There’s something deeply satisfying about putting one big meal in the crockpot and knowing you’ve got more than just tonight’s dinner taken care of. Especially when you’ve got work, the boys, and those evenings when you walk through the door at eight o’clock and the very last thing you want to do is cook.
This week, I went digging through the freezer and realized that, while I had plenty of beef, I didn’t actually have a neat package labeled “stew meat.” 😂 What I did have was cubed steak. So that’s what went into the pot!
I added potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, diced tomatoes, beef broth, and plenty of seasoning. I skipped the canned vegetables altogether and used chopped kale instead. And when I served it? A generous handful of shredded cheese. Because honestly, cheese makes a pretty good thing even better.
❧ The Best Part? One Pot, Eight Meals ❧
After enjoying a bowl for dinner, I portioned the leftovers into six glass containers for the week. Some will be lunches at work, others will be easy dinners on those busy evenings when cooking is the last thing I feel like doing. That’s the kind of meal prep that actually works for my life.
❧ Katie’s Cheesy Beef & Vegetable Stew ❧
Makes: About 8 portions | Method: Slow cooker
These are the approximate amounts for recreating my batch. I tend to use what I have on hand, so feel free to adjust the vegetables and seasonings to your taste.
❧ Ingredients ❧
- About 3–4 lb beef cubed steak, thawed and cut into bite-size pieces
- 5–6 gold potatoes, chopped
- 4–5 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 can Italian-style diced tomatoes, with juices
- 4–6 cups beef broth, or enough to nearly cover
- 2–3 cups chopped kale
- Garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper, to taste
- Optional: flour mixed with cold water to thicken
- Shredded cheese for topping each serving
❧ How I Made It ❧
- Add the thawed beef, potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, diced tomatoes, broth, and seasonings to a slow cooker.
- Cook until the beef is tender and the vegetables are soft. I started mine on HIGH for about 1–1½ hours, then turned it to LOW for roughly 5 more hours. Times may vary with your slow cooker and cut of beef; make sure the beef cooks through and is tender.
- Add chopped kale toward the end, allowing it to soften in the hot stew.
- If you prefer a thicker stew, stir in a small slurry of flour and cold water and let it cook until thickened.
- Ladle into bowls and top individual portions with shredded cheese. Let it melt into that warm, savory broth.
❧ A Little Meal Prep Magic ❧
After dinner, I divided the rest into six meal containers and topped them with cheese. Now I can grab a container for lunch at work or reheat one for a quick dinner when I get home. No complicated assembly. Just reheat and eat.
Storage tip: Refrigerate promptly in shallow, covered containers and use within 3–4 days, or freeze portions you won’t finish in that time. Reheat until steaming hot, to 165°F.
❧ A Note from Katie’s Kitchen ❧
I think we’re often made to feel like meal prep has to mean spending an entire Sunday cooking five different things. Not in this kitchen! Sometimes it means making one really good pot of stew, eating it for dinner, and packing up the leftovers. Less wasted food, less stress, and one less thing to think about on a busy weekday. I’ll happily take that. ♡
❧ Printable Recipe Card ❧
Want to keep this one for your recipe box? Click the card below to open the full-size Katie’s Kitchen recipe card, then save or print a copy. ♡
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