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A serving spoonful of beef stew and dumpling with a Slow Cooker of beef stew and dumplings underneath.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings

Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings - the ultimate comfort food! A hearty beef stew loaded with vegetables, topped with fluffy dumplings and cooked to perfection in your CrockPot.
4.95 from 103 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: British
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 726kcal
Author: Sarah James
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Equipment

  • 6 to 8 person Slow cooker or Crock Pot I used my 6.5 litre ( 7 quart ) CrockPot. Use a heavy based cast iron casserole or Dutch oven if you’re cooking on the hob.

Ingredients

STEW

  • 1 kg stewing steak cut into chunks I used chuck steak
  • 6 tbsp plain flour or all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 4 tbsp rapeseed / Canola oil or vegetable oil
  • 2 large onions, sliced
  • 3 garlic cloves crushed
  • 4 carrots, sliced into chunks
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced into chunks
  • 2 parsnips, cut into small chunks
  • 3 medium potatoes, cut into small chunks
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree / paste
  • 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
  • 1 litre beef stock
  • 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley

SUET DUMPLINGS

  • 125 g plain flour or all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 60 g vegetable or beef suet
  • 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
  • 6 to 8 tbsp water

SUET FREE DUMPLINGS

  • 125 g plain flour or all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 60 g grated hard white vegetable fat coated with a tablespoon of rice flour
  • 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
  • 6 to 8 tbsp water

Instructions

  • MAKE YOUR STEW
    Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with oil or cooking spray and turn your slow cooker on high.
  • Add salt and pepper to your flour and coat the beef chunks before setting the coated meat to one side.
  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat. Add the seasoned floured beef chunks to your frying pan and brown well before transferring them to the slow cooker.
  • Add a little more oil to your frying pan and soften the onion, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the tomato puree and crushed garlic and cook for a further minute before adding to your slow cooker.
  • Gently fry carrots and celery for a couple of minutes and transfer to the slow cooker.
  • Add any remaining flour to your pan and cook out in the oil before deglazing the pan with the beef stock. Stir well to avoid any lumps.
  • Pour the pan contents into your slow cooker. Then add the parsnips, potatoes, herbs and Worcester sauce. Stir well and then put on the slow cooker lid.
  • Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 8 hours before making your dumplings.
  • MAKE YOUR DUMPLINGS
    Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl and stir in the suet or vegetable fat and chopped parsley.
  • Add 4 tablespoons of water and stir again to form a dough, adding extra water if necessary.
  • Divide the dough into 8 pieces and turn out onto a floured work surface.
    Shape into small balls, add to your slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour with the lid on.

Notes

  • For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.
  • Nutrition information is approximate and meant as a guideline only.
  • If you're pushed for time, you can add the browned beef to the slow cooker along with the remaining stew ingredients. Cooking time is the same.
  • Your Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings will keep refrigerated for up to 4 days in a food safe container. Store the dumplings separately from the stew.
  • Completely cooled leftover stew and dumplings can be frozen in airtight food safe containers for up to 3 months. Store the dumplings in a separate container.
  • Defrost overnight in the fridge.
  • Reheat in a pan on the stovetop over a medium to low heat for about 10 minutes.
  • Microwave the dumplings for 30 seconds to 1 minute on full power. Check the stew is piping hot all the way through before serving.

Cooking Beef Stew and Dumplings on the Hob

  • Brown the meat, onions, celery and carrots in an enamelled casserole or Dutch oven. Add leftover flour, tomato puree , garlic, herbs, parsnips and potatoes before stirring in the stock.
  • Cook for 1 hour 30 minutes.
  • Add the dumplings in the last half hour of cooking, cook with the lid on.
Serving: 6g | Calories: 726kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1032mg | Potassium: 1656mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 6963IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 6mg