Description
A hearty and comforting slow cooker beef stew with tender vegetables, flavored with herbs and red wine, topped with fluffy homemade dumplings cooked right in the stew.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Stew:
- 2 lbs stew beef, cut in 1-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
- 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Dumplings:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Prepare the Beef: Season the beef pieces evenly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss them in 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour to lightly coat each piece. This helps thicken the stew later.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Place the floured beef into the slow cooker. Add 3 cups beef broth, 1 cup red wine, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, chopped onion, chopped carrots, cubed Yukon gold potatoes, bay leaves, rosemary sprig, and thyme sprigs. Stir everything gently to combine.
- Cook the Stew: Cover and cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours until the beef is tender and vegetables are cooked through.
- Prepare Dumpling Batter: About 30 minutes before the slow cooking time ends, in a medium bowl, mix 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter using a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in 1/2 cup milk until a thick batter forms that is easy to scoop.
- Add Peas and Dumplings: When the stew cooking is complete, stir in 1/2 cup frozen peas and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Drop 6 to 8 spoonfuls of the dumpling batter evenly over the stew.
- Cook Dumplings: Cover the slow cooker again and cook for 1 additional hour to allow dumplings to cook through and become fluffy.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme sprigs. Spoon the stew with dumplings into bowls and serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use Yukon gold potatoes as they hold their shape well during slow cooking.
- To make dumplings lighter, avoid overmixing the batter once milk is added.
- If you don’t have red wine, extra beef broth or a splash of balsamic vinegar can be used as a substitute.
- Make sure dumplings are evenly dropped in separate spoonfuls to cook uniformly.
- Cover the slow cooker tightly during the final dumpling cooking stage to trap steam and cook dumplings properly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
