Chilly weather and warm stew, need I say more? This version is lighter than most but tastes all the more delicious for it!
This recipe was adapted from Everyday Food, the January/February 2012 issue.
Slow Cooker Beef and Tomato Stew
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced small
- 3 medium carrots, diced into 1/4 inch rounds
- 3 stalks celery, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 2 pounds beef chuck, fat trimmed, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- coarse salt and ground pepper
- 4 cups cooked brown rice
- nonfat plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook them until they are softened (about 10 minutes). Transfer the vegetables to a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker and add the beef, tomatoes, broth, garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.
- Cover your slow cooker and set it on high for approximately 6 hours (my slow-cooker is an overachiever and does a 6 hour job in 4), stirring occasionally. When it’s ready, divide some brown rice and stew among six bowls and top them with yogurt (or sour cream) and parsley.
Notes
- It’s better to use Greek yogurt in place of sour cream to garnish chilis and stews to get that creamy tang without the fat. And you can ask your butcher to trim away most of the fat from the beef chuck. It will still become tender and flavorful in a slow cooker.