Easy Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Beef Stew

This is the kind of dinner that makes your house smell like you live inside a cozy sweater. We’re talking tender beef, sweet potatoes that go creamy at the edges, and a rich, glossy broth that basically begs for bread-dunking. It’s Easy Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Beef Stew—aka push-a-button, feel-like-a-hero cooking. You toss everything in, walk away, and come back to a pot you’ll want to eat standing at the counter with a spoon. Same.

My husband claims he can smell this from the driveway. The last time I made it, he circled the slow cooker like a cat, stealing “just a taste” every twenty minutes until half the stew was gone. The kids? They call the sweet potatoes “orange marshmallows,” which is… not accurate, but look, I’ll take the win. This stew has quietly become our Sunday ritual—go to the park, dump everything in, let it do its thing while we trip over Legos, and eat in sweats with hot sauce on the table. Zero regrets.

How to Make It

Here’s the vibe: grab 2 pounds beef chuck, cut into big cubes (like 1.5 inches—chunky is good). Season with 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt and pepper. If you’ve got the energy, sear it in a hot skillet with a splash of oil just to get some browning and bragging rights. If not—no one’s judging—go straight to the slow cooker.

Toss in: 2 large sweet potatoes (peeled, cubed), 3 carrots (chunky slices), 1 yellow onion (diced), 2 ribs celery (optional but I love it), and 3 cloves garlic (minced). In a measuring cup, whisk 3 cups low-sodium beef broth, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, and a tiny pinch of brown sugar if you’re feeling it. Pour that over the top. Add a bay leaf. Stir-ish.

Cook on Low for 7–8 hours or High for 3.5–4.5 hours, until the beef is tender and the sweet potatoes are plush. If you like it thicker, stir in a quick slurry: 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water, then let it bubble on High for 10–15 minutes. Finish with a splash of vinegar (1 teaspoon balsamic or apple cider) and a handful of frozen peas if you want a pop of color. Taste. Salt. Pepper. Another taste. Now we’re talking.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Beef chuck: The fatty, marbled kind. If it’s tough, it just needs more time—don’t panic and don’t toss it.
– Sweet potatoes: Cut them chunky or they’ll vanish into puree. Peeling is optional; the skin is fine and I’m lazy.
– Beef broth: Low-sodium gives you wiggle room to season at the end. High-sodium can bully the stew.
– Tomato paste: Two tablespoons, and it’s worth “blooming” in the pan for a minute if you sear the beef—deeper flavor.
– Worcestershire + soy/tamari: The umami duo. Use tamari or coconut aminos if you’re avoiding gluten.
– Smoked paprika: Little campfire vibe. Regular paprika works, just milder.
– Cornstarch slurry: Easiest way to go from soupy to stew-y. Mix cold; never dump powder straight in. Ask me how I know.
– Red wine (optional): Swap in 1/2 cup wine for part of the broth. Or skip. Broth alone is still fab.
– Frozen peas: Toss in at the end so they stay bright and sweet, not sad and gray.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper; optionally sear in a hot skillet with oil until browned.
2. Pile sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic into the slow cooker; add the beef.
3. Whisk broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire, soy/tamari, smoked paprika, thyme, rosemary; pour over and tuck in a bay leaf.
4. Cook on Low 7–8 hours (or High 3.5–4.5) until beef shreds easily and potatoes are tender.
5. Stir in cornstarch slurry (2 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water); cook on High 10–15 minutes to thicken.
6. Finish with a splash of vinegar and peas; taste and adjust salt and pepper before serving.

What to Serve It With

– Crusty bread or garlic bread for dunking.
– Fluffy rice or buttered egg noodles if you’re a carb-on-carb person (hello, same).
– Creamy polenta or mashed potatoes on extra-cozy nights.
– Simple green salad with a zippy vinaigrette to cut the richness.
– Pickled onions or a spoon of chimichurri if you like a bright pop.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Cut the sweet potatoes bigger than you think so they don’t disintegrate.
– If you skip browning the beef, add an extra pinch of smoked paprika for depth.
– Don’t lift the lid a million times—every peek adds 20-ish minutes to the cook.
– If it tastes flat at the end, add acid (vinegar or lemon), not more salt.
– Too thick? Splash in broth. Too thin? More slurry or just simmer on High a bit.

✔Storage Tips

Stick leftovers in an airtight container and pop them in the fridge for up to 4 days. It thickens overnight in a very satisfying way. Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of water or broth. Freezer-friendly for 3 months—cool completely, freeze flat in bags, defrost in the fridge, and reheat. Also: cold spoonfuls right from the container at 10 p.m. are a thing. Breakfast stew over toast with a fried egg? Zero judgment, only applause.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap beef chuck for pork shoulder; cook times are similar.
– Go lighter with boneless, skinless chicken thighs; cook 4–5 hours on Low, skip the sear if you want.
– Add mushrooms for extra savoriness; toss them in with the veggies.
– No Worcestershire? Use soy/tamari and a tiny splash of fish sauce. Tiny.
– Honey ↔ brown sugar ↔ maple syrup: any will balance the savory if you want a hint of sweet.
– Tamari ↔ soy sauce ↔ coconut aminos: use what you’ve got.
– Regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes: totally fine; Yukon Golds hold up great.
– Gluten-free: use tamari and cornstarch (already GF) instead of flour.
– Want heat? A pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce wakes it up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Beef Stew

Cozy, savory, and slightly sweet, this slow cooker beef stew combines tender chuck roast with sweet potatoes, veggies, and warm spices for a dump-and-go dinner that cooks while you live your day.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 lb beef chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes trim excess fat if needed
• ▢ 1.5 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and 1 inch cubed
• ▢ 2 cup carrots, sliced
• ▢ 1.5 cup yellow onion, chopped
• ▢ 1 cup celery, sliced
• ▢ 4 clove garlic, minced
• ▢ 3 cup low-sodium beef broth
• ▢ 14.5 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
• ▢ 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ▢ 1.5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil for searing
• ▢ 2 leaf bay leaves
• ▢ 1 tsp dried thyme
• ▢ 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 1.25 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
• ▢ 0.5 tsp ground black pepper plus more to taste
• ▢ 2 tbsp cornstarch for slurry
• ▢ 2 tbsp water to make slurry
• ▢ 1 cup frozen peas no need to thaw
• ▢ 0.25 cup fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Pat the beef dry. Season with 0.5 teaspoon salt and 0.25 teaspoon pepper from the listed amounts.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear beef in batches until browned on 2 sides, about 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.
• Add sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, and garlic to the slow cooker, spreading them around the beef.
• Stir in beef broth, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire, thyme, smoked paprika, bay leaves, and the remaining salt and pepper.
• Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and sweet potatoes are soft.
• Whisk cornstarch and water to make a smooth slurry. Stir into the stew along with the frozen peas. Turn to High and cook uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes until slightly thickened.
• Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.

Notes

For extra flavor, deglaze the searing pan with a splash of broth and add the browned bits to the slow cooker. To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free Worcestershire sauce or substitute with tamari and a dash of apple cider vinegar. Leftovers keep 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.