Bowl of slow cooker beef stew with root vegetables in a rich gravy, served with mashed potatoes.

Hearty Beef Stew with Root Veggies (Slow Cooker)

Hearty beef stew with root veggies is one of those slow cooker suppers that quietly sorts out a damp, grey day. Chunks of beef, sweet carrots, parsnips and swede, all tucked into a rich gravy and left to bubble away while you get on with everything else. By the time you lift the lid, you’ve got a proper British stew ready for buttery mash or a doorstop of crusty bread.

This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links, Danbury & Lovejoy may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

If you like this, you might also enjoy our other slow cooker favourites in
Slow Cooker Comfort Dishes for Chilly Autumn Evenings
and the rest of The Kitchen & Larder.

Ingredients (Serves 4–6)

For the stew

  • 900g braising steak or stewing beef, cut into chunky pieces
  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks
  • 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped into chunks
  • 1 small swede (rutabaga), peeled and diced
  • 2 sticks celery, sliced
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 500ml beef stock (made with a cube is fine)
  • 200ml dark ale or extra stock
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp redcurrant jelly or brown sugar (optional, for balance)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To finish

  • 2 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2–3 tbsp cold water (slurry, for thickening)
  • Small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

To serve

  • Buttery mashed potatoes, crusty bread or steamed greens
  • English mustard, if you like

Method

  1. Prep the beef.
    Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper. Toss with the flour, 1 tsp salt and a good grind of black pepper until the pieces are lightly coated.
  2. Brown the beef (optional but worth it).
    Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until nicely coloured on at least two sides, adding more oil as needed. Don’t overcrowd the pan or it will steam. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker as you go.
  3. Soften the veg.
    In the same pan, add the onions, carrots, parsnips, swede and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the edges are starting to soften and take on a bit of colour. Add the garlic for the final minute. Tip everything into the slow cooker.
  4. Deglaze the pan.
    With the heat still on, add the tomato purée to the pan and fry for 1 minute. Pour in a little of the beef stock and the ale (if using), scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir, then pour this mixture into the slow cooker along with the remaining stock.
  5. Build the flavour.
    Add the Worcestershire sauce, redcurrant jelly or sugar (if using), bay leaves, thyme and rosemary to the slow cooker. Stir everything gently so the beef and vegetables are submerged in the liquid.
  6. Slow cook.
    Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 8–9 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef is very tender and the root veg is soft.
  7. Thicken the gravy.
    Stir the cornflour slurry to re-combine, then pour it into the slow cooker and stir well. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH (if it isn’t already), put the lid back on slightly askew and cook for another 20–30 minutes until the gravy has thickened to your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  8. Finish and serve.
    Fish out the bay leaves. Stir through most of the chopped parsley, keeping a little back for the top. Serve generous spoonfuls of beef and root veg over buttery mash or with crusty bread for dunking, scattered with the remaining parsley.

Tips & Serving Suggestions

  • Cheap cuts shine: This is the place for braising steak, chuck or shin. The long, slow cook turns tough cuts into something spoon-tender.
  • Even pieces: Chop the vegetables into similar-sized chunks so everything cooks at the same pace.
  • For extra richness: Stir a knob of butter or a spoonful of gravy granules into the finished stew.
  • Make it a full meal: Serve with mash, crusty bread or dumplings, and a side of cabbage or greens.
  • Brighten it up: A squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of vinegar at the end can lift the flavour if it tastes a little flat.

Leftovers & Freezer Notes

  • Fridge: Cool leftovers quickly, then store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot.
  • Freezer: Beef stew freezes well. Portion into tubs, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight then reheat gently.
  • Next-day uses: Leftover stew is excellent spooned over baked potatoes, tucked into a pie with a puff pastry lid, or thinned with a splash of stock for a chunky soup.

New to Slow Cookers?

If you’re just starting out with slow cooking, our guide to
How to Use a Slow Cooker (UK)
covers setup, timings, food safety and a few easy first recipes.

Recommended Gear

You don’t need special kit to make this, but these pieces earn their keep in a busy British kitchen:

For more slow-cooked suppers and cosy batch-cooking ideas, have a look through
The Kitchen & Larder – it’s where we keep the sort of recipes that look after you on busy weeks and cold evenings.