Easy Crock Pot Beef and Mushroom Stew

Beef and mushroom stew

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Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 6 servings

There's nothing quite like a warm and comforting stew to come home to after a day of work or play. A hearty stew is especially welcome on a cold winter evening.

This version is a creamy beef stew from Kim, made with cream of mushroom soup, garlic, and herbs. It's an easy beef stew to prepare and cook in the slow cooker. The condensed soup keeps the stew thick while it adds mushroom flavor and it gives it a creamy texture. The saucy beef makes a fabulous topping for hot cooked egg noodles or rice. Add a salad and some crusty bread, and you'll have a memorable meal your family will ask for again and again.

If you want a darker, beefier looking stew, add a small amount of gravy browning sauce like Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet—either one will give it a rich, dark color a bit of a flavor boost. Consider replacing the 1/4 cup of water with beef stock, or better yet, a good-quality red wine. Or for beefier flavor, replace one can of the cream of mushroom soup with a 10 1/2-ounce can of condensed beef broth.  

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds lean beef chuck, or round steak

  • 4 (10 3/4-ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

  • 1 (4-ounce) can sliced mushrooms

  • 1 dash ground ginger, optional

  • 5 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

  • 1/4 cup water

  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Salt, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Cut the beef into 1/2-inch to 1-inch cubes.

  2. Put the beef cubes in the slow cooker along with the condensed soup, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, oregano, basil, onion powder, water, and black pepper.

  3. Cover the pot and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours.

  4. Serve the beef and sauce with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles.

Tips

  • To thicken the broth more, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour with an equal amount of cold water to form a smooth paste. Stir it into the hot stew, a little at a time, until as thick as you like.

  • To enhance the flavor of the stew, sear the beef before you add it to the crock pot. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Toss the beef with a few tablespoons of flour and cook until it is well browned on all sides, stirring and turning frequently. Browning isn't necessary, but it will improve the color, texture, and flavor.

  • For a complete meal stew, add about 1 1/2 pounds of cubed red-skinned or Yukon Gold potatoes along with 2 or 3 sliced carrots. Add a cup of frozen peas, or a peas and carrots blend about 30 minutes before the stew is ready if you'd like.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
374 Calories
16g Fat
15g Carbs
43g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 374
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 6g 29%
Cholesterol 121mg 40%
Sodium 980mg 43%
Total Carbohydrate 15g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 43g
Vitamin C 2mg 9%
Calcium 183mg 14%
Iron 4mg 23%
Potassium 680mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)