14 Easy Beef Slow-Cooker Meals the Whole Family Will Enjoy

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This post is a collaboration with National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor of the Beef Checkoff. I received compensation, but all opinions are my own.

The fall season is in full swing at our house. After a laidback summer, we are back to school—adapting to our regular routine. That means we are busy, busy, busy. 

As a homeschooling family, we spend our days completing our lessons and evenings at volleyball and football. Plus, I’m squeezing in work as a dietitian and writer.

Add in fixing a meal, and my parenting duties can leave me feeling a bit overwhelmed. 

Just because I know about the importance of a home-cooked meal doesn’t mean that I have extra hours in the day to make one.

I’m not alone. I hear it all the time. Families are shuffling kids to and fro and one of the biggest challenges that parents of growing children face is feeding them healthy meals.

That may be part of the reason that many children don’t get enough high-quality protein or other vital nutrients in their diet.

To ensure my kids are properly nourished on these hectic school days, I often rely on easy slow-cooker beef meals. With less than 20-30 minutes of prep in the morning, we’ll have a family meal that will help support their learning minds and active bodies.

Besides being an excellent source of high-quality protein, beef provides iron, zinc, choline, and vitamins B6 and B12.

The benefits of beef for young athletes are impressive. Plus, beef is a family favorite that goes so well with nutrient-dense sides like sweet potatoes, whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. 

And need I mention how good your slow-cooker meal smells when you walk in the house after a long day?

It’s a win-win!

Ahead, I’ve got 14 slow-cooker beef recipes that will make mealtime easy…and enjoyable. 

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Slow Cooker Tips for Safe Food

First, let’s chat about food safety when using a slow cooker. As tempting as it may be to skip defrosting and throw frozen meat in the crock pot, it may not be the safest. 

The USDA provides guidelines on safe slow cooker food prep and they recommend that you safely thaw your meat first.

You can cook large cuts of beef in your slow-cooker, as long as it fits well (i.e., not pushing the lid up).

It’s also recommended that you keep the lid in place with minimal stirring or checks. This keeps the food at the proper temperature.

When the food is done, make sure you’re packing up the leftovers within two hours. Leftover slow cooker beef meals can be reheated in the microwave, in the oven, or on the stovetop until it reaches an internal temperature of 160℉ as measured by a meat thermometer.

Now that we’ve addressed how to safely cook in the slow-cooker, let’s talk about what to cook in it!

Beef Roast in the Slow Cooker

We have a small farm and raise beef cattle. Farming takes work, but we are rewarded with a wonderful selection of different cuts of beef. 

During the school year, it’s the Beef Roasts that are my go-to. 

This week, I made the EASIEST slow-cooker meal with a Chuck Arm Roast. And the kids gobbled it up! Here’s how I made the roast:

Easy Slow-Cooker Beef Roast

Ingredients:

• 1 Chuck Arm Roast (~3 pounds)
• 1 packet onion soup mix
• 1 cup water

Instructions:

1. Place roast in slow-cooker. 
2. Cover with water and onion soup mix.
3. Set the slow-cooker on low and cook for 8+ hours. Cook to a minimum internal temperature of 145℉ (as measured by a meat thermometer).

That’s it! It makes the most tender beef. And it takes under 5 minutes to put together!

With some simple guidance, my kids can do it. Involving your children in meal prep makes them more likely to eat new foods.

One 3-oz serving of cooked lean beef provides a whopping 25 grams of protein, so it’s a filling meal that is also tasty. 

I like to serve with baked sweet potatoes or instant mashed potatoes. Just add a veggie like green beans or asparagus for a well-rounded meal.

Slow-Cooker Beef Roast Recipes

While my family prefers the classic roast/potato/vegetable meal, Beef Roast is incredibly versatile and can be used in many non-traditional recipes. 

• Slow-Cooked Whiskey Molasses Shredded Beef
• Slow-Cooker Beef Pot Roast Soup
• Slow-Cooker Italian Beef Sandwich
• Irish-Inspired Beef Pot Roast and Vegetables
• After-Work Beef Pot Roast
• Southwest Beef Wraps
• Chilly Day Beef Chili

Slow-Cooker Ground Beef Recipes

Next up are some crock pot ideas for Ground Beef. In my last post, I shared 25+ Quick and Easy Meals to Make with Ground Beef. But today, it’s all about the slow-cooker.

Most slow-cooker Ground Beef recipes include an initial browning of the meat on the stovetop. This allows for you to drain off the fat before adding it to your recipe. Additionally, browning the meat provides more flavor. 

One of my family’s favorites are tacos and I like to occasionally switch it up with a taco slow-cooker meal. 

This easy meal includes high-fiber brown rice, antioxidant-rich tomatoes, and protein-packed Lean Ground Beef. Here’s the recipe:

Slow-Cooker Beefy Taco Rice

Ingredients:

• 1-pound Lean Ground Beef
• 1 28-oz can of diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 cup brown rice
• ½ cup chicken broth
• ½ cup water
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin

Instructions:

1. Brown Lean Ground Beef in a large skillet until no longer pink.
2. Mix in taco seasoning according to packet instructions.
3. In a 4-½ to 5 ½-quart slow cooker, stir together rice, chicken broth, and water.
4. Add cooked Ground Beef and tomatoes.
5. Stir and cover. Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or until rice is fully cooked and the Ground Beef has reached an internal temperature of 160F as measured by a meat thermometer. 
6. Optional toppings include: salsa, shredded cheese, cilantro, or guacamole.
7. Serve with your favorite vegetable and fruit.

Other Recipes with Ground Beef in a Slow-Cooker

• Slow-Cooker Beef Meatloaf and Vegetables: Comfort food cooking during the school day? Yes, please! This recipe includes carrots and potatoes for a wholesome and complete meal.

• Crockpot Mexican Casserole with Ground Beef: This an easy, low-prep crockpot meal with Mexican-inspired flavors. Layers of corn tortillas are combined with vegetables like bell peppers, onions, green chiles, and Ground Beef

Slow-Cooker Steak

Last, but definitely not least, there’s steak. When you think of steak, you may conjure up a vision of juicy steaks on a grill. But you can also cook steak in the slow-cooker.

Cooking steak in the slow cooker makes for tender, melt-in-your-mouth steak. And it can be ready after the school day for a delicious, low-prep family meal.

Honestly, at the beginning of our farming journey, Top Round Steak was one of those cuts of beef that would collect frost in my freezer. 

Top Round Steak is lean, so unless it’s been marinated, it isn’t very tender when cooked on the grill. I wasn’t sure what to do with it. 

Then I made Top Round Steak in the slow-cooker. Total game-changer! We had zero leftovers. Now it’s one of my favorite cuts. Here’s my slow-cooker recipe:

Slow-Cooker Top Round Steak Bites and Baby Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 beef Top Round Steak (about 1-½ to 2 pounds)
• 3 pounds baby potatoes, washed and unpeeled
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions:

1. Cut the Top Round Steak into bite-sized pieces, trimming any fat.
2. Pour the olive oil into a 4-½ to 5-½-quart slow-cooker. 
3. Put the steak and baby potatoes in the slow-cooker.
4. Top with garlic and steak seasoning blend. 
5. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6-8 hours, or until steak reaches an internal temperature of 145℉ as measured by a meat thermometer.
6. Serve with a veggie like asparagus or Brussels sprouts. 

Other Slow-Cooker Recipes with Steak

• Beef Carnitas Tacos: This Beef Carnitas recipe uses Flank Steak and is super easy to pull together because it cooks all day in a slow-cooker. It’s great for meal prep with minimal effort. Plus, it’s full of veggies and high in protein.

• Slow-Cooked Beef and Mushroom Braciole: This slow-cooker recipe uses Flank Steak, a flavorful cut that is especially tasty when prepared with this combination of mushrooms, bacon, and onion.

With a slow-cooker and a simple recipe, you can serve a satisfying and healthy meal that will nourish the entire family. Be sure to visit the Beef for Tweens and Teens for more information on beef’s role in supporting growing adolescent health and wellbeing or the 30 Minutes or Less Collection for recipe inspiration!

References:

• Radtke, Theda et al. “Cooking together: The IKEA effect on family vegetable intake.” British journal of health psychology vol. 24,4 (2019): 896-912. doi:10.1111/bjhp.12385