Slow Cooker Hearty Beef and Sweet Potato Stew

• 2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes in batches to avoid overcrowding and brown on all sides, about 4-5 minutes per batch. Set browned beef aside.
2. In the slow cooker, combine the sweet potatoes, carrots, diced onion, and minced garlic. Add the browned beef on top.
3. Pour the beef broth and diced tomatoes (with juice) over the ingredients in the slow cooker.
4. Add smoked paprika, dried thyme, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper. Stir gently to combine, distributing the seasonings evenly.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
6. About 15 minutes before serving, mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker to thicken the stew.
7. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 15 minutes until the stew thickens to your liking.
8. Give the stew a final stir, taste, and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Serve hot with crusty bread or over rice if desired.

Chef tips

• To save browning time, you can skip browning the beef, but the stew will have less depth of flavor.
• If you prefer a thicker stew without cornstarch, mash some of the cooked sweet potatoes and stir them back in.
• Substitute russet or Yukon gold potatoes for sweet potatoes if you want a milder flavor.
• For a vegetarian version, swap beef with hearty mushrooms and use vegetable broth. Increase spices slightly for full flavor.