Say goodbye to labor-intensive and ordinary beef stew and hello to a Middle Eastern-inspired version with this Crock Pot Beef Stew recipe! Tender beef mingles with fresh veggies and a medley of warm spices to create a hearty, flavorful, and downright delicious dish.
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Middle Eastern Beef Stew
This crock pot beef stew recipe is our Middle Eastern take on everyone’s favorite cold-weather comfort food! Containing all the ingredients you know and love like thick beef, chunky potatoes, and a rich broth, it’s bulked up even more with the addition of bright veggies and warm spices. Cooked long and slow in the crock pot, the end result is a juicy dish that is bursting with flavor and is incredibly easy to make! One bite and you’ll never go back to the original recipe again.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For this crock pot beef stew, we took the original recipe and spruced it up with even more nutrients and flavor. Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Butter and Olive Oil – Used to sear the beef and lock in flavor.
- Chuck Roast – This tough cut of beef cooks down to tender, juicy perfection.
- Seasonings – Bay leaves, cardamom pods, smoked paprika, coriander, sea salt, and black pepper combine to create a bold, Middle Eastern flavor.
- Vegetables – Potatoes, onions, grape tomatoes, and bell peppers help bulk up the dish, adding color and nutrients.
- Broth – We use beef broth, but chicken or vegetable broth would work, too. Whatever you use, we recommend opting for low-sodium varieties.
The Best Beef for Crock Pot Beef Stew
When it comes to stew recipes, it’s best to use a tough cut of beef that has lots of fats and tendons, because they break down as it cooks. As a result, the meat turns out super tender. Our favorite cuts include:
- Chuck Roast
- Rump Roast
- Bottom Round
- Chuck Steak
How to Make Middle Eastern Crock Pot Beef Stew
The great thing about this stew is that it’s so hands-off to make! All you have to do is combine the ingredients and come back to dinner waiting for you.
- Sear the Beef. Warm the butter and oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer, searing on each side until brown. Add the seasonings, and sauté until fragrant.
- Combine the Ingredients. Add the beef to the bowl of the slow cooker along with the remaining ingredients.
- Cook. Cover, and cook until the meat is fully cooked and the vegetables are tender.
- Serve. Adjust the seasonings to taste, and serve warm with your favorite sides.
Pro-Tips
Sear the Beef in Batches. You want to make sure to sear the beef before adding it to the crock pot. However, it’s important to cook it in a single layer to lock in the moisture. So, work in batches if needed until all of the beef is cooked.
Keep the Potatoes Chunky. Make sure to cube the potatoes into decent-sized chunks. This will allow them to become tender without falling apart.
Avoid Overcooking. It’s important to cook your stew long and slow in order for the meat to become tender, but you don’t want to overcook. If it is left in the crock pot for too long, the veggies will begin to disintegrate and turn to mush!
How to Store
This crock pot beef stew is great to make ahead of time and enjoy the next day! Just follow the storage tips to keep it fresh.
Refrigerator: Let the stew cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Pour the stew into an airtight container, leaving an inch or two of space at the top, and freeze for up to 4 months.
Reheating: When you’re ready to eat, warm your stew frozen or thawed in a large pot on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring frequently until your desired temperature is reached.
Serving Suggestions
You can definitely serve this Middle Eastern crock pot stew on its own for a hearty and satisfying meal! Or, pair it with all your favorite sides for a family-friendly dinner. Some of our favorite pairings include:
- Vermicelli Rice
- Easy Focaccia Recipe with Tomatoes
- No Knead Cheesy Focaccia Bread
- Greek Salad
- Feta Board with Marinated Olives
Crock Pot Beef Stew Common Questions
Yes, especially when it’s a tougher cut like chuck roast or stew meat. Low and slow cooking lets the connective tissues break down, leaving you with fork-tender beef that practically melts in your mouth.
Potatoes are classic, but you can also add chickpeas, sweet potatoes, or even eggplant for a fun twist. They soak up all the savory broth and add texture and body to the stew.
Totally! Serve the stew over couscous or rice rather than cooking them in the pot, so they stay fluffy and don’t soak up all the liquid. It’s the perfect base to catch all those flavorful juices.
If the stew seems too brothy at the end, just crack the lid during the last 30–60 minutes of cooking to let some moisture escape. You can also stir in a cornstarch slurry or mash a few of the cooked veggies to thicken things up naturally.
More Satisfying Beef Recipes
Looking for more easy and flavorful beef recipes? Try out more of our beef dishes that are anything but boring!
- Beef Pot Roast Recipe in the Oven
- Slow Cooker Po’ Boy with Beef
- Beef with Snow Peas
- Slow Cooker Beef Birria
Middle Eastern Crock Pot Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds chuck roast fat trimmed and cubed
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 2 teaspoons sea salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 1 pound yellow potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 8 ounces grape tomatoes halved
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
Instructions
- In a pan on medium-high heat, melt the butter and olive oil. Add the beef in a single layer, making sure not to crowd the pan, Work in batches if necessary. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Flip, and brown the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, paprika, cardamom pods, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Sauté for 1 minute or just until fragrant.1 Tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 2 pounds chuck roast, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2 bay leaves, 4 cardamom pods, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons sea salt or to taste, 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste, 1 teaspoon coriander
- In the slow cooker, add the sliced onions, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, broth, remaining salt and pepper, and cooked beef. Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 5-6 hours. Note: Slow cooker times may vary.1 pound yellow potatoes, 1 yellow onion, 8 ounces grape tomatoes, 1 green bell pepper, 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- Adjust seasonings to taste for seasoning. Serve warm with vermicelli rice.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Equipment
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This look delicious and I look forward to making it but I am wondering what a cardamom pod is and if I use ground cardamom as a substitute how much would you recommend? Thanks, love all your recipes & videos! 🥰
Thank you, Stephanie! 😊 Yes, you can use ground cardamom instead. You’ll need about 1/6 teaspoon, but you can adjust to taste. We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
Perfect as usual!
thank you so much for this recipe. I hosted my first dinner for my partner’s family, bought a slow cooker and googled Middle Eastern beef slow cook and found you. I had bought a recipe book and carried it around- yet didnt have time to look in it. Your recipe was easy ingredients to find and even with a little improving turned out so good. thank you for sharing.
We’re so glad it turned out well for you, Suhad! Thank you for trying it out. 😊
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
I used two cloves of garlic just guessing because it’s not listed, but is used in the video. Only a few more hours to go until taste time!
Thank you for catching that, Heather! We updated the recipe card to include garlic. We hope you enjoy!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa
This was delicious! And even better the next day!
Amazing, so glad to hear! xo, Alia and Radwa
You mentioned cardamome pods but you don’t talk about it in the instruction. Same things about garlic….it’s not in the ingredient,
You will find the full instructions in the recipe card!