Slow Cooker Cranberry Beef Stew

This slow cooker cranberry beef stew is comforting stew with the right amount of tartness. Chunks of beef slow cooks with simple vegetables, cranberries, and natural sweeteners. This one-pot meal is perfect for chilly evenings or when you want to impress your family with minimal effort. Instructions to make this Instant Pot cranberry stew in the Instant Pot are also included.

Ingredients For Slow Cooker Cranberry Beef Stew

• Beef stew meat: Use beef stew meat or sirloin cut into chunks. These cuts become tender as they cook and make the stew hearty. Season the beef with salt and pepper before cooking.
• Cranberries: They bring tart, fruity flavor that makes this stew different from a classic beef stew.
• Potatoes: Potatoes make the stew more filling and soak up some of the savory cranberry broth.
• Low-sodium beef broth: Creates the stew’s savory cooking liquid. Low-sodium broth lets you better control the saltiness.
• Maple syrup or honey: Balances the cranberries’ tartness with a little sweetness.
• Onion: Onion adds a savory, slightly sweet flavor as it cooks.
• Carrots: They add color and natural sweetness that complements the cranberries.
• Celery: Celery adds a mild savory flavor to the broth.
• Garlic: Garlic adds depth to the beef and vegetable flavors.
• Salt: Brings out the flavors of the beef, vegetables, and broth.
• Dried thyme: Its earthy, herbal flavor pairs well with beef and cranberries.
• Black pepper: Pepper adds gentle warmth.
• Bay leaf: It lends a subtle herbal aroma to the broth as the stew cooks; remove it before serving.
• Oil: It helps brown the beef and vegetables during sautéing.

How To Make Slow Cooker Cranberry Beef Stew

Slow Cooker

1. Season the beef with salt and black pepper. If you’d like to brown it first, heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides.
2. Add the beef broth and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth. Add the cranberries, potatoes, maple syrup, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the beef and vegetables are tender.
4. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Instant Pot

1. Set pressure cooker to the high sauté setting. Once hot, add oil.
2. Add beef and cook a few minutes until browned. Remove beef from the pressure cooker and set aside.
3. Add onions, carrots, & celery and cook 3-5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
4. Pour in broth and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
5. Add beef back to the pot along with the cranberries, potatoes, salt, thyme, pepper, maple syrup, and bay leaf.
6. Add lid, close and seal vent. Select high pressure and set time for 25 minutes. When cook time is completed, natural release pressure 10 minutes then quick release any remaining pressure.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Easy to prepare: Add the ingredients to the slow cooker and let dinner cook while you take care of other things.
• A cozy, hearty meal: Tender beef, potatoes, and vegetables make this stew filling and satisfying.
• A distinctive flavor: Cranberries add a tart, fruity note, balanced by a touch of maple syrup.
• Great for special occasions: Serve it for a holiday dinner or a relaxed family meal.
• Two ways to make it: Choose the slow cooker or Instant Pot instructions.

FAQs & Tips

Substitutions & Variations

• Beef: Use stew meat, sirloin, or chuck roast cut into chunks.
• Potatoes: Baby or waxy potatoes hold their shape well. Russet or sweet potatoes also work; cut them into larger pieces.
• Sweetener: Honey can be used instead of maple syrup.
• Cranberry sauce: For a suggested variation, use ½ cup sweet whole-berry cranberry sauce and omit the maple syrup.

What kind of beef should you use?

Beef stew meat is convenient, or cut sirloin or chuck roast into chunks. Tougher cuts such as chuck roast become tender during the longer cooking time.

Do you need to brown the beef first?

Browning is optional for the slow cooker. It adds color and deeper flavor, but you can add the seasoned beef directly to the slow cooker. For the Instant Pot, searing the beef is included in the instructions.

Will the stew taste tart?

Cranberries are naturally tart, and the maple syrup balances their flavor. When the stew is done, taste the broth. For a stronger cranberry flavor, mash a few of the cooked cranberries into the broth.

Can you use cranberry sauce instead of cranberries and maple syrup?

For a variation, try 1/2 cup sweet whole-berry cranberry sauce and omit the maple syrup. Avoid jellied cranberry sauce. This is a suggested swap; the main recipe uses fresh or frozen cranberries and maple syrup.

What potatoes work best?

Baby potatoes or other waxy potatoes hold their shape well. If using russet or sweet potatoes, cut them into larger chunks so they’re less likely to break down during cooking. You can omit the potatoes for a lower-carb stew.

Is this a soup or a stew?

Originally this was a soup recipe using 7 cups of liquid. The revised recipe you see here is a stew using only 4.  A lot of people mislabel soups as stews and vice versa. Heck I’m guilty of it, a lot of my stew recipes on this blog are actually soups. The main difference between the two is the amount of liquid used. In a stew, the food is barely covered with liquid which is why stews can be served on plates. If you want to make this a cranberry beef soup, use 6-7 cups of beef broth or a combination of broth & water (to reduce the sodium).

Can I make this more like soup?

Yes. Add more beef broth or a combination of broth and water to make it soupier. Add gradually until it reaches the consistency you like.

How do you serve this?

I like to serve this stew over mashed cauliflower or mashed potatoes. You can always eat it as-is.

How do you store leftovers?

Store leftover slow cooker cranberry beef stew in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

What size slow cooker should you use?

I used a 6-quart slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Beef Stew Recipes 

• Hamburger

• Cilantro Beef

• Oxtail

• Beef Bourguignon

• Poor Man’s

Slow Cooker Cranberry Beef Stew

Pin Recipe

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

This slow cooker cranberry beef stew is comforting stew with the right amount of tartness. Chunks of beef slow cooks with simple vegetables, cranberries, and natural sweeteners. This one-pot meal is perfect for chilly evenings or when you want to impress your family with minimal effort. Instructions to make this Instant Pot cranberry stew in the Instant Pot are also included.

• Author: Shannon Epstein
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 4 hours
• Total Time: 4 hours, 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Dinner, Lunch
• Method: Pressure Cooking, Slow Cooking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Whole30

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 pounds beef stew meat or sirloin cut into chunks
• 4 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 pound potatoes, chopped if needed (see blog post)
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 2 medium size carrots, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil (for Instant Pot)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot flour

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Slow Cooker

1. Season the beef with salt and black pepper. If you’d like to brown it first, heat a little oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides.
2. Add the beef broth and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth. Add the cranberries, potatoes, maple syrup, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, salt, thyme, black pepper, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
3. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours or LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the beef and vegetables are tender.
4. Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Instant Pot

1. Set pressure cooker to the high sauté setting. Once hot, add oil.
2. Add beef and cook a few minutes until browned. Remove beef from the pressure cooker and set aside.
3. Add onions, carrots, & celery and cook 3-5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
4. Pour in broth and deglaze the bottom of the pressure cooker by scraping all the bits off with a wooden spoon. Add the cornstarch and whisk until smooth.
5. Add beef back to the pot along with the cranberries, potatoes, salt, thyme, pepper, maple syrup, and bay leaf.
6. Add lid, close and seal vent. Select high pressure and set time for 25 minutes. When cook time is completed, natural release pressure 10 minutes then quick release any remaining pressure.

Notes

If you want a more cranberry (tart) flavor, when the soup is done cooking, take the back of a large spoon and mash some of the cranberries to release their juice.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
• Calories: 276
• Sugar: 3.8 g
• Fat: 6.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.8 g
• Carbohydrates: 19.1 g
• Fiber: 3.7 g
• Protein: 36.7 g
• Cholesterol: 99.7 mg

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on one of the product links, I might receive compensation. For more about my disclosure policy see here: https://fitslowcookerqueen.com/about/disclosure-policy/.