Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Mushrooms & Onions

Make the most of your slow cooker when you’re hosting guests, and prepare a delicious dinner party menu with beef, onions and mushrooms. It’s ideal for an easy fall dinner party.

Serve it for a Halloween dinner party. Black pasta and a variety of mushroom shapes are small touches that make it a fun dish for Halloween entertaining.

Why You’ll Love It

• Using a crockpot makes hosting a breeze!
• Easy to prep. I recommend searing the outside of the meat before adding it, but you don’t have to.
• This dish is hearty comfort food that everyone will love.

Ingredients & Substitutions

• Boneless beef tips. I used chuck roast that was cut into 1-inch cubes. Other good cuts for slow cooking are rump roast or sirloin tips. 
• All-purpose flour. This is used to coat the beef before searing.
• Frozen pearl onions. Using frozen pearl onions is a quick and easy way to incorporate onions into the recipe, plus they look a bit fancy for a party! You can substitute with freshly chopped onion if you like.
• Fresh Mushrooms. Fresh mushrooms add an earthy flavor and texture, and I found this gourmet chef’s mix at Wegman’s. It includes a combination of cremini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms. The variety of textures and shapes gives the dish a more interesting presentation. Feel free to use your mushroom of choice.
• Beef broth. Beef broth and bone broth are interchangeable for this recipe, but bone broth has come into the spotlight recently for its nutritional benefits. I’ve also read where some people think it adds a richer flavor, but I’m not sure I’ve noticed that specifically.
• Diced roasted tomatoes. Canned diced fire-roasted tomatoes give this recipe color and taste. Use the whole can; don’t drain it.
• Red wine. Use a dry red wine like merlot, cabernet, or a red blend.
• Onion soup mix. A packet of dry onion soup mix is a classic flavor enhancer when using the slow cooker.

How to Make It 

See the complete instructions in the recipe card below.

1. Coat the beef tips with flour, lightly, and cook in a hot skillet for a minute or two on each side to create an outer crust. Do not cook all the way through. NOTE: You CAN put the meat in without searing it first, but I like the outer crust that forms from searing it beforehand.
2. Transfer the beef to the crock pot and add the rest of the ingredients; give a quick stir to combine everything. 
3. Place the lid on top and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours.

Expert Tips

Choose beef that doesn’t have too much visible fat.

Searing the meat beforehand creates a tasty crust on the outside and seals in the juices.

Additions

These are optional if you want to experiment over time.

• Add some aromatic herbs like fresh rosemary, thyme, or dry bay leaves.
• To make the stew more hearty, add some sliced carrots, celery, or potatoes.

What to Serve With It

This main dish is so versatile you can serve it differently almost every time you make it.

• Serve it like a stew in a bowl with crusty bread on the side, or serve it over rice or mashed potatoes.
• Add a starter salad to your meal to incorporate some freshness and a well rounded menu.
• Spoon it over pasta noodles. These black noodles are great for a black themed party.
• For a hearty rustic dinner, serve it with cheese grits casserole or goat cheese polenta on the side.
• Add a vegetable side dish like sauteed brussels sprouts or oven roasted carrots with cumin.

More Beef Recipes

Beef tips with mushrooms and onions is such an easy and satisfying dish to serve to company, and here are some other recipes that are perfect for the beef lovers!

• Filet mignon in balsamic-red wine reduction
• Best spaghetti meat sauce in the slow cooker
• Slow cooker vegetable beef soup
• Slow cooker BBQ beef sandwiches
• Easy southwest chili in the slow cooker