Skip to Content

Tuscan Beef Stew – Slow Cooker Rustic Italian Stew Recipe

0 Comments
Jump to Recipe

This crockpot Tuscan beef stew recipe has a fragrant aroma and a rich gravy that you can sop up with crusty garlic bread. 

The beef is so tender, that it falls apart with the touch of a fork. Like many slow cooker recipes, the flavor is even better on the second day!

Beef, red wine, and vegetables, seasoned with rosemary and thyme, give the recipe lots of flavor. It’s the perfect way to warm up on a cold night.

Keep reading to learn how to make this easy slow cooker beef stew recipe.

A bowl of beef stew and garlic bread sitting next to a wine themed towel and cutlery and a glass of red wine. Text overlay reads Rustic Tuscan Beef Stew.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you if you purchase through an affiliate link.

Ingredients for this Tuscan beef stew recipe

To make this rustic Italian beef stew recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Ingredients to make an Italian stew recipe - Olive oil, canned tomatoes, red wine, chuck beef, carrots, tomato paste, onion, potatoes, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper on a counter top.

  • 2 pounds of lean chuck beef 
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 4 large cloves of garlic
  • 4 carrots
  • 2 large potatoes
  • 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • Small bunch of fresh thyme
  • 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup of good-quality red wine
  • 1 cup of beef stock
  • 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with 1/2 cup beef stock
  • Parsley to garnish

Making this Italian stew recipe

Start by peeling the carrots and potatoes and cutting them into even-sized chunks, roughly 1-2 inches in size. Place the vegetables at the bottom of the slow cooker.

Chop the fresh herbs and set them aside. Using herb scissors makes this step quick!

A collage showing images of cut up potatoes and carrots on the left and herb scissors with diced herbs on the right side.

Season the outside of the piece of chuck meat with sea salt and cracked black pepper. Use a sharp knife and cut the chuck into large chunks – about 2-3 inches in size.

Add more salt and pepper to the cut pieces. Don’t be afraid of the pepper. Most Italian stews use a lot of black pepper.

A collage showing a large piece of chuck meat with a container of salt and pepper on the left and seasoned pieces of chuck on the right side.

The bulk of the cooking for this easy recipe is done in the slow cooker. However, you’ll get the most flavor out of your dish if you brown the meat before you place the ingredients in the crockpot.

Add olive oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chunks of meat in the skillet and brown slightly. Remove and set the meat on a platter and keep warm.

Large pieces of chuck meat for a beef stew in a skillet with oil browning.

In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and cook until it is brown and tender. Stir in the garlic and fresh herbs and cook a few more minutes until they are incorporated.

A collage showing pictures of onions cooking in a skillet on the left and onions with garlic and herbs cooking on the right.

While these two steps take a bit of extra time, it’s well worth the effort. You’ll end up with a more flavorful beef stew, since the browned meat and onions add both rich flavor and some extra color to the dish.

Add the cooked onions, garlic, and herbs over the vegetables in the crockpot. Top with the browned chunks of beef.

Layering the ingredients this way will ensure that the beef flavors the vegetables in this Tuscan-style beef stew as it becomes tender.

A collage showing vegetables for a Tuscan style beef stew in a crockpot on the left and meat over these vegetables on the right.

Place the canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste over the beef, and add a cup of beef stock.

Finish by adding a cup of good-quality red wine over everything. I chose a Cabernet Syrah blend, but any dry medium-bodied wine will work.

Use a spatula to spread the tomatoes, wine, and stock evenly over the beef.

A collage showing pictures of diced tomatoes over vegetables and meat for a Tuscan beef stew on the left sice and wine being added to the stew on the right.

Cover and cook on high for one hour, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for four more hours. The aromas will be amazing in your kitchen while the meal cooks!

Thirty minutes before it is time to serve, mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of beef stock. Combine well and stir into the Tuscan beef stew. This will thicken the gravy.

Crockpot Tuscan beef stew with cornstarch for thickening and a wooden spoon in the center.

That’s all there is to this easy crock pot beef stew!

Serving the Italian beef stew recipe

At serving time, spoon out portions of the stew into bowls. Serve with some crusty garlic bread to sop up every drop of the delicious gravy.

A blue bowl with Tuscan beef stew near some cutlery and a wine-themed towel.

The flavor of this Italian beef stew is rich and hearty, with fork-tender beef chunks and beautifully flavored vegetables. It’s comfort food at its finest!

Share this Tuscan beef stew slow cooker recipe on Twitter

If you enjoyed learning how to make this rustic Italian stew, why not share the recipe with a friend? Here is a tweet to get you started:

Hearty, rich, and full of flavor—this Tuscan beef stew with red wine, carrots & potatoes is the epitome of comfort food. 🍷🥕🥔 Let your crockpot do the work of making your kitchen smell like Tuscany! #Recipe #SlowCooker #BeefStew… Share on X

Pin this rich beef stew with red wine recipe

Would you like a reminder of this recipe for crockpot Tuscan beef stew? Just pin this image to one of your recipe boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.

You can also watch this video on YouTube to see how it’s made!

A bowl of beef stew with red wine, cutlery and a wine themed towel. Green text overlay reads Crockpot Tuscan Beef Stew with red wine and vegetables.

Yield: 8 servings of Tuscan-style beef stew

Tuscan Beef Stew with Red Wine and Vegetables

A blue bowl with Tuscan beef stew near some cutlery and a wine-themed towel.

This delicious recipe for slow cooker beef in red wine is flavorful with incredibly tender beef that melts in your mouth. Because it is made in a crock pot, it's easy to prepare and tastes even better the next day!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Total Time 5 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds of lean chuck beef – cut into 2-3 inch pieces
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 4 large cloves of garlic, diced
  • 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
  • 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped
  • Small bunch of fresh thyme, chopped
  • 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup of good quality red wine
  • 1.5 cups of beef stock (divided)
  • 1.5 tablespoons of cornstarch
  • Parsley to garnish

Instructions

  1. Peel the potatoes and carrots and cut into 1-2 inch chunks.
  2. Place the vegetables at the bottom of a large crockpot.
  3. Chop the thyme and rosemary and set them aside.
  4. Season the outside of the beef with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
  5. Cut the beef into large chunks and season again with more salt and pepper.
  6. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil.
  7. Add the chunks of beef and cook until they are lightly browned. Remove and place on a plate to keep warm.
  8. In the same pan, add the diced onion. Cook about 2 minutes until it is tender and starts to brown.
  9. Add the diced garlic and continue cooking for another minute.
  10. Stir in the thyme and rosemary. Cook for about 1 more minute until the herbs are incorporated and the onion is lightly browned and translucent.
  11. Add this mixture over the potatoes and carrots in the slow cooker.
  12. Place the browned pieces of chuck meat on top of the vegetables.
  13. Add the diced tomatoes, red wine, and 1 cup of beef stock.
  14. Cover and cook on high in the crockpot for 1 hour. Turn the crockpot to low and cook for 4 more hours.
  15. 30 minutes before serving, mix the cornstarch with a half cup of beef stock and pour it into the crockpot. Stir and continue cooking for 30 minutes.
  16. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty garlic bread.

Notes

This recipe used a Cabernet Syrah wine blend, but any medium-bodied red wine will work.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases but the price is the same for you.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 367Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 112mgSodium: 323mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 4gSugar: 4gProtein: 41g

Nutritional information is approximate due to natural variation in ingredients and the cook-at-home nature of our meals.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Facebook

© Carol
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Slow Cooker

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Skip to Recipe