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Cozy Slow Cooker Beef and Butternut Squash Stew (Easy, 5-Ingredient)

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A simple, hearty stew made with tender beef and sweet butternut squash, slow-cooked to perfection. This 5-ingredient recipe is perfect for cold weather and requires just 15 minutes of prep.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs (680 g) beef stew meat (chuck or round)
  • 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lbs / 900 g), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 cups (480 ml) low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
  • Optional: fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Instructions

  1. Pat the beef stew meat dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef cubes for 2-3 minutes per side until deeply browned. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer everything to the slow cooker.
  3. Pour about ½ cup of the beef broth into the hot skillet and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits (deglazing). Pour this liquid into the slow cooker.
  4. While the beef and onions are cooking, peel the butternut squash with a vegetable peeler. Cut off the stem end, slice the squash in half lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Cut the flesh into 1-inch cubes.
  5. Add the cubed butternut squash to the slow cooker along with the remaining beef broth, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Stir gently to combine.
  6. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender and the squash is soft.
  7. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. For a thicker broth, mash a few cubes of cooked squash against the side of the slow cooker and stir in. Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve hot.

Notes

For best flavor, do not skip browning the beef. If short on time, you can skip browning, but the stew will lack depth. To thicken the stew, mash some cooked squash into the broth. Leftovers taste even better the next day.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker stew, beef stew, butternut squash stew, easy stew, 5-ingredient stew, comfort food, winter recipe

Find it online: https://prismtaste.com/cozy-slow-cooker-beef-and-butternut-squash-stew-easy-5-ingredient/