Gluten-Free Beef Stew (Crockpot Recipe)

Whenever I’m craving some comfort on a chilly day, I always turn to a thick stew or soup. My husband has some gluten sensitivity, and most stews are thickened with flour, so I created this gluten-free beef stew just for him!

Packed with vegetables, tender hunks of beef and a delicious savory gravy, you’re going to LOVE this recipe. Just a few steps and then this gluten-free beef stew will just simmer away, making your entire house smell like heaven. This recipe is also great for meal prep as it makes a lot of servings!

Gluten-Free Stew Recipe Notes

You can throw this easy gluten-free stew with beef together in minutes, and the slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you’re free to walk away from the kitchen. You won’t find any suspicious cans of creamed soup or questionable seasoning packets in this recipe as it’s made entirely from scratch to avoid any gluten.

For beef stew, I love to use chuck steak. This cut of meat has a wonderful flavor, is really affordable, and after stewing for a few hours, it seems to just melt in your mouth.

We get all of our meat at Butcher Box. If you’d like to sign up to try it for yourself, you can use my affiliate link to get a discount AND free meat! To check the latest Butcher Box deals – click here.

In addition to carrots, celery, and onion, I also like to include mushrooms. They add a great umami flavor to the stew. Also, we love eating our stew like a soup, so we love the heartiness that potatoes add. If you prefer to serve your beef stew over a pile of mashed potato, feel free to leave the potatoes out of the gluten-free beef stew.

For the gluten-free flour, you can use whichever one you prefer. We like this one from King Arthur brand.

This gluten-free beef stew will simmer for several hours, so I like to chop my carrots, mushrooms and potatoes in large hunks so they don’t get too mushy. No need to worry about the onion and celery as these will just melt into the sauce, helping to create a thick gravy

Crockpot Gluten-Free Beef Stew Recipe

You’ll start by trimming your chuck steak and cutting it into cubes. Place in a large bowl, and sprinkle with salt and gluten-free flour and use tongs to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, and add some olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add your beef in a single layer. You can do this in two batches if it doesn’t fit in your skillet – you don’t want to overcrowd the beef.

Let the meat sear for about 3 minutes on each side, using tongs to move the meat. You’re looking for a nice brown crust to form on the meat.

Add the seared meat to your slow cooker. Your skillet will have some browned bits stuck to the bottom. This is my FAVORITE thing in the world, because THAT IS FLAVOR. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of water. (You can also use beef broth or red wine if you have it on hand but I usually use water.)

Using a wooden spatula, scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add in your paprika, dried thyme, salt and black pepper and set aside.

In the slow cooker, you’ll want to layer the carrots, onion, celery, potatoes, and mushrooms over the seared beef. Add in your tomatoes (with their juice), the minced garlic, and bay leaf.

Finally, pour in the juices from your de-glazed skillet. Cook your gluten-free beef stew on low for 7-8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

FAQ

How do you thicken beef stew with gluten-free flour?

For thickening a stew, the best gluten-free thickener isn’t usually a gluten-free flour, but instead a starch like cornstarch, arrowroot or potato starch. You should mix equal parts starch and water to make a slurry and then add to your stew, stirring constantly.

What can I use instead of flour for beef stew?

It depends! If you want to sprinkle flour on your beef before searing the meat, then I recommend using a gluten-free 1-1 baking flour. If you are looking for a substitute to to help thicken your stew, I recommend using a starch like cornstarch, arrowroot or potato starch. You should mix equal parts starch and water to make a slurry before adding it to your gluten-free beef stew.

Does Worcestershire sauce have gluten?

Originally, Worcestershire sauce was made from barley malt vinegar, which includes gluten. Most brands of Worcestershire sauce will contain gluten, but some brands, like this one, are certified gluten-free.

The original Worcestershire sauce included barley malt vinegar, making it unsafe for someone with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. To be safe, I left Worcestershire sauce out of my gluten-free beef stew recipe, however, there are many different versions of Worcestershire sauce, including gluten-free versions.

Love gluten-free recipes? Check out my mushroom turkey meatloaf which is also gluten-free! Or for another crockpot favorite, try my sweet Hawaiian crockpot chicken.