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Beef Stew with Dumplings – Best Slow Cooker Comfort Food Recipe

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This hearty slow cooker beef stew with dumplings is the ultimate comfort food, featuring tender beef, rich gravy, and fluffy dumplings. Perfect for cozy family dinners or lazy Sundays, it’s easy to prepare and packed with classic flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  • All-purpose flour (for dredging beef and for dumplings, see below)
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (or canola oil)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (or 2 small)
  • 3–4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick chunks
  • 2–3 celery stalks, chopped
  • 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (or Yukon Gold)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • For the Dumplings:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut in small pieces
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
  • 2/3 cup whole milk (or buttermilk)

Instructions

  1. Pat beef chunks dry and season with salt and pepper. Toss with 2 tbsp flour to coat.
  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, about 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer browned beef to slow cooker.
  3. In the same skillet, sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds more. Transfer to slow cooker.
  4. Stir in tomato paste, potatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and thyme. Mix well.
  5. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours (or high for 4-5 hours), until beef is fork-tender and vegetables are soft.
  6. About 40 minutes before serving, make the dumpling dough: In a mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in parsley, then add milk and mix just until combined.
  7. Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs from stew. Drop spoonfuls (about 2 tbsp each) of dumpling dough onto the hot stew. Cover and cook on high for 30-40 minutes, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
  8. Stir in frozen peas. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
  9. Ladle stew and dumplings into bowls and serve hot.

Notes

For best flavor, brown the beef before slow cooking. Keep the lid on while dumplings cook for fluffiness. Cut vegetables into large chunks to prevent them from becoming mushy. For a thicker stew, mash a few potatoes into the broth before serving or stir in a flour/cornstarch slurry 30 minutes before done. Dumplings are best served fresh; if making ahead, add dumplings just before serving.

Nutrition

Keywords: beef stew, dumplings, slow cooker, comfort food, hearty stew, family dinner, easy beef stew, crockpot beef stew, classic stew, winter recipes

Find it online: https://yumnode.com/beef-stew-with-dumplings-best-slow-cooker-comfort-food-recipe/