No-Peek Beef Stew
This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Friends, making No-Peek Beef Stew gets NO EASIER than this recipe. My mother-in-law taught me this one when I first got married, and I’ve been serving it up to big crowds ever since. Make ahead and freeze to have on hand for busy nights or when hosting a big group.
“I’ve been making this for the past year. This recipe is not only easy but delicious. Wouldn’t change a thing.” – Carolyn
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- It’s a dump-and-go meal. Simply dump everything in the casserole dish that it bakes in, stir it up, and bake. Here are more dump and go meals if you want ideas.
- It only uses ONE dish.
- This recipe makes 6-8 servings easily, so it’s great for a large family or for serving a crowd. We love big batch meals!
- No-Peek Stew can easily be made ahead of time and frozen for later. Freezer meals are the bomb.
Ingredients
We took some shortcuts in this recipe so you can get dinner on the table with very little effort. If you’d like to make a whole foods version, try our Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe that’s still pretty darn simple to put together.
Here are the basics:
- Onions
- Carrots
- Potatoes
- Stew Meat (We get ours from ButcherBox)
- Green Beans
- Tomato Soup
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
How to Make No Peek Stew
Here is a quick visual overview of where we are going.
How to Freeze Beef Stew
Our easy No-Peek Stew can easily be made ahead of time and frozen for later.
To Freeze: Follow Steps 2-3, except cover tightly with a few layers of plastic wrap and foil, squeezing out any excess air. Freeze.
To Prepare from Frozen: Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Remove the plastic wrap and cover tightly with one layer of foil. Bake as directed in Step 4 (or use the slow cooker method).
What to Serve with No Peek Beef Stew
Here are some side dish ideas that would pair deliciously with this beef stew:
FAQs
“No-peek stew” is a name given to this type of stew where the cooking instructions advise against lifting the lid or peeking during the cooking process. This could is to ensure that the flavors and moisture are retained, creating a more flavorful and tender result.
I just always buy what I can find in the health food section to avoid additives and preservatives. My mother-in-law always used condensed canned soup (I got the recipe from her), but I’ve used non-condensed and it works either way honestly. It’s kind of hard to mess this recipe up.
Yes, this recipe works well in the Crockpot. Stir together all the ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the lid on and set to LOW for 8-10 hours.
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
No-Peek Stew Recipe
Making beef stew doesn’t get easier than this recipe! Throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning or in oven around lunch time, DO NOT PEEK, and you’ll end up with a hearty and tasty dinner for a crowd.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of beef stew meat (or chuck roast, trimmed and cut-up in about 1-inch chunks)
- 2–3 baking potatoes, peeled and cut up into about 1-inch chunks
- 3 large carrots, peeled and cut up into about 1-inch chunks
- 1 large onion, cut up into about 1-inch chunks
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or more to your preference
- 1 (15-ounce) can of green beans, liquid and all
- 1 (15-ounce) can of tomato soup (preferably organic)
- 1 (15-ounce) can of cream of mushroom soup (preferably organic)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
Oven Method:
- Preheat oven to 275° F.
- Spray a 9×13-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Add stew meat, potatoes, carrots, and onions to the casserole dish. Season with the pepper and gently stir together.
- Dump the can of green beans, liquid and all, over the top of meat and vegetables. Then, pour the tomato soup and cream of mushroom soup over the top. Gently combine with a spoon if you want, but not necessary. Tightly cover with foil.
- Place casserole dish on a cookie sheet with sides, in case of overflow. Bake for 5 hours. Don’t peek!
Slow Cooker Method: Stir together all the ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Place the lid on and set to LOW for 8-10 hours. (Do not peek!)
Freeze For Later:
Option 1 (Uncooked): Follow Steps 2-3, except cover tightly with a few layers of plastic wrap and foil, squeezing out any excess air. Freeze.
Option 2 (Fully Cooked): Fully cook and cool the stew (do not leave outside of refrigerator or freezer more than 2 hours!). Place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container. Try to remove as much air as possible and seal and/or wrap it well before placing in the freezer.
Prepare From Frozen:
Option 1 (Uncooked): Thaw the casserole in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours. Remove the plastic wrap and cover tightly with one layer of foil. Bake as directed in Step 4 (or use the slow cooker method).
Option 2 (Fully Cooked): To reheat, thaw for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator (preferred method) or in the microwave using the defrost setting. Then, warm over low heat on the stove or in the slow cooker, gently stirring occasionally until warmed through.
Notes/Tips
- We get our beef from ButcherBox. The beef is grass-fed and curated from trusted farms.
- This recipe does include some canned, pre-made items, which we normally avoid. Do your best to find organic, BPA-free options. Read labels and find the canned items with the most recognizable and fewest ingredients.
Harriet Mola says
Hi. Do you have a recommendation for the brand of Soups that you use? I am assuming it is not condensed soup.
Rachel Tiemeyer says
I just always buy what I can find in the health food section to avoid additives and preservatives. My mother-in-law always used condensed canned soup (I got the recipe from her), but I’ve used non-condensed and it works either way honestly. It’s kind of hard to mess this recipe up.
Carolyn Malizia says
I’ve been making this for the past year. This recipe is not only easy but delicious. Wouldn’t change a thing. Thanks for sharing
Carla from Thriving Home says
Hi Carolyn. So glad you enjoy this. Thanks for leaving a review!