Slow Cooker Ground Beef and Pepper Stew That’ll Have Everyone Scraping the Bowl
There are some meals that just stop a room. You know the ones — where someone takes a single bite and immediately needs to know if there’s more. This slow cooker ground beef and pepper stew is exactly that kind of dish. Rich, savory, loaded with colorful bell peppers and sweet onions, all slow-cooked in a deeply seasoned, glossy brown sauce that clings to every single ingredient. It’s the kind of comfort food that feels like a warm hug after a long day.
The beauty of this recipe is in its simplicity. You brown the beef, toss everything into the slow cooker, and let time do all the heavy lifting. By the time dinner rolls around, your kitchen smells incredible and the whole family is already hovering near the stove. Serve it over fluffy white rice, buttered noodles, or crusty bread — honestly, it’s delicious any way you dish it up.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ground beef (80/20 blend recommended for flavor)
- 1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
- 1 orange bell pepper, chopped into large chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups beef broth
- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water (for thickening)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Method
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the browned ground beef into the base of your slow cooker.
- Add the chopped onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, orange bell pepper, and minced garlic directly on top of and around the meat.
- In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine everything together.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have melded beautifully.
- About 20 to 30 minutes before serving, stir in the cornstarch slurry. Replace the lid and continue cooking on HIGH until the sauce has thickened to a rich, glossy consistency, about 20 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve hot over steamed white rice, egg noodles, or alongside warm crusty bread.
Tips for the Best Results
Don’t skip browning the beef before adding it to the slow cooker. That step builds a deeper, richer flavor in the finished dish that you simply cannot get from raw meat alone. It only takes about 8 minutes and makes a world of difference.
If you like a thicker, almost gravy-like sauce, add a second cornstarch slurry mixture and let it cook uncovered for the last 15 minutes on HIGH. The sauce will reduce and become even more luscious and coating.
This stew stores beautifully. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a small splash of beef broth to bring it back to life.
Serving Suggestions
This dish is incredibly versatile. Spoon it generously over a bed of steamed jasmine rice for a classic pairing. It also works wonderfully over creamy mashed potatoes, wide egg noodles, or even spooned into hoagie rolls for a hearty sandwich-style meal. However you serve it, just make sure you make enough — because the pot will be scraped completely clean before you know it.
