Crockpot Italian Garlic Butter Beef and Potatoes

Beef stew meat and baby potatoes go into the crockpot raw, and four hours later you have dinner. That is the whole idea. The butter melts into the Italian dressing and the beef drips its own juices, so the sauce makes itself while you are somewhere else.

Use baby gold potatoes, not russets. Golds hold their shape after four hours. Russets turn to mush and cloud the sauce, which is the one thing people write to me about.

The garlic goes in two places: minced at the start so it softens into the sauce, and a little more at the end for bite. That second hit is what makes it taste like garlic butter instead of plain gravy.

About the Ingredients

2.5 lb (1.1 kg) beef stew meat, cut into 1.5-inch chunks

Chuck, bottom round, or shoulder all work. If the chunks are bigger than your thumb, cut them down so they cook evenly. Trim any thick fat caps, but leave the marbling in.

2 lb (900 g) baby gold potatoes, halved if large

Leave the skin on and scrub them well. If you only have russets, cut them into 2-inch pieces and add them at the halfway mark so they do not fall apart.

1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) salted butter, cut into slices

Salted butter is what makes this taste like garlic bread. If you use unsalted, add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt with the seasoning.

1 packet (0.7 oz / 20 g) dry Italian dressing mix

Good Seasons, Hidden Valley, or a store brand all work. For a lower-sodium version, use half the packet and taste before adding more.

6 cloves garlic, minced, divided

Four cloves go in at the start, two at the end. Jarred minced garlic is fine here, about 1 1/2 teaspoons for the first batch.

1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth

Water plus a bouillon cube works in a pinch. Keep it low-sodium, since the dressing mix already carries a lot of salt.

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Soy sauce or a splash of balsamic vinegar can stand in. It adds depth, not a distinct flavor you will pick out.

1 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)

Crush them between your palms first. That releases the oils, and you will smell the difference immediately.

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

Leave them out for kids or anyone who does not want heat. A pinch is barely noticeable, but it cuts the richness.

2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water

This is only for the end, if the sauce looks thin. Arrowroot or a tablespoon of flour slurry works the same way.

Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

Flat-leaf or curly, whichever you have. It is for color and a fresh bite, so do not skip it if you can help it.

Tips & Tricks

Do not lift the lid

Every peek drops the temperature and adds about 20 minutes to the cook time. Trust the clock and keep it closed.

Pat the beef dry before it goes in

Wet meat releases water and thins the sauce. A quick pat with paper towels takes ten seconds.

Salt at the end, not the start

The dressing mix and broth are salty, and the sauce reduces. Taste after the cornstarch and add salt only if it needs it.

Cut the potatoes the same size

Uneven pieces mean some turn to paste while others stay hard. Halve the big ones so everything is roughly golf-ball size.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Layer the potatoes

Spread the halved baby potatoes across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. They take the longest, so they need to sit closest to the heat.

2. Add the beef

Pile the stew meat on top of the potatoes in an even layer. Do not stir it in, or the potatoes end up buried and unevenly cooked.

3. Whisk the sauce

In a small bowl, whisk the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Italian dressing mix, 4 cloves of minced garlic, dried herbs, and red pepper flakes until the dressing mix dissolves.

4. Pour and dot with butter

Pour the sauce over the beef and potatoes. Lay the butter slices on top in a single layer, then put the lid on.

5. Cook low and slow

Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. The beef is done when it shreds with a fork and the potatoes slide off a knife with no resistance.

6. Thicken the sauce

In the last 15 minutes, whisk the cornstarch with cold water and stir it into the liquid around the edges. Leave the lid off and let it bubble until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

7. Finish with garlic

Stir in the last 2 cloves of minced garlic and let it sit for 5 minutes. The residual heat softens it without cooking away the bite.

8. Serve

Spoon the beef, potatoes, and plenty of sauce into shallow bowls. Scatter chopped parsley over the top and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Delicious Variations

Italian beef and pepperoncini

Add 8 whole pepperoncini and 1/4 cup of their juice with the broth. It turns tangy and a little spicy, closer to an Italian beef sandwich filling.

Creamy garlic butter version

Stir in 1/2 cup of heavy cream or full-fat sour cream with the cornstarch at the end. Do not add it earlier, or it can curdle over the long cook.

Ranch swap

Use a packet of ranch dressing mix instead of Italian. It is milder and a little tangier, and kids tend to prefer it over the herb version.

How to Store Cozy up to this Crockpot Italian Garlic Butter Beef & Potatoes

Frequently Asked Questions

If you make this on a gray Tuesday and it saves the evening, that is exactly what it is for. From my table to yours.

Crockpot Italian Garlic Butter Beef and Potatoes

Crockpot Italian garlic butter beef and potatoes: tender stew meat, baby potatoes, and a buttery Italian herb sauce that cooks itself in one pot.

15 minPrep time450 minCook time6Servings512 kcalCalories

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🧂 Ingredients

• 2.5 lb (1.1 kg) beef stew meat, cut into 1.5-inch chunks
• 2 lb (900 g) baby gold potatoes, halved if large
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) salted butter, cut into slices
• 1 packet (0.7 oz / 20 g) dry Italian dressing mix
• 6 cloves garlic, minced, divided
• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp dried Italian herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
• 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for serving

📋 Instructions

1. 1Layer the potatoes — Spread the halved baby potatoes across the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. They take the longest, so they need to sit closest to the heat.
2. 2Add the beef — Pile the stew meat on top of the potatoes in an even layer. Do not stir it in, or the potatoes end up buried and unevenly cooked.
3. 3Whisk the sauce — In a small bowl, whisk the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Italian dressing mix, 4 cloves of minced garlic, dried herbs, and red pepper flakes until the dressing mix dissolves.
4. 4Pour and dot with butter — Pour the sauce over the beef and potatoes. Lay the butter slices on top in a single layer, then put the lid on.
5. 5Cook low and slow — Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. The beef is done when it shreds with a fork and the potatoes slide off a knife with no resistance.
6. 6Thicken the sauce — In the last 15 minutes, whisk the cornstarch with cold water and stir it into the liquid around the edges. Leave the lid off and let it bubble until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
7. 7Finish with garlic — Stir in the last 2 cloves of minced garlic and let it sit for 5 minutes. The residual heat softens it without cooking away the bite.
8. 8Serve — Spoon the beef, potatoes, and plenty of sauce into shallow bowls. Scatter chopped parsley over the top and serve with crusty bread for dipping.

👨🍳 Chef's Note: Salt is the one thing that can go wrong here, so taste the sauce after the cornstarch goes in and only then decide. The dressing mix does most of the work for you.

Servings: 6

Cuisine: American-Italian

Course: Dinner

Easy Recipes for Everyday Cooking15 minutes450 minutes475 minutes

Nutrition (per serving): 512 kcal · 38g protein · 30g carbs · 26g fat