This Slow Cooker Beef and Guinness Stew is my ode to an Irish stew and was inspired by a New York Times recipe. It features tender beef simmered in a rich Guinness gravy with plenty of root vegetables, cabbage and green peas. Cooking it low and slow in a slow cooker gives the beef time to become meltingly tender while the flavours deepen and develop.
Even though potatoes are a traditional ingredient in Irish stew, I decided to leave them out. Truth be told, I love serving beef stew on top of mashed potatoes to have something to soak up all that delicious gravy. Try it with my Potato & Turnip Mash or Cauliflower & Celeriac Purée for interesting alternatives to classic mashed potatoes. If you are looking for more slow cooker recipes check out this delicious and Easy Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Chili.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
Easy to Make: This stew is easy to make but it takes some extra prep time than your typical dump-and-go crockpot recipe. Browning the beef and building the sauce on the stovetop creates a much richer and more satisfying stew which is worth the extra time.
Versatile: You can easily switch up the vegetables depending on what you have on hand. Carrots, rutabaga and parsnips work beautifully, but turnips, potatoes or celeriac are also great choices. Lamb can also be used instead of beef for a more traditional Irish-style stew.
Perfect for Meal Prep: This recipe makes a generous batch that reheats well and freezes beautifully. It's perfect for stocking the freezer or enjoying throughout the week.
Hearty & Satisfying: With tender beef, a rich gravy and plenty of vegetables, this stew is the kind of comforting meal that feels both nourishing and satisfying.
🥘Ingredients and Substitutions
Stewing beef: Usually from the chuck or blade, becomes tender when cooked slowly for several hours. Look for pieces with some marbling for the best flavour.
All purpose flour: Flour coats the beef and helps thicken the gravy. For a gluten-free option, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or skip the flour entirely and thicken the stew at the end with a cornstarch slurry.
Cocoa powder & espresso powder: These ingredients don't make the stew taste like chocolate or coffee. Instead, they deepen the flavour of the sauce and enhance the richness of the Guinness and browned beef.
Brown sugar: A small amount of brown sugar balances the slight bitterness from the stout and tomato paste.
Dried thyme: You can substitute 2 sprigs fresh thyme for the dried thyme. Add them with the sauce and remove before serving.
Guinness or Stout Beer: Guinness adds deep, roasted flavour and helps create a rich gravy. Any stout beer will work if Guinness isn't available. For an non-alcoholic version, look for Guinness 0.0 or other alcohol free stout beer or substitute beer with extra beef broth and 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar.
Beef broth: Beef broth gives the sauce extra body. Chicken broth can be used if that's what you have on hand, although the flavour will be slightly lighter.
Root vegetables: I used carrots, rutabega and parsnips. Other root veggies that work in this stew are potatoes, turnip or celariac (celery root).
Green cabbage: Cabbage softens as it cooks and adds subtle sweetness to the stew. Savoy cabbage works well here too.
Green Peas: Added at the end for colour and a touch of sweetness.
Lemon juice: Adding a splash of lemon juice at the end brightens the flavours.
Fresh parsley (optional): Add brightness and freshness with a sprinkle of fresh parsley at the end.
For a complete list of ingredients see the recipe card below.
🔪How to Make Beef Stew with Guinness
Step 1. Toss beef with 2 tablespoons of the flour, salt and pepper until evenly coated.
Step 2. Brown beef in batches in a hot skillet so the pan is not overcrowded. Let the meat brown on at least two sides to develop flavour, then transfer to the slow cooker.
Step 3. Make the gravy for the stew before adding it to the slow cooker.
Step 4. Add sauce to slow cooker along with the root vegetables. Cover and cook on low heat for 2 hours.
Step 5. Add cabbage and continue cooking for about 6 hours or until beef is tender and vegetables are soft.
Step 6. Stir in peas, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Cook for 5 minutes or until peas are warmed through.
For detailed instructions see the recipe card below.
How to Make Beef and Guinness Stew Without a Slow Cooker
If you prefer to cook this stew in the oven instead of a slow cooker, follow the recipe as written using a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot.
After preparing the sauce and adding the root vegetables, cover the pot and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven. Cook for 1½ hours, then stir in the cabbage and continue cooking about 1 hour longer, or until the beef and vegetables are tender.
Stir in the peas, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Expert Tips
Browning the beef: Take time to brown the beef well. This step creates the deep flavour that gives the stew its rich taste.
Don't crowd the pan: Brown the meat in batches so it sears instead of steaming.
Cut Vegetables Evenly: Try to keep the root vegetables roughly the same size so they cook evenly in the slow cooker.
Make it Ahead: This stew tastes even better the next day after the flavours have had time to develop.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Replace the Guinness with additional beef broth. The flavour will be slightly different but still delicious.
Yes, but the texture will be slightly different. Cook on high for about 4 to 5 hours instead of 8 hours on low.
Yes. Lamb shoulder or stewing lamb works well and creates a more traditional Irish-style stew.
Absolutely. Let the stew cool completely, then freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Mashed potatoes are a classic choice. Crusty bread, buttered noodles or rice also work well for soaking up the rich gravy.
More Hearty One-Pot Recipes
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Want to say thank you?📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef & Guinness Stew with Root Vegetables
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1150 g (2.5 lbs) stewing beef, cut into 1½-inch chunks
- ½ teaspoon each salt and black pepper
- 2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups Guinness or other stout beer
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 kg (2 lbs) root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, potatoes, celery root or turnips, peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
- 2 cups sliced or chopped green cabbage, about ¼ small cabbage
- 1 cup frozen green peas
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the beef cubes with 2 tablespoons of flour, salt and pepper until coated. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add the beef and let brown on at least 2 sides, about 2 minutes per side. Browning on 2 sides is sufficient for building flavour but you can also brown on all sides if you have more time. Transfer beef to the slow cooker.1150 g (2.5 lbs) stewing beef, cut into 1½-inch chunks
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Into the same skillet add remaining oil, garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, cocoa, onion powder, espresso powder and thyme. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until everything is well combined and fragrant. Reduce heat further, or remove the pan temporarily, if starting to burn.2 large cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Add remaining ¼ cup flour and cook, stirring and scraping up the brown bits from the bottom, until a dry paste forms, about 1 minute.
- Stir in the beer and broth. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir constantly to lift any browned bits from the bottom of the pan and continue to boil until it is thickened, about 1 minute. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.2 cups Guinness or other stout beer, 2 cups beef broth
- Add the sauce to the slow cooker along with the root vegetables. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours.1 kg (2 lbs) root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, rutabaga, potatoes, celery root or turnips, peeled and cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces
- Add the cabbage and stir to combine. Cover and continue cooking on low for about 6 hours or until the beef and vegetables are tender.2 cups sliced or chopped green cabbage,
- Stir in peas, Worcestershire and lemon juice and cook for 5 more minutes or until peas are warmed through. Taste and season with more salt and pepper and lemon juice if necessary. Serve in bowls or pasta dishes with mashed potatoes, rice or crusty bread and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.1 cup frozen green peas, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
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Notes
- If you plan to be out of the house while the stew cooks you can add the cabbage with the other root vegetables keeping in mind the texture will be softer.
- How to make this recipe without a slow cooker: If you prefer to cook this stew in the oven instead of a slow cooker, follow the recipe as written using a large Dutch oven or heavy oven-safe pot. After preparing the sauce and adding the root vegetables, cover the pot and transfer to a 325°F (160°C) oven. Cook for 1½ hours, then stir in the cabbage and continue cooking about 1 hour longer, or until the beef and vegetables are tender. Stir in the peas, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months.
- For ingredient substitutions see the post above.
- Nutritional info is an estimate only using an online calculator.
Christine says
Absolutely delicious. I will definitely make this again.
Kara says
My husband and I tag teamed this recipe (he chops all the veggies!) and made a very large batch. We made it on top of the stove because it wouldn’t fit in our slow cooker or in the oven. The stew has such a lovely delicate flavour. The cocoa and espresso powder were very subtle flavours, but a great addition. It thickened up beautifully and the beef was so tender. We are happy to have several containers of it in the freezer and will definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipe!☺️
Andrea says
My pleasure! I'm so happy you enjoyed it and I love that you made such a huge batch. Thanks so much for the comment. Enjoy!
DENISE says
HELLO ANDREA! EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS YET, I CAN TELL IT IS ANOTHER AMAZING, TASTY CREATION!! I WILL CERTAINLY GIVE IT A GO NEXT WEEK! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR RECIPES THAT ARE CREATIVE, EASY TO PUT
TOGETHER, AND DELICIOUS!! YOU AND YOUR COOKBOOK ARE AWESOME!!
I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO TRYING YOUR NEW, OUTSTANDING RECIPES!!
THANK YOU!!
Andrea says
Thank you so much Denise! I’m so happy you are enjoying the cookbook and I hope you like the stew!
Andrea says
You won't be disappointed with this stew!