Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Mushrooms & Onions

Use your crock pot when you’re hosting a dinner party, and prepare this delicious meal with beef, onions and mushrooms taking center stage. The recipe is ideal for a fall dinner party or winter dinner party because it’s rustic and hearty home cooking!

This is easy to prepare ahead so you’re not stressed out when guests arrive. And although I recommend searing the outside of the meat before adding it to the crock, you don’t have to.

Ingredient Notes

• 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. 
• Frozen pearl onions. These make the dish a little extra special because they look fancy! The frozen ones are a quick and easy way to incorporate them, but you can substitute with freshly chopped onion if you like.
• Fresh Mushrooms. Buy them already sliced to save time. 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.
• Diced roasted tomatoes. I prefer the fire-roasted tomatoes for the char on them, but regular is fine too. Use the whole can; don’t drain it.
• Red wine. Use a dry red wine like Bordeaux, Merlot, Cabernet, or a red blend.

PARTY TIP: Use a variety of mushrooms with textures and shapes for a more interesting presentation.

How to Make It 

See the complete instructions in the recipe card below.

1. Coat the beef tips with a light layer of flour, 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.

Helpful Tips

• Choose beef that doesn’t have too much visible fat. If it does, trim some of it off.
• Searing the meat beforehand creates a tasty and attractive crust on the outside and seals in the juices.
• To make this a filling stew, add some sliced carrots or potatoes to the slow cooker before cooking.

Serving Suggestions

Eat it like a stew in a bowl with crusty bread on the side. Add a spinach and arugula salad with tomatoes for freshness.

Serve it over rice or pasta to make it even heartier. Or give it a rustic twist with cheese grits casserole or goat cheese polenta on the side.

One of my favorite ways to have it is with shortcut mashed potatoes; refrigerated Bob Evan’s brand tastes like homemade. Add a side of roasted carrots.

Serve it for a Halloween dinner party with black pasta (like I did here) and a variety of mushroom shapes. These small touches make it a fun dish for Halloween entertaining.

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 made in the slow cooker
• Slow cooker vegetable beef soup
• Slow cooker BBQ beef sandwiches
• Easy southwest chili in the slow cooker