Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon: A French Classic Made Simple

Have you ever dreamed of making the classic French dish Boeuf Bourguignon at home, maybe even tackling a Julia Child recipe, but felt completely intimidated by the idea? I get it. I adore Julia, but let’s be honest, many of her recipes are a labor of love. That’s why I’ve been making this slow cooker Boeuf Bourguignon version for years. It’s the next best thing, and trust me, it delivers deep, rich flavors with a lot less fuss.

As a seasoned home cook (and enthusiastic Francophile!) who cooks for two and blogs about it, I’ve learned how to adapt big, bold dishes into something manageable for a weeknight—or a weekend when you still want to relax. This Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon is adapted from a few different recipes, including Julia’s original from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, along with a few of my personal touches. I typically make this twice a year: once for Bastille Day in July, and again for Beaujolais Nouveau Day in November. It’s become a delicious little tradition that we look forward to every time. We’ve even hosted dinner parties to share our tradition with friends!

Jump to:

• Getting Started
• Ingredient Recommendations
• Ingredient Alternatives
• Finishing Touches
• Pairings
• Leftovers
• Recipe

Getting Started

If you can, prep the meat the night before—yes, even on a weekend! The bacon and beef can be chopped and ready to go so you’re not spending your morning knee-deep in prep. It’s worth it. Searing everything can take up to an hour. That first batch of beef is always the slowest. (Don’t worry—it gets faster!) Watch your heat and adjust if the pan gets too hot.

Food safety note: Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat and vegetables, or thoroughly wash your board and knives in between. I’m a fan of wooden cutting boards and have written before (in my taco seasoning recipe) about avoiding microplastics which plastic ones can introduce.

For the slow cooker, the smallest size this will fit is a 4-quart crock. I wouldn’t go bigger than a 7-quart or 8-quart crock. (Do they even come bigger than that? They do!)

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon Ingredient Recommendations

Bacon

Go for regular sliced, store-brand bacon. You’re aiming for what are called lardons—about ¼” thick and 1½” long. I slice mine the night before and store it in a small airtight container in the fridge. Stacking the bacon and using a sharp pair of kitchen shears make quick work of it.

Cook the bacon in a skillet and use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. This helps it crisp up beautifully before going into the slow cooker.

Beef

Julia’s recipe calls for 2” cubes, and you can go with that or a bit smaller with the 1″ cubes the recipe calls for, depending on your preference. I prep the beef the night before using my Japanese cleaver—salt, pepper, bag it, and chill. Sear it in batches after the bacon, using the flavorful bacon grease.

Red Wine

My go-to for Beaujolais Nouveau Day is no surprise: Beaujolais Nouveau! When I make it for Bastille Day, assuming I don’t have any back-stock of Beaujolais Nouveau, I use any Beaujolais or one of the full-bodied, young red wines Julia recommends:  

• Beaujolais
• Bordeaux-St. Emilion
• Côtes du Rhône
• Burgundy
• Chianti

Broth & Sauces

I typically use chicken broth, though Julia calls for beef broth—honestly, I’m not sure how I didn’t catch that before but it’s worked so well I’ve stuck with it! One of these days, I’ll give the beef broth a try and compare.

As for tomato sauce and soy sauce: I use whatever’s on hand, usually store-brand. Just make sure the tomato sauce is plain and comes in those convenient little 8 oz cans, not jarred pasta sauce.

Vegetables

Garlic: Fresh is best, but the jarred pre-minced kind is perfectly acceptable for convenience. I suppose you could also substitute in garlic powder if you had to but I’d stick to one of the minced clove options.

Thyme: I use ground thyme—dried, convenient, and it doesn’t overpower (I’m not a huge thyme fan). If you prefer, use 2 tsp dried or 2 tbsp fresh, finely chopped.

Carrots: Wash, peel, top and tail, then slice on the diagonal into ¼–½” pieces using a chef’s knife.

Baby Potatoes: Tri-color or all one color—your call! Just be sure to give them a good wash in a colander and a quick dry on a lint-free towel before tossing them in the slow cooker.

Mushrooms: I often go with a drained 8 oz can of pre-sliced mushrooms. (Tip: wash the top of the can before opening). Fresh mushrooms work too—just clean, slice, and add.

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon Ingredient Alternatives

Gluten-free Option

The main things to watch out for here are the flour and the soy sauce but it’s always a good idea to read the labels on all ingredients. The flour can be swapped, one-to-one, for a gluten-free all-purpose flour. The soy sauce honestly could be omitted altogether in my opinion. I really don’t think it would be missed. I plan to find out for myself one of these days. Of course, like the flour, you could always substitute it with a gluten-free soy sauce.

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon Finishing Touches

Serve in a warmed, rimmed soup bowl and garnish with parsley. Again, I like the convenience of dried parsley. Just sprinkle on as much or as little as you’d like. You can use fresh parsley for garnish if you have it.

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon Pairings

• French onion soup
• Homemade baguette recipe, croissants or crescent rolls
• Buttered leeks
• A glass of red wine—the one you used in the stew is a perfect choice.
• A French music playlist – try Spotify!
• Dessert: macarons, crème brûlée, or any other favorite French sweet

Julia shares that boiled potatoes are traditionally served with this dish. However, her recipe does not include potatoes in the stew. I’ve also seen mashed potatoes suggested as a pairing. I figure that is redundant since this recipe has potatoes in it.

Slow Cooker Boeuf Bourguignon Leftovers

Store any leftovers in the fridge and enjoy within a few days. I recommend reheating in a small pan over low heat on the stovetop. The microwave works, too. Recreate the pairings if you’ve got extras!

If you’ve ever wanted to cook something French and fancy without turning your kitchen into a stress zone, I hope you’ll give this a try. It’s comfort food with a passport—slow-cooked, deeply flavorful, and surprisingly doable.

Let me know if you make it!

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