Beef Stew Crock Pot Recipes Easy Simple

Stop Overcomplicating Stew: 5 Dumb-Easy Crock Pot Recipes That Work Every Time

Alright, let’s have a real moment. You’re scrolling through beef stew crock pot recipes easy simple, and they all start with: “First, make a homemade bone broth from scratch.” Or, “After individually browning 47 cubes of beef in clarified butter, you’ll want to deglaze your pan with a 1997 Bordeaux…”

Who has the time? Or the 1997 Bordeaux?

Listen, I love a fancy cooking project on a lazy Sunday. But on a random Tuesday? When you’re tired, hungry, and just need dinner to happen? You need recipes that are genuinely easy and simple. We’re talking minimal chopping, minimal steps, and ZERO extra pans to wash. Your most complicated tool should be a can opener.

These recipes are your lifeline. They respect your time, your energy, and your desire to just eat something warm and good without a part-time job in the kitchen. Let’s make stew, the smart way.

1. The “True Dump & Go” 5-Ingredient Beef Stew

Short Hook / Why It’s Awesome → Beef, veggies, soup, broth, done. It’s the simplest possible path to a classic stew taste with almost zero effort.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef stew meat (pre-cut, I’m not judging)
• 1 lb baby carrots (no chopping!)
• 1.5 lbs baby potatoes (halve if huge, otherwise leave ‘em)
• 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (10.5 oz) can French onion soup
• 1/2 cup water or beef broth

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Dump the beef, carrots, and potatoes into your crock pot.
2. In a bowl, stir together the cream of mushroom soup, French onion soup, and water/broth until mostly smooth.
3. Pour the soup mixture over everything in the pot.
4. Give it one gentle stir to coat. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. That’s it. Seriously, walk away.

Why You’ll Love It

This is the recipe I give new cooks or friends who claim they “can’t cook.” The two canned soups are a flavor cheat code—they create a rich, savory, gravy-like sauce all on their own. Using baby carrots and potatoes means you skip all the tedious chopping. It’s foolproof, comforting, and the definition of easy simple.

2. The “No-Browning-Needed” BBQ Beef Stew

Short Hook / Why It’s Awesome → Forget searing. Sweet, tangy BBQ sauce does all the heavy lifting. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it flavor bomb.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef stew meat
• 1 (16 oz) bag frozen mixed vegetables (like carrots, peas, green beans)
• 1 sweet onion, roughly chopped
• 1 cup your favorite BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Place the beef, frozen veggies, and chopped onion in your crock pot.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the BBQ sauce, beef broth, soy sauce, and garlic powder.
3. Pour the sauce over everything in the pot. Stir to combine.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. The BBQ sauce will caramelize into a sticky, delicious glaze.

Why You’ll Love It

This recipe breaks all the “rules” and tastes amazing. Using frozen veggies is a massive time-saver, and skipping the browning step means you’re done in five minutes flat. The result is a sweet, smoky, and totally different take on stew that’s perfect over mashed potatoes or rice. It’s a family favorite for a reason.

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3. The “Shortcut Gourmet” Dry Soup Mix Stew

Short Hook / Why It’s Awesome → A packet of dry onion soup mix is your new best friend. It’s a secret weapon of herbs and flavor that makes this stew taste like you simmered it all day.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast (leave it whole!)
• 4-5 medium potatoes, cut into big chunks (peeling optional)
• 4-5 carrots, cut into big chunks
• 1 (1 oz) packet dry onion soup mix
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca pearls OR 3 tbsp cornstarch (the no-fuss thickener)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Place the potatoes and carrots in the bottom of your crock pot.
2. Place the whole chuck roast on top of the veggies.
3. Sprinkle the entire packet of dry onion soup mix over the meat. Pour the beef broth around the sides.
4. Sprinkle the tapioca or cornstarch evenly over everything. Do NOT stir.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 8-9 hours. Before serving, shred the beef with two forks right in the pot and stir everything together. The sauce will be perfectly thickened.

Why You’ll Love It

Leaving the roast whole is a game-changer for ease. The dry soup mix creates a deeply savory broth with zero chopping of onions or measuring of spices. The tapioca/cornstarch thickens everything invisibly. This is a beef stew crock pot recipe easy simple that delivers huge, slow-cooked flavor with prep that takes 7 minutes, tops.

4. The “Unexpectedly Good” Italian Dressing Stew

Short Hook / Why It’s Awesome → A bottle of Italian dressing is a pre-made marinade and seasoning blend all in one. It’s a hilariously easy hack that works shockingly well.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef stew meat
• 1 lb baby potatoes
• 1 (16 oz) bag baby carrots
• 1 (8 oz) bottle zesty Italian dressing (not creamy)
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup beef broth

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Place the beef, potatoes, and carrots in your crock pot.
2. Pour the entire bottle of Italian dressing over the top. Add the diced tomatoes and beef broth.
3. Stir everything to combine.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours. The dressing infuses the beef and veggies with herby, tangy flavor.

Why You’ll Love It

This recipe is so easy it feels like cheating. The Italian dressing packs a punch of vinegar, oil, and herbs that permeates the entire stew. It’s a bright, flavorful twist that requires zero measuring of spices. It’s perfect for when your brain is too tired to think about seasoning. I promise, it’s way better than it sounds.

5. The “Almost Homemade” 20-Minute Prep Stew

Short Hook / Why It’s Awesome → For when you want that “I browned the meat” depth of flavor, but you still want to be done with prep in the time it takes to unload the dishwasher.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs beef stew meat
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 (24 oz) package refrigerated diced potatoes & onions (find it near the eggs!)
• 1 (10 oz) bag matchstick carrots
• 1 (8 oz) package sliced mushrooms
• 4 cups beef broth
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Quick Sear: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the beef (all at once is fine for this hack) and cook for 5-6 minutes, just until it loses its red color and gets some browned bits. No need for perfect browning on every side.
2. Dump the Shortcuts: Transfer the beef to your crock pot. Add the entire package of potatoes & onions, the bag of matchstick carrots, and the sliced mushrooms.
3. Sauce & Cook: Pour in the beef broth. Add the tomato paste, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir.
4. Cook on LOW for 8 hours. The quick sear gives you that foundational flavor, and the pre-chopped veggies save you 15 minutes of work.

Why You’ll Love It

This is the perfect middle-ground recipe. That one-pan, 5-minute sear makes a noticeable difference in flavor without being a chore. Using pre-chopped veggies from the store is the ultimate modern kitchen hack. You get a stew that tastes thoughtfully made, without the long prep. It’s the smart cook’s secret.

Look, complicated recipes have their place. But Tuesday night doesn’t have to be that place. Beef stew crock pot recipes easy simple are about reclaiming your time and your sanity, without sacrificing a delicious, comforting meal.

Your crock pot’s real job is to make your life easier, not to chain you to the stove. So pick the dump-and-go classic, the BBQ twist, the soup mix secret, the Italian dressing hack, or the smart shortcut method.

Now, go spend those extra 45 minutes you just saved on something better than chopping carrots. Dinner is handled.