Slow Cooker Italian Beef Stew

Not a fan of polenta? You can serve it over pasta or these fluffy herb and garlic mashed potatoes! Looking for a meal to help you face colder weather? Have I got a treat for you! It’s the perfect time of year for this Italian beef stew recipe with tender meat, rich gravy and huge depth of flavour. Everything you could hope for and so much more. Make it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot for a low effort but hearty meal!

Beef Stew

One of my readers recently said that winter and bad weather is all about unapologetically indulging in luscious comfort food type dishes like stews and casseroles. I couldn’t agree more! I absolutely adore a bowl of steamy, tender beef stew on a cold night like this Irish Beef Stew or my Russian Beef Stew. As great as they are I always crave variety, which makes me so happy when a new and exciting take on a classic recipe is born. This crock pot stew comes with a distinct Italian twist and after testing it several times for the right proportion of liquid and ingredients I couldn’t be prouder.

Italian beef stew recipe

Italian stews are usually slowly cooked over low heat to give tender meat and to give time for the flavours to come to their peak. The use a similar range of ingredients such as fresh vegetables and classic Italian flavours to those we look for in a pasta dish or other Italian recipes. You can find stews being eaten in Italy any time of the year, but it is mostly in the winter as cold weather creeps in they find their way to dinner tables. They can be thin or thick and everything in between, often with large chunks of meat. For this recipe, I chose beef shin (or beef shank), which can be tough and sinewy but responds well to the extra cooking time of a slow cooker and results in a rich beef taste. Try to find it at the butcher counter of your local grocery store. Add beef pieces to the slow cooker together with Chianti, crushed tomatoes, a combination of onion, carrots and celery, chopped rosemary and garlic. Cooking time will be approximately 8 hours in a slow cooker. The stew was made even heartier by a good portion of creamy cannellini beans and artichokes. Oh yes, I’ve also added some olives. All Italian favourites in one! The best part is all you need to do is to load up your crock pot and walk away.

Thickening the stew

Slow cookers are great inventions for convenience but they are not perfect. One of the flaws is liquid does not evaporate during cooking the same as with the oven method. This makes stews a bit too runny for our liking. If this is your issue, you have two options. You can thicken your slow cooker beef stew with a mixture of melted butter and flour. I use 1 tbsp of flour to 1 tbsp of butter or thicken with 1 tbsp of cornstarch. You can also put your stew uncovered in an oven preheated to 200c/400F and let the liquid reduce naturally. This will usually take approximately 20-30 minutes.

Serving suggestions

For a wonderfully Italian experience I chose to serve this stew over a mound of creamy polenta. Polenta is an Italian side that can effectively take the place we often give to mashed potatoes. Made from cornmeal, it has a slightly sweet taste and silky consistency. Mashed or roasted potatoes are also fantastic. The potatoes soak up the amazing rich broth and make each mouthful a treat. There are lots of ways to make mashed potatoes, such as Irish Mashed Potatoes or Celeriac and Potato Mash. Or keep it simple with Air Fryer Roast Potatoes. For a vegetable option try Pan Fried Zucchini with Basil and Pecorino. And finish if off by soaking up any stew remnants with Garlic Butter Dinner Rolls or crusty bread!

Storage and leftovers

Stew is just as good a day or two later, although you can easily give it up to five if kept in the fridge in an airtight container. The extra time can actually give the flavours the chance to meld and become even more vibrant! It will also keep in the freezer for up to three months, so add to your schedule for match cooking or for when you need a bit of comfort food! Leftovers can be warmed up in the microwave but the best way is in a saucepan over medium heat. Add a bit more water if you feel it needs to be loosened up and let it come to a boil.