Beef and Beans

Introduction & Inspiration

I’m always on the lookout for hearty, flavorful, and incredibly easy slow cooker meals that can simmer away all day, and this recipe for “Beef and Beans” immediately caught my attention! It features tender strips of round steak, slow-cooked with a savory blend of diced tomatoes, onions, and a simple yet delicious seasoning rub including mustard and chili powder, with hearty kidney beans stirred in at the end. Served over fluffy rice, it sounded like the perfect, unpretentious comfort food.

My inspiration for diving into this recipe came from its straightforward approach to creating a satisfying, protein-packed meal. Beef and beans is a classic combination, often found in chilis or stews, and this version promised a rich, saucy result with minimal active cooking time, thanks to the magic of the slow cooker.

My goal is to guide you step-by-step through making this wonderfully simple and satisfying dish. We’ll cover the easy preparation of the beef, the simple sauce ingredients, and how the slow cooker transforms everything into a tender, flavorful meal perfect for a weeknight dinner or a cozy weekend.

Let’s get ready to slow-cook some delicious beef and beans!

Nostalgic Appeal / Comfort Food Connection

This Slow Cooker Beef and Beans recipe taps directly into a deep well of comforting, nostalgic food traditions. Simple, savory stews featuring tender meat, beans, and a tomato-based sauce are a staple in many cultures, evoking memories of hearty home-cooked meals, chilly evenings, and satisfying, unpretentious fare. It’s the kind of dish that feels both nourishing and incredibly comforting.

The flavor profile, with its base of beef, tomatoes, onions, chili powder, and mustard, is reminiscent of classic American comfort foods like simple chilis or goulash-style dishes. Kidney beans are a familiar and beloved addition to many hearty stews and casseroles.

Using the slow cooker enhances the comfort factor, allowing the beef to become incredibly tender and the flavors to meld beautifully over several hours with very little effort. The aroma filling the house as it cooks is wonderfully inviting.

Making and enjoying this Beef and Beans feels like savoring a timeless, simple pleasure – a hearty, flavorful, and deeply satisfying meal that warms you from the inside out.

Homemade Focus (Simple Seasoning, Slow-Cooked Tenderness)

This “Beef and Beans” recipe is a wonderful example of how simple homemade preparation, primarily utilizing the slow cooker, can yield incredibly tender and flavorful results. While it uses convenient canned tomatoes and bouillon granules, the process of seasoning the steak and letting it slow cook with fresh onion and spices creates a distinctly homemade meal.

I love recipes that focus on building flavor with straightforward steps. Here, thinly sliced round steak is tossed with a simple yet potent mixture of prepared mustard, chili powder, salt, pepper, and minced garlic. This homemade seasoning rub infuses the beef with flavor as it cooks.

The slow cooker then takes over, gently simmering the seasoned beef with undrained diced tomatoes, chopped onion, and beef bouillon for many hours. This long, slow cook is crucial for tenderizing the round steak (a leaner cut) and allowing all the savory, tangy, and slightly spicy notes to meld into a cohesive and delicious sauce. Stirring in the kidney beans at the end ensures they retain their texture.

From seasoning the steak to letting the slow cooker work its patient magic, this recipe emphasizes an easy, homemade approach to a classic comforting combination.

Flavor Goal

The primary flavor goal of this Slow Cooker Beef and Beans is tender, savory strips of beef and hearty kidney beans enveloped in a rich, slightly tangy, and subtly spiced tomato and onion sauce, perfect for serving over rice. It aims for a comforting, well-balanced, and satisfyingly simple flavor profile.

The boneless round steak, sliced thin and slow-cooked, should become very tender and infused with the flavors of the seasoning rub and braising liquid.

The sauce, built from undrained diced tomatoes, chopped onion, beef bouillon, and the seasonings from the steak (mustard, chili powder, garlic, salt, pepper), should be savory, slightly tangy from the tomatoes and mustard, with a gentle warmth from the chili powder.

The kidney beans, added towards the end, provide a creamy texture and earthy flavor, absorbing the surrounding sauce.

Served over hot cooked rice, the overall effect is a hearty, flavorful, and comforting one-pot style meal with tender meat, soft beans, and a rich, savory sauce.

Ingredient Insights

Let’s explore the key components of this hearty slow cooker meal:

• Boneless round steak, thinly sliced: A lean cut of beef. Slicing it thinly against the grain and slow cooking on LOW are crucial for achieving tenderness. Other stewing cuts like chuck could be used for a more traditional “fall-apart” texture but would likely be cubed rather than sliced.
• Prepared mustard: Adds a tangy, pungent element to the seasoning rub for the beef. Yellow prepared mustard is likely intended.
• Chili powder: Provides warmth, color, and classic Southwestern/chili flavor.
• Salt & Pepper: Essential seasonings.
• Garlic clove, minced: Adds aromatic depth.
• Diced tomatoes (canned), undrained: Provide the liquid base, acidity, and tomato flavor for the sauce. Using undrained adds crucial moisture.
• Medium onion, chopped: Adds essential savory sweetness as it cooks down.
• Beef bouillon granules: Enhances the savory beef flavor of the sauce. Can substitute with 1 cup beef broth instead of granules + some of the water if preferred, adjusting total liquid.
• Kidney beans (canned), rinsed and drained: Add protein, fiber, and classic bean texture. Rinsing removes excess sodium.
• Hot cooked rice: The traditional accompaniment for serving.

The simple mustard-chili powder rub and the tomato-onion-bouillon base create a classic savory profile.

Essential Equipment

This recipe primarily requires your slow cooker:

• A 3-quart Slow Cooker (Crockpot) (as specified): Suitable for 1.5 lbs of steak and other ingredients.
• A Cutting board and sharp knife: Essential for thinly slicing the round steak against the grain, chopping onion, and mincing garlic.
• A Small bowl: For mixing the mustard, chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic for the steak.
• A Large bowl (optional): For tossing the steak with the seasoning mixture.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• A Can opener.
• A Large spoon or spatula: For stirring ingredients in the slow cooker.
• A Pot: For cooking rice separately.

Minimal equipment for an incredibly easy and satisfying meal!

List of Ingredients with Measurements

Here’s the complete list of ingredients, with precise measurements:

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless round steak
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
• 1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• Hot cooked rice, for serving

These quantities make a hearty meal, serving approximately 4-6 people.

Slice steak thinly against the grain before seasoning.

Step-by-Step Instructions (Effortless Slow-Cooking!)

Let’s prepare this comforting Beef and Beans:

1. Prepare and Season the Steak:

• Trim any large, visible pieces of fat from the boneless round steak. Slice the steak thinly against the grain into bite-sized strips.
• In a medium bowl, combine the prepared mustard, chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and minced garlic. Stir these ingredients together to form a paste-like seasoning mixture.
• Add the sliced steak to the bowl and toss well to ensure all the steak strips are evenly coated with the seasoning mixture.

2. Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker:

• Transfer the seasoned steak strips to a 3-quart slow cooker.
• Add the two cans of undrained diced tomatoes, the chopped onion, and the beef bouillon granules to the slow cooker over the steak.
• Stir gently just to distribute the tomatoes and onion around the steak.

3. Slow Cook:

• Cover the slow cooker securely with its lid.
• Cook on the LOW heat setting for 6-8 hours. The beef should be very tender when done.

4. Add Beans and Finish:

• After the initial 6-8 hour cooking time, stir in the rinsed and drained kidney beans.
• Cover the slow cooker again and continue to cook on LOW for an additional 30 minutes, or until the beans are heated through.

5. Serve:

• Once the beans are heated, give the Beef and Beans mixture a final gentle stir. Taste and adjust salt or pepper if needed.
• Serve hot over fluffy, hot cooked rice. Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions if desired (optional, not listed).

A simple, hearty, and flavorful meal ready with minimal effort!

Troubleshooting

Slow-cooked lean beef requires a bit of care:

• Problem: Round steak is tough or chewy, not tender.
  • Solution: Round steak is a leaner cut and can be less forgiving than chuck roast. Ensure it was cooked on LOW for the full 6-8 hours. Slicing it thinly against the grain before cooking is crucial for tenderness. If still tough, it may simply need more time on LOW.
• Problem: Sauce is too thin or watery.
  • Solution: The undrained diced tomatoes and juices from the meat create the sauce. If it’s much too thin for your liking after the full cooking time, you can remove the lid for the last 30-60 minutes of cooking (after adding beans, or even before) to allow some evaporation. Alternatively, whisk a slurry of 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2-3 tablespoons cold water, stir it into the slow cooker on HIGH for the last 15-20 minutes until thickened.
• Problem: Flavor is bland.
  • Solution: Ensure generous seasoning with salt, pepper, chili powder, and mustard initially. Use good quality diced tomatoes and beef bouillon. Taste and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper, more chili powder, or even a dash of hot sauce or Worcestershire sauce – not in recipe but good additions) at the end of cooking.
• Problem: Beans are mushy.
  • Solution: Add the rinsed and drained canned kidney beans only during the last 30 minutes of cooking, as specified. They are already cooked and just need to be heated through.

Low and slow is best for tenderizing leaner cuts like round steak.

Tips and Variations

Let’s customize this comforting beef and bean dish:

• Tip (Beef Cut): For guaranteed fall-apart tender beef, substitute 1.5 lbs of beef chuck roast, cut into 1-2 inch cubes, for the round steak. It will be richer and more traditionally “stew-like.”
• Variation: Add other vegetables along with the onion, such as 1 chopped green or red bell pepper, or 1-2 sliced carrots, for more flavor and nutrition.
• Tip: For a deeper flavor, you can brown the seasoned steak strips in a skillet with a little oil before adding them to the slow cooker. Deglaze the skillet with a splash of the diced tomato juice or beef broth and add that to the pot too. (Adds a step, but boosts flavor).
• Variation: Use different types of canned beans like pinto beans, black beans, or a chili bean blend instead of or in addition to kidney beans.
• Tip: If you prefer fresh garlic over minced from a jar (if that’s what was used), use 2-3 cloves of freshly minced garlic in the seasoning rub.
• Variation: Make it spicier by adding ½ – 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a finely diced jalapeño (seeds removed for less heat) along with the onion.
• Variation: Stir in a tablespoon of tomato paste with the diced tomatoes for a richer tomato flavor.

A versatile base for a hearty, savory stew!

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

Slow Cooker Beef and Beans is a satisfying, all-in-one style meal when served over rice.

Serving: Serve hot, spooned generously over fluffy white or brown rice.

Toppings & Sides:

• Optional Toppings: A dollop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, chopped fresh cilantro or green onions.
• Bread: Warm cornbread or crusty bread is perfect for soaking up the savory sauce.
• Salad: A simple green salad with a vinaigrette or a side of coleslaw provides a refreshing contrast.

Perfect for a comforting family dinner, especially on a chilly day.

Nutritional Information

This dish features lean beef (round steak) and beans, making it high in protein and fiber. Nutritional info is approximate (per serving, assuming 6 servings, before rice):

• Calories: 300-400
• Fat: 10-18 grams (depends on leanness of round steak)
• Saturated Fat: 3-7 grams
• Cholesterol: 70-100 mg
• Sodium: 700-1000+ mg (Canned tomatoes, bouillon, and added salt contribute significantly)
• Total Carbs.: 20-30 grams (from beans, tomatoes, onion, small amount from flour if used implicitly for rub)
• Dietary Fiber: 6-10+ grams (Excellent source from beans!)
• Sugars: 5-10 grams (natural from tomatoes/onions)
• Protein: 30-40+ grams (Excellent source!)

A high-protein, high-fiber meal. Sodium can be managed by using low-sodium diced tomatoes, low-sodium bouillon (or homemade broth), and controlling added salt. Lean round steak keeps the fat content relatively moderate.

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Recipe Summary and Q&A

Let’s conclude with a summary and common questions:

Recipe Summary:

Slow Cooker Beef and Beans features thinly sliced boneless round steak tossed with a seasoning mixture of prepared mustard, chili powder, salt, pepper, and garlic. The seasoned steak is placed in a slow cooker with undrained diced tomatoes, chopped onion, and beef bouillon granules. It’s cooked on low for 6-8 hours until the beef is tender. Rinsed and drained canned kidney beans are stirred in during the last 30 minutes of cooking. The dish is typically served hot over cooked rice.

Q&A:

Q: Can I make this dish ahead of time? A: Yes! This is a great make-ahead meal. Cook as directed, cool, store refrigerated, and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. Flavors often meld and improve overnight.

Q: How do I store leftovers? A: Store leftover Beef and Beans in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Q: Can I freeze this? A: Yes, it freezes quite well. Cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe containers or bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently.

Q: Do I have to use round steak? What if I use chuck roast? A: Chuck roast is an excellent substitute and is often preferred for slow cooking as it becomes more fall-apart tender due to its higher fat and connective tissue content. If using chuck, cut it into 1-2 inch cubes instead of thin strips. The cooking time will be similar.

Q: Can I use fresh tomatoes instead of canned diced tomatoes? A: Yes. You’ll need about 3-4 cups of chopped, ripe tomatoes. You may need to add a little extra liquid (like more beef broth or water) as canned tomatoes include their own juice.