Slow Cooker Beef Stew with & Lentils, Turnips and Carrots

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.

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.

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.

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Medium bowl
skillet
Slow Cooker
Ladle

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.
Preheat a skillet over medium high heat and add the oil to coat.
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.
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.
Ladel the stew into bowls and top with additional fresh thyme or parsley for added color and a pop of flavor.