Satisfying Freezer Meal Beef Stew

If you ask me, freezer meal beef stew is one of the smartest things you can make on a Sunday afternoon.

This hearty stew is packed with tender chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, and a rich gravy that tastes like it’s been simmering all day. The best part? You can make a big batch, freeze it in portions, and pull it out whenever you need a comforting dinner without the work.

It’s the kind of meal that saves you on busy weeknights when everyone’s hungry and you don’t have the energy to start from scratch. Just thaw, heat, and serve with some crusty bread.

It’s a family-friendly dinner that makes meal planning so much easier, especially during those crazy weeks when life gets in the way of cooking.

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What Kind of Stew Meat Should I Use?

For this freezer meal beef stew, you’ll want to look for beef chuck roast that’s already been cut into cubes, which is what most stores label as “stew meat.” If you can’t find pre-cut stew meat, buying a whole chuck roast and cutting it yourself is actually a great option – you’ll often get a better price and can control the size of your chunks. Aim for pieces that are about 1 to 1.5 inches, as they’ll hold up well during the long cooking process and become nice and tender. Some stores also sell “beef for stewing” which might include cuts from the round, but chuck is really your best bet since it has more marbling and will give you that melt-in-your-mouth texture after slow cooking.

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Options for Substitutions

This freezer-friendly stew is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Stew meat: Beef chuck is your best bet here, but you can also use bottom round or even pork shoulder if you prefer. Just stick with cuts that have some marbling since they’ll stay tender during the long cooking process.
• Turnips: Not a turnip fan? Swap them out for parsnips, rutabaga, or extra potatoes. They’ll all hold up well in the slow cooker and add that hearty texture.
• Tapioca pearls: The tapioca is what thickens this stew, so don’t skip it entirely. If you can’t find small pearls, you can use instant tapioca or substitute with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed into the broth before freezing.
• Sweet onion: Any onion works here – yellow, white, or even red onions will do the job just fine.
• Herb and garlic seasoning: If you don’t have this blend, mix together 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder as a substitute.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with freezer meal beef stew is skipping the tapioca pearls or trying to substitute flour, which won’t thicken properly after freezing – those small tapioca pearls are what give your stew the perfect consistency when it cooks from frozen.

Another common error is cutting your vegetables too small, as they’ll break down during the long cooking time and turn mushy, so keep those carrots and turnips in large, hearty chunks.

Don’t forget to thaw your stew in the refrigerator overnight before cooking rather than trying to speed-thaw it on the counter, which can lead to uneven cooking and potential food safety issues.

Finally, resist the urge to lift the lid and stir frequently while it’s cooking – each time you do, you release heat and add 15-20 minutes to your cooking time, so just let it simmer undisturbed until the meat is fork-tender.

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What to Serve With Beef Stew?

A hearty beef stew really calls for something to soak up all that rich, savory broth, and crusty bread or warm dinner rolls are always my go-to. I love serving it with buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes on the side, which turn the stew into an even more filling meal. A simple side salad with a light vinaigrette helps balance out the richness of the stew, or you can go with roasted green beans or steamed broccoli for some extra veggies. If you want to keep things super simple, just grab some saltine crackers or oyster crackers to crumble on top for a nice crunch.

Storage Instructions

Freeze: This stew is perfect for freezer meal prep! Combine all the raw ingredients in a large freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and lay it flat in your freezer. It’ll keep for up to 3 months and you’ll have dinner ready to go whenever you need it.

Cook from Frozen: When you’re ready to make it, you can either thaw the bag overnight in the fridge or cook it straight from frozen. Just dump everything into your slow cooker and add about 30 minutes to an hour extra cooking time if starting from frozen.

Store Leftovers: Once cooked, leftover stew keeps really well in the fridge for about 4 days in an airtight container. The flavors actually get even better the next day! You can also freeze cooked portions for up to 3 months if you want to save some for later.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1600-1850
• Protein: 170-200 g
• Fat: 70-85 g
• Carbohydrates: 55-70 g

Ingredients

• 6 oz turnips, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tsp herb and garlic seasoning (I use McCormick)
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 carrots, cut into large pieces
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 lb stew meat (chuck or beef shoulder)
• 2 tbsp small tapioca (helps thicken when frozen and thawed)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients and Assemble Freezer Bag

• 6 oz turnips, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 carrots, cut into large pieces
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 2 lb stew meat (chuck or beef shoulder)
• 2 tsp herb and garlic seasoning (I use McCormick)
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp small tapioca (helps thicken when frozen and thawed)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth

Place the cut turnips, carrots, diced onion, and stew meat into a large freezer bag.

Sprinkle in the herb and garlic seasoning, granulated sugar, salt, and small tapioca.

Add the tomato paste and pour in the beef broth.

Seal the bag well and mix everything by massaging gently to distribute the seasonings.

Freeze the bag until ready to cook.

Step 2: Cook the Stew in a Slow Cooker

• contents of the freezer bag from Step 1

Thaw the prepared freezer bag in the refrigerator overnight.

When ready to cook, empty the contents into a slow cooker.

Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, until the meat is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked.

I like to stir the stew once halfway through to help everything cook evenly.

Satisfying Freezer Meal Beef Stew

Delicious Satisfying Freezer Meal Beef Stew recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 54 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 48 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 42 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1725 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 6 oz turnips, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 tsp herb and garlic seasoning (I use McCormick)
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 carrots, cut into large pieces
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 1 cup beef broth
• 2 lb stew meat (chuck or beef shoulder)
• 2 tbsp small tapioca (helps thicken when frozen and thawed)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

 

• Place the cut turnips, carrots, diced onion, and stew meat into a large freezer bag. Sprinkle in the herb and garlic seasoning, granulated sugar, salt, and small tapioca. Add the tomato paste and pour in the beef broth. Seal the bag well and mix everything by massaging gently to distribute the seasonings. Freeze the bag until ready to cook.
• Thaw the prepared freezer bag in the refrigerator overnight. When ready to cook, empty the contents into a slow cooker. Cover with the lid and cook on high for 2-3 hours or on low for 6-8 hours, until the meat is tender and the vegetables are fully cooked. I like to stir the stew once halfway through to help everything cook evenly.