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This slow cooker beef tips with gravy recipe is made with tender steak bites simmered in a rich homemade gravy with onions, garlic, beef broth, and herbs. Served over mashed potatoes and a side of green beans or carrots and topped with parsley. It’s a cozy comfort food dinner made with simple pantry ingredients and plenty of savory flavor!
Table of Contents
- Quick Look: Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy
- Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- Recipe Variations
- How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Homemade Gravy
- Expert Tips
- Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Beef Dinner Recipes
- Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Homemade Gravy Recipe
Quick Look: Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 11 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 6 hours
- 🕒 Total Time: 6 hrs, 11 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 📊 Calories: ~347 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Slow cooker
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Tender beef tips in a rich, savory gravy.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, weeknight dinners.
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Why You’ll Love Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Gravy
If you’ve ever made beef tips that turned out tough or ended up with a gravy that’s too thin, these crockpot beef tips and gravy are for you! Giving the steak a quick sear before it goes into the slow cooker adds so much flavor, and the arrowroot helps create a rich, silky gravy that’s perfect for spooning over mashed potatoes.
I also love that it’s made with simple ingredients you can easily find at the grocery store. The combination of beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, garlic, onions, and thyme makes the coziest homemade gravy. If you’re a fan of hearty dinners like my slow cooker beef stew or slow cooker corned beef & cabbage, I think this one is going to earn a spot in your regular dinner rotation, too!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Steak & Seasoning
- Sirloin steak: My favorite choice for slow cooker beef tips because it becomes tender while still holding its shape. Filet or NY strip also work well. Trim excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Gluten-free 1:1 flour: Creates a light coating on the beef and helps the gravy develop body as it cooks.
- Salt & pepper: Seasons the beef from the start so every bite has flavor.
- Garlic powder: Adds savory depth without overpowering the gravy.
- Onion powder: Reinforces the onion flavor throughout the dish.
- Olive oil: Used to quickly brown the beef before it goes into the slow cooker.
Gravy
- Butter: Use vegan butter if you need a dairy-free version.
- Onion: Adds so much flavor to the gravy as it cooks down and becomes nice and tender.
- Minced garlic: Fresh garlic gives the gravy a homemade flavor.
- Beef broth: I love using Kettle & Fire beef broth for a rich, savory base.
- Gluten-free Worcestershire sauce: Adds depth and classic beef-and-gravy flavor.
- Dijon mustard: Don’t skip it! It adds so much depth to the gravy.
- Frank’s Red Hot: Trust me on this one! It doesn’t make the gravy spicy, but it adds so much flavor.
- Dried thyme: Adds warmth and an herby flavor that pairs beautifully with beef.
- Salt & pepper: Balances and seasons the gravy.
- Onion powder: Adds another layer of savory flavor.
- Garlic powder: Enhances the garlic already in the gravy.
- Arrowroot powder: Thickens the gravy into a smooth, glossy sauce.
- Water: Mixed with the arrowroot powder to create a slurry.
Recipe Variations
- I love using sirloin for this crock pot beef tips recipe, but filet or NY strip are great options if that’s what you have on hand.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, simply swap the butter for your favorite vegan butter.
- I prefer using arrowroot powder, but cornstarch works great if that’s what you have on hand!
- My favorite way to serve these beef tips is over a big scoop of mashed potatoes, but white rice, cauliflower mash, or gluten-free noodles are all delicious options, too!
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Homemade Gravy
Step 1: Add the cubed steak to a bowl along with the gluten free flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder and toss to coat.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet (or in your slow cooker if you have the saute function) over medium high heat. Add the steak and cook for a minute on all sides until they are starting to brown, but not cooked through. Remove from the pan.
Step 3: To the same pan, add the butter. Once melted, add in the onions and garlic. Saute for 4-5 minutes until starting to brown and soften. Add in the remaining ingredients except for the arrowroot/water and stir to combine.
Step 4: Add the gravy into the slow cooker (if made on the stove), along with the seared steak bites. Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours.
Step 5: Combine the arrowroot powder and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Turn the slow cooker to high heat. Pour the slurry into the slow cooker and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, on high heat for 5-7 minutes until the gravy is thickened to your liking.
Step 6: Top with parsley and serve over mashed potatoes with a side of green beans/carrots and topped with parsley. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- If you have a few extra minutes, don’t skip the sear! It adds so much flavor to both the beef and the gravy.
- Try not to crowd the pan when browning the steak. Giving the pieces a little space helps them brown instead of steam.
- Try to cut the steak into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks evenly.
- If you have the time, I definitely recommend cooking this on low. It gives the beef plenty of time to become nice and tender.
- Don’t worry about the Frank’s Red Hot. It doesn’t make the gravy spicy. It just adds a little something special that helps balance all of the rich flavors!
- Looking for another cozy beef dinner? My Instant Pot steak with homemade beef gravy is a great option when you need dinner on the table a little faster!
Storage & Make-Ahead Tips
- To reheat, warm the beef and gravy gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. If the gravy has thickened up in the fridge, stir in a splash of beef broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Leftover beef tips and gravy store really well, which makes this recipe great for meal prep! Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- This recipe freezes really well, too! Just let everything cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
Sirloin is my favorite because it gets nice and tender without falling apart. Filet and NY strip are also excellent options for this recipe!
No, but it adds a noticeable layer of flavor. If you’re short on time, you can skip it and still end up with a delicious meal!
The arrowroot slurry added at the end thickens the gravy quickly. Make sure the slow cooker is on high when you stir it in.
More Beef Dinner Recipes
Easy Garlic Butter Steak Bites (Stovetop & Air Fryer!)
Easy French Onion Meatballs with Gravy
Beef and Broccoli Ramen Stir Fry (Gluten Free)
Instant Pot Short Ribs Ragu
Slow Cooker Beef Tips with Homemade Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
Steak / Seasoning
- 2 lb sirloin steak, or filet or NY strip, fat trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp gluten free 1:1 flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Gravy
- 3 tbsp butter, use vegan for dairy free
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2.5 cups beef broth, I like Kettle & Fire brand
- 1.5 tsp gluten free worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp Frank's Red Hot
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tbsp arrowroot powder
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- Add the cubed steak to a bowl along with the gluten free flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder and toss to coat.
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet (or in your slow cooker if you have the saute function) over medium high heat. Add the steak and cook for a minute on all sides until they are starting to brown, but not cooked through. Remove from the pan.
- To the same pan, add the butter. Once melted, add in the onions and garlic. Saute for 4-5 minutes until starting to brown and soften. Add in the remaining ingredients except for the arrowroot/water and stir to combine. Add the gravy into the slow cooker (if made on the stove), along with the seared steak bites.
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours.
- Combine the arrowroot powder and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Turn the slow cooker to high heat. Pour the slurry into the slow cooker and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, on high heat for 5-7 minutes until the gravy is thickened to your liking.
- Serve over mashed potatoes with a side of green beans/carrots and topped with parsley. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you have a few extra minutes, don’t skip the sear! It adds so much flavor to both the beef and the gravy.
- Try not to crowd the pan when browning the steak. Giving the pieces a little space helps them brown instead of steam.
- Try to cut the steak into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks evenly.
- If you have the time, I definitely recommend cooking this on low. It gives the beef plenty of time to become nice and tender.
- Don’t worry about the Frank’s Red Hot. It doesn’t make the gravy spicy. It just adds a little something special that helps balance all of the rich flavors!
- Looking for another cozy beef dinner? My Instant Pot steak with homemade beef gravy is a great option when you need dinner on the table a little faster!
- Leftover beef tips and gravy store really well, which makes this recipe great for meal prep! Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- This recipe freezes really well, too! Just let everything cool completely before transferring it to a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat, warm the beef and gravy gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through. If the gravy has thickened up in the fridge, stir in a splash of beef broth until it reaches your desired consistency.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
