonings to the stew to suit your personal taste preferences. Some common seasonings used in beef stew include thyme, rosemary, paprika, and bay leaves.
Yes, you can make this recipe in a pressure cooker. Simply brown the beef on the stovetop, add the other ingredients, and cook on high pressure for 25-30 minutes.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Low Calorie Slow Cooker Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean beef stew meat cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 2 medium potatoes peeled and cubed
- 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- ½ cup red bell peppers diced
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 cups beef broth fat-free and low-sodium
- 14 ounces fire-roasted diced tomatoes
Instructions
- Coat the beef with the flour. Shake off the excess flour, then sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper on the beef.
- Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Brown the beef over medium heat.
- Add the vegetable broth. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, which is about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the beef and its sauce to the slow cooker.
- Add the onion, garlic, potatoes, carrots, celery, red peppers, bay leaves, broth, tomatoes, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper in the slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 8-10 hours, or until the beef is tender.
Notes
- Searing the beef in a mixture of olive oil and all-purpose flour before adding it to the slow cooker helps to create a crust that seals in the juices and adds flavor.
- After searing the beef, make sure to deglaze the pan with the broth to pick up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Choose potatoes that hold their shape well, such as Yukon gold or russet potatoes, as they won't turn to mush during the slow cooking process.
- Slow cooking is the key to creating a delicious and tender beef stew, so make sure to give the stew enough time to slow cook on low heat.
- Taste the stew before serving and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt and pepper.
- Storing: Refrigerate leftover stew in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Let the stew cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer safe plastic bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible from the container or bag before sealing. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Reheating: If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Microwave or heat in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until hot.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Kim
This looks delicious! I love slowcooker meals too!
angela
This looks like a good hearty stew. Have you tried substituting the potatoes for maybe big chunks of cauliflower? Something that won't get too mushy in the crockpot but would be fewer calories/carbs? I often leave the potatoes out but looking at this photo made me picture maybe a swap!?
simplylowcal
You could do the cauliflower, but I would wait and add it at the end so it's not in the crockpot for too long. Maybe the last 30-60 minutes. Let me know if you try it out.
Kendra
So much YUM! This is my hubby's favorite meal no matter what the weather is like. 🙂
Morgan
This looks so comforting! Beef stew really is the best on a cold day!