This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish-style vegetable beef stew is the meal I fall back on when I’m staring into the fridge at 4 p.m. with no plan. It’s as simple as pouring vegetable juice over raw beef chunks, adding just three more pantry ingredients, and letting the slow cooker do the rest. The idea is inspired by the hearty, no-fuss stews you find at church potlucks and farm kitchens around the Midwest—humble, filling, and made to feed a family without a lot of fuss or fancy steps.
Serve this stew in wide bowls with warm crusty bread, cornbread, or buttered dinner rolls for dipping into the rich broth. A simple side salad with a tangy dressing helps balance the hearty beef and vegetables. For a bigger spread, add a dish of applesauce or coleslaw, the way many Amish and Midwestern families do. It also pairs nicely with mashed potatoes—ladle the stew right over the top for an extra cozy, stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal.
Slow Cooker Amish Vegetable Beef StewServings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable juice (such as V8 or similar)
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, corn, green beans)
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced potatoes, drained (or 2 cups peeled, diced fresh potatoes)
1 packet (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
Directions
Place the raw beef stew meat in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.
Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the beef chunks so the flavor seasons the meat as it cooks.
Add the diced potatoes on top of the beef, spreading them out so they’re in a fairly even layer.
Pour the frozen mixed vegetables over the potatoes, no need to thaw them first.
Slowly pour the vegetable juice over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker, making sure the beef chunks are mostly covered. This is your main cooking liquid and will turn into a rich, tomato-vegetable broth.
Gently stir just enough to tuck any exposed beef pieces under the vegetable juice while keeping the layers mostly intact.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Taste the stew and add salt and black pepper if needed. If you prefer a thicker stew, slightly mash some of the potatoes against the side of the slow cooker and stir, then let it cook uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes.
Ladle the hot stew into bowls and serve right away with your favorite bread or sides.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters, use a milder vegetable juice (low sodium or original instead of spicy) and choose a frozen vegetable mix your family likes—peas and carrots only work well for kids who are wary of green beans. If you don’t have diced potatoes on hand, you can substitute canned sliced potatoes or even a drained can of hominy for a twist. For extra Amish-style heartiness, stir in 1/2 cup of quick-cooking barley or small pasta during the last 30 to 40 minutes of cooking, adding a bit more vegetable juice or water if it gets too thick. To make it leaner, use a well-trimmed chuck roast cut into cubes or even stew meat labeled “lean.” If you’d like a slightly sweeter, more old-fashioned flavor, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or a splash of apple cider vinegar along with the vegetable juice. This stew also freezes well—cool completely, portion into freezer containers, and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove or in the slow cooker with a splash of extra vegetable juice or water if needed.
