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–+ servings
A white bowl filled with beef stew and topped with homemade dumplings.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings

Print Recipe
This cozy recipe for Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings features tender beef, hearty vegetables, and fluffy homemade dumplings.
Course Dinner, Main Course, Main Dishes
Cuisine American, British, Canadian
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 455
Author Dorothy Bigelow

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beef stew meat cut into cubes
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 2 medium carrots sliced
  • 2 stalks celery sliced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the Dumplings:

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • ¾ cup milk

For Garnish (Optional)

  • Chopped fresh parsley optional

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, toss the beef cubes with ¼ cup of flour until evenly coated.
    Beef stew meat being coated with flour.
  • Place the floured beef, chopped onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery in the slow cooker.
    A slow cooker with beef cubes, celery, carrots, and onions layered inside.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour this mixture over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker.
    Whisking together beef broth, seasonings, and other ingredients.
  • Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. If desired, add a cornstarch slurry to thicken the stew (see notes*) just before adding the dumplings.
    A slow cooker with vegetables and beef broth.
  • Around the 7-hour mark, start preparing the dumplings: In a medium bowl, mix together 1 ½ cups flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir in the melted butter and milk until a soft dough forms.
    Whisking together flour, salt, and baking powder. Then mixing in milk and butter to make a soft dumpling dough.
  • Drop large spoon-full dollops of the dumpling dough on top of the stew.
    Dropping dumpling dough into a slow cooker filled with beef stew.
  • Cover and cook on high for an additional 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the dumplings are cooked through.
    A white slow cooker insert filled with beef stew topped with homemade dumplings.
  • Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped fresh parsley (if desired), and serve hot.
    A bowl filled with beef stew and topped with two homemade dumplings.

Video

Notes

*For extra thickening: Use a slurry of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water to thicken up the stew. Add the cornstarch slurry right before adding the dumplings for a thick consistency.
Storage: Leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to 3-4 days.
To Reheat: Reheat in the microwave in a pot or saucepan and warm it over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water or broth if needed to adjust the consistency.
To freeze: It's best to freeze the stew without the dumplings, as they may become soggy upon thawing. Store the stew without the dumplings in a freezer-safe container or a plastic freezer bag for up to 2-3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. When you're ready to serve it again, you can prepare a fresh batch of dumplings to add to the stew.

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 1154mg | Potassium: 931mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3818IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 195mg | Iron: 6mg