Chuck roast goes in in the morning alongside sweet potatoes, carrots, celery, mushrooms, and a handful of fresh herbs. The slow cooker does the rest. By dinner, the beef is falling apart in the broth, the sweet potatoes have turned silky and soft, and the whole thing tastes like it took way more effort than it did.
It’s a weeknight dinner that feels like a Sunday and it reheats even better the next day.
When I think of fall recipes, my mind instantly goes to a warm, hearty bowl of beef stew. My mom would make it when we were growing up and it reminds me of family and warmth. Every time I take a bite of this sweet potato beef stew that’s what I think of!
I’ve tested recipes for beef stew a few times, and this time I got it just right. I think a lot of it has to do with the meat you get! You want to make sure you get a meat that’s going to fall apart and shred easily.
A chuck roast is perfect for the crock pot and yields a tender, delicious piece of meat, just like this slow cooker pork roast. Larger cuts of meat are idea for this cooking method because cooking them low and slow makes them so tender.
Ingredients You Need
Here are the ingredients for this sweet potato beef stew. Jump to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Chuck roast: the best cut for slow cooking. It’s well-marbled with connective tissue that breaks down over hours into tender, shreddable beef. Don’t substitute stew meat here. Pre-cut stew meat won’t give you the same fall-apart texture.
- Sweet potatoes: cut them into large, one-inch chunks. Smaller pieces will turn mushy over eight hours. Bigger chunks hold their shape and still get soft all the way through.
- Carrots: same rule as the sweet potatoes. Cut them thick, at least half an inch. Thin-sliced carrots dissolve into the broth.
- Mushrooms: I use button or cremini. They cook down and add an earthy depth to the broth that you’d miss if you left them out.
- Onion and celery: the aromatic base. They soften completely and build the savory backbone of the stew.
- Beef broth: one and a quarter cups might look like not enough. It is. The beef and vegetables release liquid as they cook and the slow cooker traps all of it. Don’t add more or the stew will be watery.
- Worcestershire sauce: one tablespoon adds a hit of umami that makes the broth taste like it simmered for days.
- Fresh rosemary and thyme: these are worth using fresh if you have them. Dried works fine too at two teaspoons each.
Love chuck roast? Try Instant Pot chuck roast or Korean beef tacos next.
How to Make Sweet Potato Beef Stew
Here are the steps, with photos, to make this slow cooker beef stew. Skip to the recipe card for the printable version.
Step 1. Sear the roast: Season the chuck roast generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Heat the oil in a skillet over high heat until it’s shimmering. Sear the roast for three to four minutes per side without moving it. You’re looking for a deep golden-brown crust, not gray. This step builds flavor in the broth. Don’t skip it.
Step 2. Add everything to the slow cooker: Layer the vegetables in first, then nestle the seared roast on top. Pour the broth and Worcestershire sauce over everything, then scatter the herbs on top.
Step 3. Cook low and slow: Set the slow cooker to low and cook for eight to ten hours. The beef is done when it pulls apart easily with two forks and the sweet potatoes are completely tender. I always go low rather than high here. The longer, gentler heat is what makes the beef that soft.
Step 4. Shred and serve: Use two forks to shred the beef directly in the slow cooker. Stir everything together so the beef gets coated in that rich broth. Serve immediately in deep bowls.
How to Store
Store leftover sweet potato beef stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. The flavors get even better on day two as the beef soaks up more of that broth overnight.
To freeze, let the stew cool completely then transfer to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. It keeps well for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed to loosen it up. I don’t recommend thawing in the slow cooker, it heats unevenly and can take too long to reach a safe temperature.
Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Beef Stew
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Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds chuck roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 ounces Bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced
- 4 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 3 celery stalks cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 1/4 cups beef broth or bone broth
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire or coconut aminos
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped thyme (2 teaspoons dried)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary (2 teaspoons dried)
Instructions
- Season the chuck roast with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over high heat. Sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes, until it forms a golden brown crust. Transfer to the slow cooker.2.5 pounds chuck roast, 2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil, Salt and pepper to taste
- Add the mushrooms, onion, carrots, celery and sweet potatoes. Pour the broth and Worcestershire sauce on top then add the herbs.8 ounces Bella mushrooms, 1 medium yellow onion, 4 medium carrots, 3 celery stalks, 2 medium sweet potatoes, 1 1/4 cups beef broth or bone broth, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire, 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped thyme, 1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary
- Slow cook on low for 8-10 hours, until the beef easily falls apart with a fork. Shred the beef with two forks and stir everything together.
- Serve immediately. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I added about 1 1/2 Tbsps of minced garlic since garlic is a great anti-inflammatory
I’ve made this recipe at least 5 times now — it is sooo decedent, easy and DELISH!! Pro tip: Costco sells a pack of chuck roast… perfect for freezing to keep on hand, primarily to make this dish with… over and over again. 🙂
Love this. Thanks Sofia!!
If I could leave this 10 stars, I would! It’s so good that it is on repeat at our house all fall!
Thank you Marie!!
Can you prepare everything the night before in crock pot, put in fridge overnight and turn on in the morning?
Hi Beatrice! Yes, but with a safety tweak: You can prep everything the night before, but don’t refrigerate the whole uncooked meal in the crock pot insert. It keeps the meat too cold for too long and can be unsafe. Instead, store the seared meat, veggies, and broth in separate containers in the fridge. In the morning, add everything to the crock pot, then cook on low.
So sad! What band I do wrong!? I used a brisket and maybe that is what’s wrong… it’s so tough! Can’t cut meat… isn’t falling apart like I hoped 🙁 any thoughts?
Many thanks!
Hey Stephanie! Yes, the brisket is likely the issue. This recipe calls for chuck roast, which is a different cut of meat. Did you cook it on low for about 10 hours?
This Beef Stew recipe is so good! It’s comfort food for me even though it’s healthy. It has been in our monthly rotation since December and I just finished making it even though it’s 100degrees outside today! Thanks Molly!
Is the broth amount enough? It doesn’t cover everything. Thank you
Hey! Yes this is enough. The beef renders and all of the juices are enough by the time the cooking is done. Thanks!
What if I want to just use the oven?
Hey there! I haven’t tested this one in the oven, so I can’t say for sure!
Only 1 1/3 liquid??
Another delicious recipe! I made this in the Instant Pot last night and it turned out perfectly (approximately 2 lb roast, so 47 min cook time and 10 min natural release). My husband kept saying “this is sooo good”! We’re getting ready to move and I already packed up my spices, so I doubled the W sauce and seasoned with just salt and pepper. I only had 1 sweet potato and 1 carrot left, so I added a handful of little white taters that were languishing in my tater basket. Sometimes you just gotta get creative! ; ) I served it over rice (yes, it was the last of my rice, too) and now we have wonderful leftovers for two more nights before we load the U-Haul and head south before the snow hits. Yes, we are SUNbirds and we travel with our faithful Instant Pot. : )
This is absolutely delicious!!!! I love the flavor the sweet potato adds. Can you post an instant pot version too?
Thank you Molly!! 🙂
So glad you like it!! I have a similar instant pot version:) https://whatmollymade.com/instant-pot-pot-roast-and-potatoes/ You could use this recipe or use the ingredients from the slow cooker one and use these cook times.
How many servings does this make?
It serves about 6!
Does the sweet potato get mushy?