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Slow Cooker Pumpkin Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Beef Stew with tender beef, pumpkin-thickened broth, and soft vegetables. Cook low-and-slow, then thicken with a cornstarch slurry for a rich, hearty finish.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 430
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef chuck
  • 2 lb beef chuck cut into 1½-inch cubes
olive oil
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
yellow onion
  • 1 yellow onion medium, diced
garlic
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
carrots
  • 3 carrots medium, sliced
celery stalks
  • 3 celery stalks sliced
pumpkin puree
  • 2 cup pumpkin puree
Yukon gold potatoes
  • 3 Yukon Gold potatoes medium, cubed
beef broth
  • 3 cup beef broth
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
dried rosemary
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
kosher salt
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
cold water
  • 2 tbsp cold water
fresh parsley
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • 1 slow cooker (crock pot)

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, shimmering the oil before adding the meat.
  2. Brown the beef cubes for 4–5 minutes until nicely caramelized on all sides, then transfer them to the slow cooker.
Build the stew base
  1. Add the yellow onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potatoes, and pumpkin puree to the slow cooker with the beef.
  2. Pour in the beef broth and stir in the Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, thyme, rosemary, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and bay leaves until well combined.
Slow cook until tender
  1. Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are soft, with the surface gently bubbling under the lid.
Thicken the broth
  1. Whisk together cornstarch and cold water until smooth, with no visible dry lumps.
  2. Stir the slurry into the stew during the final 20 minutes of cooking until the broth becomes rich and slightly thickened, then remove bay leaves before serving if desired.
  3. Stir in chopped fresh parsley just before serving for a fresh green finish.

Notes

For the best flavor, don’t skip browning the beef—caramelization adds depth to the stew. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freeze in portions up to 3 months (thicken after thawing if you want the thickest texture). For a lighter option, swap chuck for lean stewing beef or use an extra-lean cut; the slow-cooked tenderness stays the same.