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A bowl of hearty slow cooker vegetable stew with carrots, potatoes, green beans, and beef in a rich broth.
Daniel

Slow Cooker Vegetable Stew

A hearty, hands-off dinner loaded with tender vegetables and warming herbs that practically cooks itself while you're away.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Vegetables
  • 1.5 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 3 large carrots cut into thick rounds
  • 3 stalks celery cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms quartered
  • 1 cup frozen peas no need to thaw
Aromatics & Seasoning
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 0.5 tsp dried rosemary crushed between fingers
  • 2 bay leaves
Liquid
  • 4 cups vegetable broth low-sodium preferred
  • 0.5 cup dry red wine optional; replace with broth if omitted
Finishing
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
  • salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 6-quart Slow Cooker
  • Large skillet

Method
 

Prep
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned at the edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste; cook for 1 minute until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly. This step builds a flavor base that slow cookers alone can't achieve.
  2. Transfer the onion mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Pour in the vegetable broth and red wine, then tuck in the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Stir gently to combine. The liquid should come about three-quarters of the way up the vegetables; add a splash more broth if needed.
  3. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender but not falling apart. Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking; each peek adds 15 to 20 minutes to your total time.
  4. About 10 minutes before serving, remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the frozen peas, cover, and let them warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The stew will thicken slightly as it stands. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.

Notes

For a heartier stew, add a 15-ounce can of drained chickpeas or white beans along with the vegetables. The wine adds depth but the stew is still excellent without it; just use extra broth. Leftovers keep refrigerated for 4 days and actually improve in flavor; reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen.