Slow Cooker Italian Beef and Broccoli: Forget takeout and take what you know about beef and broccoli and try this kid-friendly, comfort spin. All with the help and ease of your slow cooker!
As I mentioned in a recent blog post, we’ve had some major home-life changes which have resulted in a shift in scheduling for both Mom and Dad- from a parenting, working, and all around taking-care-of-our-children standpoint. On the nights the kids are with me, I tend to focus on cooking comforting, cozy classics that I know my kids [or at least one of the four tops] will eat. Honestly, a little beef and marinara sauce goes a LONG way, so that’s why you can almost always find this slow cooker Italian beef and broccoli on dinner rotation.
Recipes that include marinara sauce [store-bought or homemade] are just as comforting and cozy for Mom too! Some of my favorite childhood memories include watching sports on TV with my Dad while my Mom had some version of her red sauce cooking away on the stove [for lasagna, penne with Italian sausage, spaghetti and meatballs, etc.]. Things look different at my house right now: there are no sports on TV [I’m losing it- I WANT COLLEGE FOOTBALL] and most weekdays I don’t have time to make homemade red sauce. So, I rely on a jar or two from the store and call that a win!
Slow cooker beef and broccoli is the definition of easy recipe. And as I mentioned, my kids go crazy for the tender beef pieces. I typically use stew meat for this recipe [stew meat for pasta? Give it a shot!] because the meat is easily shredded and is perfect for tiny Michael teeth. Don’t be fooled by the title of this post. The kids had their beef with pasta, I ate all the broccoli, and I’m fairly certain Michael just ate handfuls of shredded Kraft cheese. The good news is everyone ate dinner without complaints! Oh and if you have leftovers, serve the beef over hoagie rolls with peppers and onions, use it as a topper over zoodles, or shred on flatbread for little Italian pita pizzas!
- 28-ounce jar store-bought tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, divided
- 2 pounds beef stew meat
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 2-3 cups broccoli florets
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Extra Parmesan cheese for serving
- Add tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, beef, garlic and chicken stock to slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
- Add parmesan cheese, stir to combine, and cover until ready to serve.
- To cook broccoli, place in microwave safe dish, add water, cover, and cook for about 4 minutes, or until broccoli is tender.
- Season with olive oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and additional parmesan cheese before serving.
Details about the recipe:
My favorite slow cooker:
The store-bought sauce I should buy stock in:
All-purpose Italian seasoning for the meat and broccoli:
Curious about the endless meal options with jarred marinara sauce? Check out this post on 10 Dinner to Make with Jarred Pasta Sauce. You can also make your own red sauce with one of my favorite recipes: Sunday Gravy or 10-minute tomato sauce.
Disclosure: I collaborated with the Michigan Beef Industry Commission [@MiBeef] on behalf of the Beef Checkoff [@BeefCheckoff] to bring you slow cooker favorites this back to school season. Be sure to find more family-friendly beef recipes on BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com and the Michigan Beef Industry Commission website.
