Beef Stew With Dumplings

There is nothing better on a cold, blustery or blizzarding day than to come into the house and be welcomed by the smell of a hearty soup or stew cooking in the slow cooker.

Put this beef stew on first thing in the morning and let it cook all day. When you come home, it will be ready and waiting for you. Add the dumplings 20 minutes before you want to serve supper.

One of the things I love about making soups and stews is that they are so versatile and can be made with whatever you have in the fridge and pantry. And they are great for using up those veggies that have started to go a little soft but are otherwise still good.

I’ve listed the ingredients I typically use to make beef stew but feel free to substitute ingredients to match what you have on hand and to your family’s tastes.

Beef Stew With Dumplings

• 1 lb beef stew meat cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 to 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 6 to 8 medium sized potatoes
• 3 to 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 sweet potato, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 c dried okra (optional)
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Salt and pepper, according to taste
• 1 quart of beef broth (homemade if you have it)

As you can see in the photo below… there’s a bit of chopped red onion beside the chopped yellow onion on the cutting board. I had that small piece of red onion in a container in the fridge that I wanted to use up, so I added it to the mix of veggies.

Saute the stewing meat on medium heat until all sides are nicely browned.

Depending on the size of your frying pan, you may need to brown half the meat and then do the second half.

Add the meat to the slow cooker.

Next add the chopped vegetables.

Then add the chopped potatoes and canned diced tomatoes.

This next ingredient is completely optional.

I got a good deal on organic okra at our local farmers’ market this past summer so I dehydrated most of it to use in soups and stews. The flavour it adds is subtle but we like it and it helps to thicken the stew.

Deglaze the pan you browned the meat in with 1 cup of water.

Pour into the slow cooker.

Add chopped garlic, salt and pepper according to taste.

Pour the jar of beef broth over everything and stir to mix it all together. If needed add enough water so that the liquid is level with the top of all the ingredients.

Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to low for 8 to 10 hrs or high for 4 to 6 hrs.

30 to 40 minutes before you want to serve the stew, turn the slow cooker to high. After fifteen to twenty minutes on high, add the dumplings.

Recipe for Dumplings

• 1 c all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 beaten egg
• ¼ c milk
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. In a measuring cup beat together milk, egg and oil.

Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture. You’ll end up with a very thick batter that looks like this:

It should be very sticky.

Drop the batter by the spoonful directly on top of the bubbly stew.

Replace cover on the slow cooker and allow the dumplings to cook for 20 minutes until they are puffed up and dry looking on the top.

Remove the dumplings.

Stir in a mixture of 1/2 c water and 2 tbsp of flour to thicken the stew.

Serve this delicious beef stew topped with the dumplings.

I cut one of the dumplings open so that you could see how tender and fluffy they are inside. Comfort food at it’s finest!

This recipe will easily feed a family of four or five with stew leftover for lunch the next day.

Another delicious slow cooker beef recipe you might like to try is the Beef Rouladen featured in my German Cooking Week.

Save this recipe so you can find it the next time your want to make beef stew by clicking on the Pinterest button underneath this post.

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Yield: 8

Beef Stew With Dumplings

Print

There' nothing better than this delicious beef stew and dumplings on a cold, blustery day. Put it in the slow cooker first thing in the morning and it will be ready for supper. Comfort food at its finest.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Additional Time 20 minutes

Total Time 8 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

Beef Stew

• 1 lb beef stew meat
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 - 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 6 - 8 medium sized potatoes
• 3 - 4 carrots, sliced
• 1 sweet potato, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1/4 c dried okra (optional)
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• Salt and pepper
• 1 quart of beef broth 

Dumplings

• 1 c all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp dried parsley
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 beaten egg
• ¼ c milk
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

Beef Stew Directions:

1, Saute the stewing meat on medium heat until all sides are nicely browned.

2. Add the meat to the slow cooker.

3. Next add the chopped vegetables.

4. Then add the chopped potatoes and canned diced tomatoes.

5. If using okra, add it now.

6. Deglaze the pan you browned the meat in with 1 cup of water.

7. Pour that liquid into the slow cooker.

8. Add chopped garlic, salt and pepper according to taste.

9. Pour the jar of beef broth over everything and stir to mix it all together. If needed add enough water so that the liquid is level with the top of all the ingredients.

10. Place the lid on the slow cooker and set it to low for 8 to 10 hrs or high for 4 to 6 hrs.

11. 30 to 40 minutes before you want to serve the stew, turn the slow cooker to high. After fifteen to twenty minutes on high, add the dumplings.

Dumplings Instructions:

1. Combine the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

2. In a measuring cup beat together milk, egg and oil.

3. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture to make a very thick batter.

4. Drop the batter by the spoonful directly on top of the bubbly stew.

5. Replace cover on the slow cooker and allow the dumplings to cook for 20 minutes until they are puffed up and dry looking on the top.

6. Remove the dumplings.

To thicken the stew:

1. Stir in a mixture of 1/2 c water and 2 tbsp of flour to thicken the stew.

Serve this delicious beef stew topped with the dumplings. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 401Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 872mgCarbohydrates: 55gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 28g

Please note: The nutritional values provided are approximate. If you require more accurate information please perform the calculations for yourself.

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