12 Crockpot Beef Recipes (Easy & Healthy)

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By: The Real Food Dietitians Posted: 1/11/23

If you’re looking for easy meals that always hit the spot, these crockpot beef recipes are just what you need! Featuring real food ingredients, these healthy beef recipes are great to prepare in advance for weeknight dinners, pitch-ins, game days, and entertaining. Pick and choose until you find your new favorite slow cooker beef recipe. We know that once you taste them, many of these recipes will make their way onto your regular dinner recipe rotation.

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Your New Go-To Crockpot Beef Recipes

Is there anything better than a crockpot meal? Not only are slow cooker recipes incredibly quick to prepare and simple to make, but there are also endless options. So, you’re always guaranteed to find something that hits the spot! If it wasn’t obvious, we are big fans of our slow cookers, and we keep these crock pot beef recipes in our regular dinner menus. When it comes to crowd-pleasing dinners that can’t be beat, the following easy beef recipes are the meals we find ourselves turning to week after week.

Nutrition Spotlight: Beef

Beef is available in many different cuts with varying fat percentages, and it can be a budget-friendly, versatile ingredient to incorporate into a wide variety of recipes like Korean-Inspired Ground Beef Bowls, hot dishes, and lasagna! An excellent source of high-quality protein, it’s a staple in our diets, and not just because it’s delicious. Here are just a few health benefits of beef:

High-quality protein containing all essential amino acids
One of the richest sources of iron
Provides four essential vitamins (niacin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12)
An excellent source of zinc which is necessary to support hair, skin, and nail health, as well as cognitive function, fertility, and reproduction

Fill Your Freezer With Healthy Meals

Need some done-ahead meals that are ready to go on your busiest nights? Our Dinner-Is-Done Freezer Meal Prep Guide includes everything you need to get it done:

6 of our most popular dinner recipes reworked to go directly from the freezer to your crockpot and the freezer to your oven
Complete step-by-step instructions and checklist for your freezer prep day, freezing tips, and reheating tips
A done-for-you grocery list for ultimate ease to gather your ingredients and equipment
Our tried-and-true meal prep tips so you can master this task and get your dinnertime sanity back

Get Your Freezer Meal Prep Guide

12 Crock Pot Beef Recipes You’ll Make On Repeat

Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Root Vegetables

Hearty and wholesome, this stew is the ultimate comfort food recipe. Featuring tender beef, a trio of root vegetables, and a rich broth, it’s the best meal to come home to on a cold winter day.

Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa

A Chipotle copycat recipe, this barbacoa is tender, juicy, and made with just 10 ingredients from the comfort of your own kitchen. Use it for mouth-wateringly delicious tacos, burritos, salads, egg scrambles, and more!

Slow Cooker Beef Tips and Gravy

Melt-in-your-mouth tender beef is coated in a rich gravy sauce and combined with pearl onions and sliced mushrooms for a fancy crockpot beef recipe that couldn’t be easier to make! Serve it with mashed potatoes, noodles, and more for a nutritious dish that hits high on the scale of comfort and satisfaction.

Egg Free | Gluten Free | Nut Free | Dairy Free

Slow Cooker Hamburger Soup Recipe

Packed full of veggies and beef, this hamburger soup transforms everyone’s favorite handheld dinner into a satisfying soup. Tried, tested, and true, this crowd-pleasing meal is loved by all and great to make in advance for quick meals throughout the week.

Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup with Bacon

If, like us, you love a good ol’ classic cheeseburger, this recipe is for you! Rich and creamy, it’s packed to the max with ground beef, crisp bacon, an assortment of vegetables, and plenty of cheese. Top it off with all your favorite burger fixings for a recipe you’ll want to make again and again…and again!

Egg Free | Gluten Free | Nut Free | Grain Free

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Chili

More than your average chili, this is one of our all-time favorite healthy beef recipes. Chock full of nutrients, it’s made with no added sugar, beans, or legumes to fit a variety of dietary tastebuds and needs!

Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Chili

High-quality protein and vitamin-rich sweet potatoes combine to form the base of this family-friendly beef chili recipe. Just toss everything in the crock pot in the morning and come home to a fully cooked meal!

Egg Free | Gluten Free | Nut Free | Grain Free | Dairy Free

Slow Cooker Taco Soup

Upgrade your ‘Taco Tuesday’ with one of our favorite easy beef recipes! Made with warm spices and real food ingredients, this crock pot taco soup will become your new go-to for weeknight meals that will have even the pickiest of eaters asking for seconds.

Egg Free | Gluten Free | Nut Free | Grain Free

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Chili

Sweet, spicy, and secretly full of veggies, this easy beef recipe is a gameday winner and an all-around crowd-pleaser! Approved by kids and adults alike, you’ll want to make extras for thermos lunches and quick dinners to enjoy all week.

Slow Cooker Chunky Beef Chili with Sweet Potatoes

Our real food take on classic beef chili, this recipe is warm, hearty, and packed to the brim with fresh veggies and protein. Served with a side of cornbread muffins or dinner rolls, it’s a crowd-pleasing recipe perfect for weeknights, gameday, and everything in between!

Slow Cooker BBQ Beef

The ultimate set-it-and-forget-it meal, this BBQ beef makes a huge batch for a budget-friendly recipe that can be used for sandwiches, nachos, and more. With just 15-20 minutes of prep time and no added sugars, gluten, or soy, it’s better than your local takeout joint and will be waiting for you when you come home!

Slow Cooker Picadillo

An easy take on a traditional Latin American recipe, this beef picadillo comes together with just a handful of ingredients for a lifesaving weeknight meal. Versatile and bold in flavor, we love to serve it over a pile of white rice or cauliflower rice with black beans or use it for the best empanada filling!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you put raw beef in a crockpot?

Many crockpot beef recipes recommend browning the meat first to reduce the oil and lock in some flavor. However, this step isn’t always necessary. And it is safe to add raw beef to a crock pot recipe.

Do you need to put liquid in a slow cooker with beef?

Unless the recipe specifically calls for it, there is no real need to completely submerge beef in liquids. Just make sure to cover the base of the slow cooker or crock pot contains some liquid to prevent the beef from burning as it cooks.

Does beef get more tender the longer you cook it in a slow cooker?

Yes, most crock pot beef recipes utilize thick cuts of beef with lots of tendons and fat. Then, they are cooked long and slow to break down the meat, making it extra tender and juicy.

More Healthy Crockpot Recipes to Try!

See All Slow Cooker

How to Store Crockpot Beef Recipes

We provide specific storage instructions for all of our easy beef recipes. However, in general, most healthy beef recipes can be transferred to an airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for several months.

Our Favorite Glass Storage Containers

Keep leftovers in these easy-to-use airtight glass containers for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Shop Storage Containers Here

How to Reheat Leftovers

When you’re ready to eat, first let any frozen crockpot beef recipes thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, transfer leftovers back to the crock pot, cover, and set it to warm. Or, place individual servings in the microwave in intervals of 30 seconds, and enjoy!

Slow Cooker Sides & Appetizers

More Slow Cooker Recipes

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12 Crockpot Beef Recipes (Easy & Healthy) originally appeared on TheRealFoodrds.com