Patty’s Crockpot Beef Stew
If you need a comforting, delicious, and hearty meal, look no further, because this crockpot beef stew with dumplings is it. It’s everything you want in comfort food – rich flavors, satisfying and not fussy, made with simple ingredients, and feels like a warm hug in a bowl. The beef tips cook slowly in a mushroom gravy until fork-tender.
Patty’s slow cooker comfort food ❤️️
My dear friend shared this beloved family recipe with me, and it was one that her late mother, Patty, made often.
I’m so grateful she shared it with me and that I can share it with you! We gave it rave reviews, and it’s the perfect cozy dinner for winter nights. It’s…
🍲 Pure comfort in a bowl: Rich mushroom gravy, fork-tender beef, and fluffy dumplings. Just what you want in colder, winter months.
⏰ Easy prep. It will take just 15 minutes of active prep and then your slow cooker handles the rest.
🥩 Melt-in-your-mouth tender beef: Hours of slow cooking transform even tougher cuts into incredibly tender, flavorful meat.
🍄 Rich, elevated flavor: Golden mushroom soup creates a deep, savory gravy that tastes gourmet but uses pantry staples. (Shhhh, we won’t tell if you don’t!)
🧀 Topped with cheesy dumplings: Fluffy, savory dumplings cook right on top of the stew in the last 30 minutes.
🛒 Made with basic ingredients: No specialty items needed – everything’s available at your regular grocery store.
👨👩👧👦 Family-tested and approved: This beloved recipe has been making families happy for generations.
🍽️ Complete one-pot meal: Protein, veggies, and dumplings all in one hearty bowl.
You’ll also want to try my crockpot Mississippi chicken, lasagna soup, and sheet pan kielbasa and pierogies next time you’re in the mood for comfort food.
This was a hit. Very easy, very good, perfect for a cold night dinner.
My husband says it’s a “repeat”. –Kathy
Ingredient Notes
You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to bring this hearty beef dinner to the table: yellow onion, carrots (whole or baby), baby bella mushrooms, fresh garlic cloves, and beef tips or stew meat. For seasoning, grab seasoning salt, black pepper, and garlic salt. The secret ingredient is golden mushroom soup (it creates that incredible rich gravy), and for the dumplings, you’ll need Bisquick or similar baking mix, milk, vegetable oil, and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Beef: There are two really great options for this beef stew. You can use steak tips or beef stew meat. Both work really well, and because we’re slow cooking this for at least 7 hours, the stew meat ends up being really tender. But if you prefer, tender beef tips are also fantastic.
- Golden mushroom soup: This is a must! This condensed soup has a really elevated flavor (and was new to me!), but it’s perfect in this dish as it imparts a deep and rich beef gravy flavor. It’s made with beef broth, mushrooms, and tomato, if you need to look for something similar.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: Don’t skip the golden mushroom soup. This condensed soup is what elevates this stew from good to incredible. It’s made with beef broth, mushrooms, and tomato, creating a rich, complex gravy without any extra work. You can find it at most grocery stores near the other condensed soups.
- Ingredient notes: You can use beef tips or stew meat in this recipe and both will work. Beef tips will vary a bit regionally, but are typically cut from the bottom sirloin section. They are sometimes also called steak tips or sirloin tips. Stew meat on the other hand tends to be a bit tougher, and comes from the shoulder or chuck roast. While stew meat is a tougher cut, if you cook it long enough, it will end up nice and tender.
- Feeding kids without pressure: I would recommend serving the crockpot beef stew in a pinch bowl (taster bowl) if it’s a new or learning-to-like it food. Serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter. While the flavors of this beef stew are pretty kid-friendly, it is not abnormal for kids to not like foods mixed together, so it’s understandable if they are a little nervous by this dish!
Patty’s Crockpot Beef Tip Stew with Dumplings
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you need a comforting, delicious, and hearty meal, these crockpot beef tips with dumplings are it. Everything you want in comfort food.
Ingredients
For the Beef Stew:
- 1 small yellow onion, cut into wedges
- 16 oz. carrots, peeled and cut into 3-4 inch pieces (approximately)
- 8 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms (sliced in half or quartered)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 1/2 lbs. beef tri tips or beef stew meat (cut into 3-4 inch pieces)
- 2 tsp. seasoning salt
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 10.5–oz cans golden mushroom soup
For the Dumplings:
- 2 cups Bisquick or similar baking mix
- 1 tsp. garlic salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Prep ingredients:
Peel and cut the onion into wedges.
Peel and cut carrots into 4-inch pieces.
Clean and slice mushrooms.
Smash garlic, but don’t chop.
Cut beef roast into 3-4 inch pieces if necessary. Season all sides of the meat with seasoning salt and black pepper. - Place the onion, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic into the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Top veggies with beef pieces and pour soup over the top to cover everything. Lightly stir.
- Cover and cook on Low for 7-9 hours, until beef is tender.
- A half hour before serving, mix together biscuits. In a medium bowl, stir together Bisquick mix, garlic salt, milk, vegetable oil, and shredded cheese together until combined.
- Spoon dumplings (1/4 cup of mixture at a time) over the top of the stew, right into the slow cooker. Place the cover of the slow cooker back on and cook on High for 1/2 hour, until biscuits are set.
- Serve stew and biscuits in a bowl.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet on the stove until heated through. I don’t recommend freezing this stew as the texture of both the beef and dumplings changes during the freezing and thawing process.
- Ingredients: Golden mushroom soup is essential for the signature flavor – it’s usually stocked with other Campbell’s condensed soups. If you can’t find it locally, you can also order it here. For the beef, look for “beef tips,” “steak tips,” or “sirloin tips” at the meat counter, or simply use pre-cut beef stew meat.
- Prep ahead: Cut all your vegetables the night before and store them in the refrigerator. In the morning, just toss everything in the slow cooker and turn it on.
- Tools: You’ll need a 6-quart slow cooker for this recipe. A sharp chef’s knife and cutting board make quick work of the vegetable prep, and a medium mixing bowl is perfect for the dumpling batter.
- Serve with: This is a complete meal on its own, but pairs beautifully with a simple green salad, roasted Brussels sprouts, or steamed green beans.
Serving Suggestions
This meal is a full meal and you don’t necessarily need to add a side, but if you want something lighter and green on the side (it is a nice balance), try one of these easy side dishes:
FAQs
Yes! Some recipes (like my crockpot pulled beef) suggest browning the meat before putting it in the slow cooker, but for this slow cooker beef tips recipe, we are putting them right into the slow cooker raw. Nice and easy!
No, beef tips are a different cut of meat than beef stew meat but you can use either for this recipe. I found that both were delicious and as long as you cook the stew meat long enough, it will end up just as tender and flavorful as the beef tips.
The tenderness of beef will vary based on cut and actual pieces, but it often means that it needs extra time in the slow cooker. Cook another 30 minutes to an hour until the texture of the beef is tender and falls apart easily.
More Comfort Food Recipes
If you like these beef tips and gravy, you might also like some of these other comfort food recipes:
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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This was a hit…very easy…very good…perfect for a cold night dinner.
My husband says it’s a “repeat”.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it as much as we do!