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Mediterranean Beef Stew

Slow Cooker Recipe

This slow cooker Mediterranean beef stew recipe is basically a dump-and-go meal that is super easy yet delicious. You might also know this as an Italian stew recipe. 

bowl of Mediterranean beef stew

Regardless of what you want to call it, you’ll love the blend of flavors in this yummy one-pot meal. And those who can’t have gluten will appreciate the fact that this is a gluten-free slow cooker beef stew.

One-Pot Meals

This Mediterranean beef stew is one of my many one-pot meals. I love being able to make an entire dinner in a single pot or pan. For one thing, it makes cleanup so much easier.

It’s also fun to toss a bunch of great ingredients into one cooking vessel, knowing it all comes together in one big pot of deliciousness.

I’ll list more of my favorite meals that only need one pot or pan below.

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Beef Stew Ingredients

You’ll be amazed by how few ingredients are in this delicious meal. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

  • Beef stew meat cut into bite-size pieces
  • Diced tomatoes (either regular or Italian seasoned)
  • Zucchini cut into bite-size pieces
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Black pepper
  • More Italian seasoning if you want it
stew meat, zucchini, pepper, Italian seasoning, diced tomatoes, and cinnamon

You can add other seasonings if you want. My favorites are additional fresh basil and oregano.

For exact measurements of each ingredient and full directions, go to the recipe card at the bottom of the page. You can even print out the card by using the “print” button.

How to Make Slow Cooker Mediterranean Beef Stew

Before you begin cooking, pull out all of your ingredients. You can go ahead and measure them if you like. I admit that I have a tendency to eyeball  certain things, like cinnamon, pepper, and other seasonings.

Spray the inside of your slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Doing this makes it so much easier to clean up later.

Now it’s time to prepare the food and put everything together. First, if you haven’t already, cut up the zucchini. I like it in bite-size pieces.

cutting zucchini into bite-size pieces

Put the zucchini in the bottom of the pot.

It won’t stay there because you’ll stir it later.

zucchini in the pot

Secondly, add the stew meat to the pot.

Spread it out evenly.

zucchini and meat in the pot

Next, pour both cans of diced tomatoes into the pot.

Don’t drain them first because the juice will keep everything moist.

pouring diced tomatoes into the pot with the zucchini and stew meat.

Add the ground cinnamon and black pepper.

If you want a stronger Italian flavor, add more Italian seasoning.

Finally, put the lid on the pot and turn it on high.

You can either leave it on high for 4-5 hours or turn it down after an hour and cook the stew on low for an additional 7 hours.

Crock Pot on high

You’ll love how this slow cooking method helps tenderize the meat. Even the cheapest stew meat will practically melt in your mouth.

Slow Cooker Stew Recipes

I make a variety of stews in my Crock Pot. Some of them are standard, family-size amounts, while others are for two. That’s why I have different sizes of slow cookers.

Here are some of our favorite crockpot stew recipes:

Slow Cooker Brunswick Stew – This one is inspired my my late mother-in-law who made this recipe often.

Slow Cooker Beef Stew for Two – When my husband and I are in the mood for stew, but we don’t want a lot of leftovers.

Crockpot Chicken Stew for Two – I made this by tossing in some leftover chicken and other ingredients. It turned out really good, so I decided to share my recipe with others.

What to Serve with Beef Stew

Beef stew is one of those dishes that you can serve in a variety of ways. It’s delicious over rice or mashed potatoes. 

Or you can serve it alongside your favorite side dish or salad. I sometimes like to add a little crunch with this scrumptious broccoli slaw.

Mediterranean beef stew and bread

How to Thicken Stew

It’s easy to thicken the gravy in your stew. First, make a slurry of flour or cornstarch and water. I use cornstarch because I have a gluten sensitivity. 

I make my slurry with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch per 1/2 cup of liquid—water, broth, or cooled liquid from the stew. You can either mix it in a shaker bottle or stir it with a wire whisk. Then pour it into the pot and stir. As it heats up, the gravy will thicken.

Don’t pour the cornstarch or flour directly into the pot because it will clump. I’ve done that in the past, and trust me when I say it’s hard to get the clumps out. The slurry solves that problem.

How to Freeze Beef Stew

If you have leftover stew that you won’t eat over the next few days, you can freeze it. Put it in a freezer-safe plastic container with a lid. Fill it to about 1/2 inch below to the top so it has a little room for expansion. Put the lid on and freeze it for two or three months.

Be aware that if you have thickened the gravy, it might separate during the freezing process. All you have to do is thaw it and heat it back up to get it to the consistency you want.

bowl and pot of Mediterranean beef stew

More One-Pot or One-Pan Meals

I like to simplify life by having a bunch of recipes that only require one vessel for cooking. In addition to making cleanup easier, it provides a blend of flavors that are delicious and comforting.

Here are some of our favorites:

Shepherd’s Pie – This is an Americanized version of a classic favorite dish.

Beef Shop-the-Pantry Casserole – I came up with a formula when I needed to clean out my pantry. It has never failed to come together in a delicious dinner.

Tex Mex Brunch Casserole – We enjoy anything that’s Tex Mex, so this recipe from Miz Helen’s Country Cottage doesn’t disappoint.

Smothered Potatoes and Sausage – This is a lively and flavor-packed dish that we enjoy often. It’s super easy to make and fun to eat.

Yield: 4

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Beef Stew Recipe

bowl of Mediterranean beef stew

Packed with flavor, this slow cooker Mediterranean beef stew is perfect for any family meal.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound of beef stew meat cut into 1/2” pieces
  • 2 (14.5-ounce) cans of diced tomatoes (regular or Italian seasoned)
  • 2 medium zucchini cut into 1/2” pieces
  • 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning (more if you want a stronger flavor)
  • 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
  • Dash of black pepper

Instructions

  1. Spray the inside of the slow cooker pot.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker.
  3. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or high for one hour and low for 7 hours.
  4. Serve hot.

Notes

Serve this delicious stew over rice, mashed potatoes, noodles, or all by itself.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 442Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 112mgSodium 334mgCarbohydrates 5gFiber 2gSugar 3gProtein 38g

The nutrition information is a product of online calculators. I try to provide true and accurate information, but these numbers are estimates.

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