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    Home » Main Dishes

    Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Eggplant & Carrots

    Published: Dec 9, 2020 · Modified: Jul 19, 2022 by Jessica Fisher

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    Cozy up with a bowl of this hearty Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Eggplant and Carrots. The slow cooking gives you tender, flavorful chunks of beef.

    hands holding bowl of eggplant stew this …

    When I think of cozy suppers, I think of something hot and filling. Something that whispers, “comfort food.” As much as I love salad, it’s not really “cozy.”

    Cheesy Potatoes? Tuna Melt Sandwiches? Beef stew? Those are comfort foods.

    Fall and winter are obviously the best times of the year for cozy suppers. And recently we enjoyed a good one. One of the boys had put in a request for stew. And since boneless chuck roast was on sale for $3.99, it was an easy moment to be a Yes-Mom.

    What he didn’t know was that I was going to sneak some veggies in when he wasn’t looking. {bwahahaha}

    Beef Stew with Eggplant and Carrots?

    Yep. Eggplant. This Beef Stew with Eggplant and Carrots is absolutely delicious, especially when served over rice or mashed potatoes. The eggplant cooks down into the sauce so no one is the wiser. Not even your pickiest eaters.

    ingredients for eggplant stew

    What kind of beef goes in stew?

    The best cuts of beef for stew are the ones that tenderize under long cooking, such as chuck roast or cross rib roast.

    Do not—I repeat—do not use something marked stew meat. That’s a misnomer. Those cuts are usually tough and unappetizing made into stew.

    Can I put raw beef in stew?

    While you can certainly toss the uncooked meat cubes into the pot and they will cook down, browning them in a bit of oil creates the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction that gives foods a distinct—and delicious—flavor.

    Tossing the cubes in flour prior to browning aids in the browning and also helps to thicken the resulting juices in the finished stew, creating a luscious gravy.

    black slow cooker of beef eggplant stew

    Do I have to use a slow cooker for this recipe?

    A slow cooker can be your very best friend. It cooks dinner while you do other things. Slow cookers excel when it comes to braising, the long slow cooking with a bit of liquid that a stew undergoes. That makes the slow cooker the ideal vessel for cooking stew.

    That said, you can cook stew in a Dutch oven or heavy pot in the oven or atop the stove.

    Can I add the vegetables at the beginning of the cooking time?

    In most of my stew recipes, I prefer to add the vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and eggplant in the latter part of the cooking time. This allows them to get tender without being overcooked.

    Can I add other vegetables to this stew?

    While I recommend carrots and eggplant for this recipe, you can use lots of different veggies in this stew. Consider stirring in potatoes, turnips, or parsnips at the 4 hour mark. You can stir in corn or peas right before serving.

    bowl of beef eggplant stew next to napkin and spoon

    What should I serve with beef stew?

    Stew is delicious on its own. It’s akin to a chunky soup.

    If the stew is particularly saucy, I like to serve it with a starch to soak up all the yummy gravy. Mashed potatoes, baked rice, and egg noodles are all great bases for serving stew.

    Can you freeze stew?

    Stew is a great thing to freeze! You can divide a batch into single-serve or family-size packages to make for easy reheating and serving later.

    Be sure to chill the stew completely prior to freezing and make sure you’ve labeled it well so you remember what’s in the dish when you go to thaw it. And add it to your freezer inventory so you can be sure to use it within a good amount of time.

    plastic containers of eggplant beef stew

    Is it expensive to make homemade stew?

    When purchased at a midrange grocery store at non-sale prices, the costs for this stew breaks down this way:

    • olive oil – $0.80 ($6.49/16 oz)
    • chuck roast – $11.97 ($3.99/pound)
    • salt and pepper $0.02
    • onion – $0.75
    • garlic – $0.10
    • flour – $0.05 ($2.69/5#)
    • bay leaf – $0.10
    • thyme – $0.02 ($1.98/6 oz)
    • beef broth $0.99 ($1.99/32 oz)
    • eggplant – $2.00
    • carrots – $0.50 ($0.99/lb)

    One batch costs $17.30 or $2.16 per serving.

    How can you lower the cost?

    The expensive ingredient in stew is the beef. The price of chuck roast can range in my neck of the woods anywhere from $2.69/pound to $6.99/pound! Be sure to purchase the beef on the lower end and stash extras in the freezer so you can make stew more affordable.

    The other two ingredients that drive up the cost are the olive oil and the eggplant. Consider using a lower priced vegetable oil if you prefer. Likewise, look for eggplant on sale or grow your own.

    beef cubes broth and bay leaf in slow cooker crock

    Do you need special tools to make stew?

    While certain small kitchen appliances can make a job easier, the only one you might need for this recipe is a slow cooker. Here’s a list of recommended tools to make this recipe easily:

    • plastic cutting boards – I have blue boards for veggies and white boards for meat.
    • Ergo Chef chef’s knife – I’ve had my set for several years and they work well.
    • my favorite skillet – it’s oven safe and has a glass lid. I bought two I love it so much.
    • 6-quart slow cooker – I’ve had this machine for several years and have been really pleased with it.

    How do you make beef stew with eggplant?

    The process of prepping this stew is pretty easy:

    1. Lay out all your ingredients. Cube the meat and chip the onion.
    2. In a bowl combine the flour, salt, and pepper.
    3. Toss the beef cubes in the flour mixture.
    4. Heat half the oil in a large skillet. Working in batches, brown the beef cubes in the hot oil, being sure not to crowd the pan.
    5. Once the meat has been browned, transfer it to the crock of a slow cooker.
    6. Add the onion and garlic to the drippings of the pan and cook, stirring, until the onion starts to go clear.
    7. Stir in the broth, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a simmer and add the liquid to the crock. Cover the crock and turn on LOW. Cook for four hours.
    8. At the end of the four hours, peel and chop the carrots and eggplant. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and add the eggplant cubes, sautéing for 7 minutes.
    9. Transfer the eggplant to the crock with the beef and stir in the carrots as well. Cover and continue cooking for two more hours.
    10. Serve the stew over rice, mashed potatoes, or cooked egg noodles.
    ingredients for eggplant stew
    mixing flour and seasonings for stew
    floured beef cubes in white bowl on black table

    adding floured beef cubes to skillet for browning
    browning beef cubes in skillet
    sauteeing onion and garlic in skillet next to crockpot

    crock of beef cubes next to skillet of onions and broth
    beef cubes broth and bay leaf in slow cooker crock
    sauteeing eggplant cubes in skillet

    adding eggplant and carrots to stew
    black slow cooker of beef eggplant stew
    plastic tub of eggplant stew on red striped cloth

    If you prepare this recipe, be sure to share a picture on social media and hashtag it #GOODCHEAPEATS. I can't wait to see what you cook up!
    bowl of beef eggplant stew next to napkin and spoon
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    5 from 3 votes

    Beef Stew with Eggplant & Carrots

    This Beef and Eggplant Stew is easy to prepare since it cooks in the slow cooker. The eggplant and vegetables become very tender, the savory beef delicious.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time6 hrs
    Total Time6 hrs 20 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 305kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 4 tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 lb boneless, beef chuck roast , cut into 1 inch cubes
    • salt
    • black pepper
    • 1 onion diced
    • 3 clove garlic minced
    • 3 tablespoon unbleached, all-purpose flour
    • 2 bay leaf
    • 2 teaspoon dried thyme
    • 2 cup beef broth
    • 1 eggplant peeled and diced
    • 4 carrots peeled and sliced
    • rice to serve with the stew mashed potatoes and noodles are also good
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add beef cubes and cook in batches, until browned.
    • Remove the meat to the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.
    • Add the onions and garlic to skillet. Saute until clear.
    • Add the flour, bay leaves, and thyme. Stir to combine.
    • Stir in the beef broth. Transfer seasoned broth and onion mixture to slow cooker. Cook 4 hours on LOW.
    • About two hours before serving, saute the eggplant in the additional 2 tablespoons olive oil. Cook for about 7 minutes.
    • Stir the eggplant and carrots into slow cooker. Continue cooking for two more hours.
    • Serve the stew over mashed potatoes.

    Notes

    Promptly store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days.
    Nutritional values are approximate and based on ⅙ the recipe, not including mashed potatoes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 305kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 915mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5169IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag Me Today!Mention @goodcheapeatsblog or tag #goodcheapeats!

    meal prep containers with beef stew

    This post was originally published on October 20, 2010. It has been updated for content and clarity.

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    Comments

    1. Adrienne

      December 17, 2021 at 9:28 pm

      5 stars
      My family loved this alongside biscuits.

      Reply
    2. Laura

      July 23, 2012 at 8:41 am

      I got some eggplant from our farmer’s market CSA box this week and had NO Idea what to do with it. I found your recipe and made the stew. You are totally right, the eggplant disappears! All 3 of us agreed that this was a fabulous stew, and it was a great thing to do with the eggplant. Thank you!

      Reply
    3. Stacy

      January 18, 2012 at 11:59 am

      This looks good. I’ve bookmarked it to use in the next week or two. Thank you. I like to make eggplant because they’re pretty affordable and are in the “safe” end of the EWG (pesticide) list when grown traditionally–so, not so expensive. My family is not yet excited about it though, so I’m happy to have another way to make it. For cozy meals, we have several, but I guess I think of any sort of stew or soup, or chili, made with homemade cornbread as very cozy. I bake it in the cast-iron skillet and serve it from there at the table–that seems very rustic and cozy to me.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        January 18, 2012 at 2:41 pm

        It almost disappears in this stew, so I’m not sure they will notice it.

        Reply
    4. GentlyEccentricMum

      October 24, 2010 at 5:45 am

      This looks great – I’d never thought of using eggplant as a winter vegetable before but why not?

      Reply
    5. jessica

      October 22, 2010 at 7:27 pm

      somehow my 3 year old is able to find ANY vegetable I find unless I puree it and hide it that way. I diced some eggplant super small and put it in chili…she actually found it and spit it out along with the beans and tomato chunks! So she had macaroni and meat…sigh!

      Reply
    6. Heidi

      October 21, 2010 at 12:53 pm

      A while ago I found 6 black mini witch cauldrons at a yard sale. What a find. Our kids are so excited to fill their cauldrons they haven’t noticed I’ve snuck in a new recipe or secret ingredient.
      Beef stew baked in a real pumpkin is another one of my fall favorites.

      Reply
    7. Amelia

      October 21, 2010 at 11:27 am

      Our family loves Enchilada Soup on cozy eves!

      Can’t wait to try that stew with eggplant, we love eggplant at our house! : )

      Reply
    8. MOMS CRAZY COOKING

      October 21, 2010 at 8:28 am

      Thanks for the recipe exchange, can’t wait to participate again next week!

      Reply
    9. Inspired2cook

      October 21, 2010 at 7:17 am

      Happy Thursday! Your stew looks mighty tasty!

      Reply
    10. Wendy (The Local Cook)

      October 21, 2010 at 6:08 am

      I love stew, so happy it’s fall!

      Reply
    11. Ammie @ domesticallyobsessed.com

      October 21, 2010 at 4:47 am

      That stew looks AWESOME. I have never thought to use roast instead of stew meat. Great idea.

      Reply
    12. Susie's Homemade

      October 21, 2010 at 4:29 am

      Stews and soups are my favorite part of fall!

      Reply
    13. [email protected]

      October 21, 2010 at 3:31 am

      With the weather getting chillier, my meals are becoming more ‘cozy’. thanks for the link-up.

      Reply
    14. April @ The 21st Century Housewife

      October 21, 2010 at 1:17 am

      Your stew looks wonderful – eggplant gives such a lovely flavour to things, but it is great when you can make it disappear! I’ve linked up my beef in red wine stew, which is really easy to make and very comforting indeed! Thank you for hosting 🙂

      Reply
    15. [email protected] Sunday Cafe

      October 20, 2010 at 9:55 pm

      Sharing an easy yeast dinner roll, just the perfect (and easy!) go with for stew or soup. Thanks for hosting!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter their budget.

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