Pour tomato soup over raw stew meat, paired with these 2 ingredients, into slow cooker for a savory meal that’s my default when I don’t know what to
Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the stew meat so it lightly coats the top.
Pour the condensed tomato soup directly over the seasoned raw meat, using a spatula to spread it so most of the meat is covered. Do not dilute the soup with water.
Add the frozen mixed vegetables on top of the tomato soup layer. Gently press them down so they nestle into the soup and meat a bit, but do not stir.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on HIGH for about 5 hours, or on LOW for 8–9 hours, until the beef is very tender and the vegetables are cooked through.
Once cooked, give the stew a good stir to combine the tomato soup, beef, and vegetables into a thick, savory gravy. Taste and add salt and black pepper if needed.
Serve the stew hot over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or rice, or enjoy it on its own in a bowl with bread on the side.
Variations & Tips
For a little extra depth, you can add 1 teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning or dried thyme along with the onion soup mix, though it’s delicious with just the base 4 ingredients. If you prefer a slightly thinner stew, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of beef broth after cooking until it reaches your desired consistency. For a creamier version, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sour cream or heavy cream right before serving.
You can swap the frozen mixed vegetables for 3 cups of chunked fresh vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, and celery—just keep pieces on the smaller side so they cook through in 5 hours on HIGH. If you like a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes. To make this more budget-friendly, you can use chuck roast cut into cubes instead of pre-cut stew meat.
For meal prep, this stew holds up well in the fridge for up to 4 days and freezes nicely for up to 3 months; I like to portion it into single-serve containers so future me has an easy grab-and-heat dinner on nights when I’m wiped out from work.
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