Need a hearty stew that actually fills you up? Our slow cooker beef stew recipe with lentils and root vegetables is the ultimate cozy comfort food for autumn and winter that’ll keep you satisfied for hours.

Two bowls of beef stew with vegetables and lentils are placed on a wooden board, next to slices of bread, a turnip, and a bowl of ground pepper.

We’ve been making beef stew for years because it’s everything a good food should be – tender beef, hearty lentils, and perfectly cooked vegetables all swimming in a rich, flavorful broth. The lentils add protein and fiber while soaking up all those incredible flavors, making this way more satisfying than your typical beef stew. Plus, the turnips bring a subtle sweetness that pairs beautifully with the carrots and herbs.

The best part? Just sear the beef, dump everything in your slow cooker, and walk away. Six hours later, your house smells amazing, and dinner is ready. Simple slow cooker recipes have saved us on countless busy days when we needed something wholesome and delicious without any fuss.

Various stew ingredients, including diced beef, chopped vegetables, seasonings, and liquids, are arranged in separate bowls and containers on a wooden surface.

🔪 What You’ll Need

Ingredients For the Stew:

  • Avocado oil or olive oil
  • Chuck or beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Onion powder, Garlic powder, Paprika
  • Dried thyme or fresh and dried rosemary or fresh
  • Kosher salt & coarse black pepper
  • Onion, Garlic, Carrots, Turnips, & Celery
  • Green lentils, rinsed
  • Worcestershire sauce
  • Low-sodium beef broth
  • Bay leaf
  • Red wine vinegar

Tools

  • Medium bowl
  • Skillet
  • Slow cooker
  • Ladle

📝 How to Make Slow Cooker Beef & Lentil Stew

1. Season the Beef
In a medium bowl, combine the beef with the onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat evenly.

2. Brown the Meat
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sear the beef for a few minutes, turning to brown on all sides.

3. Load the Slow Cooker
Transfer the browned beef to the crock-pot. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, turnips, celery, lentils, Worcestershire, and beef broth. Stir to combine.

4. Add Bay Leaf
Place a bay leaf on top of the mixture.

5. Cook Low and Slow
Cover and cook on LOW or HIGH until beef is tender and lentils are fully cooked.

6. Finish and Serve
Remove the bay leaf. Stir in red wine vinegar. Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley for added color and flavor. Serve the crockpot beef stew hot.

A ladle scoops up beef stew with lentils, carrots, celery, and potatoes from a white slow cooker.

🔄 Substitutions & Variations

  • Turnips → Swap for parsnips, rutabaga, potatoes, or sweet potatoes.
  • Beef cuts → Chuck roast works beautifully if you can’t find stew meat.
  • Vinegar → Apple cider vinegar is a good substitute for red wine vinegar.
  • Low Carb → skip the lentils and limit the root veggies

💡 Meat Nerd Tips

  • Choose beef with a bit of marbling (like chuck), the collagen melts during long, slow cooking, giving you fork-tender meat without drying out making for the best beef stew.
  • Cut beef into even cubes for consistent cooking.
  • The vinegar at the end brightens the flavors – don’t skip it.
  • For a deeper flavor, deglaze the skillet with a splash of broth after browning the beef and pour that liquid into the slow cooker. This is a step we never skip in our kitchen.
Close-up of a bowl of beef stew with chunks of beef, carrots, celery, potatoes, lentils, and garnished with a sprig of fresh thyme.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

  • Crusty bread for soaking up broth
  • Green salad with vinaigrette
  • Roasted root vegetables on the side

🧊 How to Store and Reheat Beef & Lentil Stew

  • Fridge: Store cooled stew in airtight containers in the refrigerator for a few days.
  • Freezer: Freeze in Souper Cubes or glass jars (leave headspace) for up to a few months.
  • Reheat: Warm gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth if needed.

Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe with Lentil, Turnips, and Carrots

Rate this Recipe!
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
Resting Time: 5 minutes
Total: 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
A bowl of beef stew with carrots, turnips, lentils, and bread slices, placed on a rustic wooden table with herbs and pepper nearby.
Finally, a beef stew that actually tastes good AND is good for you. Lentils pack it with protein, turnips add surprising sweetness, and that quick browning step? Pure flavor magic in your slow cooker.

Recommended Equipment

  • Medium bowl
  • skillet
  • Slow Cooker
  • Ladle

Ingredients  

  • 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1.5 lbs chuck or beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 Tablespoon fresh
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary 1 Tablespoon fresh
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon corse black pepper
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 cup carrots peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup turnips peeled and chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • ¾ cup green lentils rinsed
  • 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar added after stew has cooked

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, season the beef with onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Toss to coat each piece of meat.
    A glass bowl containing raw beef chunks topped with various seasonings, including salt, pepper, and dried herbs, on a wooden surface.
  • Preheat a skillet over medium high heat and add the oil to coat.
    Chunks of cooked beef are placed in a white slow cooker sitting on a wooden surface.
  • Add the stew meat to the pan and brown for 3 to 5 minutes on all sides. .
  • Transfer the meat into the slow cooker.
  • Add the onion, garlic, carrots, turnips, celery, lentils, Worcestershire, and beef broth. Stir to combine.
    A hand pours broth from a glass measuring cup into a slow cooker filled with chopped carrots, celery, parsnips, lentils, and herbs.
  • Add the bay leaf
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 6–8 hours or HIGH for 4–5 hours, until beef is tender and the lentils are cooked.
  • Remove the bay leaf.
  • Stir in the red wine vinegar.
    A white slow cooker filled with beef stew containing vegetables and herbs, surrounded by carrots, turnips, bread, and cooking utensils on a wooden table.
  • Ladel the stew into bowls and top with additional fresh thyme or parsley for added color and a pop of flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 825mg | Potassium: 1136mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3837IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 5mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

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❓ Recipe FAQs

Can I skip browning the beef?

Yes. Browning adds flavor and color, but you can skip it if short on time.

Do lentils need soaking?

No, just rinse before adding to the slow cooker.

Why add vinegar at the end?

It balances the rich flavors and adds brightness without making the stew sour.

Is this freezer-friendly?

Yes, cool completely, portion, and freeze for up to a few months.

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About the Author

Kita Roberts is the meat maven and award-winning recipe developer behind Girl Carnivore®, with 15+ years of grilling, smoking, and cooking experience. Her recipes are tested on everything from backyard grills to professional smokers – and always built for real home cooks.
As the lead creative force behind Girl Carnivore®, she is widely recognized as an authority on all things meat.

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