Slow Cooker Beef Stew with Garlic Herbs & Cannellini Beans

Tossing all the ingredients into a slow cooker makes this Italian-inspired beef stew virtually a hands-off meal. The long simmer time is the secret to the beef's fork-tender texture and rich-tasting tomato-based gravy.

Ingreadient

  • 1 ½ pounds small red potatoes, cut into quarters (4½ cups)
  • 3 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces (2¼ cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces (1¼ cups)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 ½ pounds beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 2 cups low-sodium beef broth, divided
  • ¾ cup dry red wine
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 16 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 tsp. dried
  • 12 fresh rosemary sprigs or 1 tsp. dried
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed
  • 6 cups baby spinach