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Easy Slow Cooker Cholent Recipe Traditional Sabbath Stew

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Meat (Fleishig)

Cholent is the traditional Shabbat stew: beef, beans, barley and potatoes cooked slowly overnight from before Shabbat begins until Saturday lunch. This slow cooker version uses chuck roast, kidney beans, chickpeas and pearl barley, seasoned simply with paprika, garlic and onion.

Why Cholent Exists

Since cooking isn’t permitted on Shabbat, Jewish communities developed dishes that could be put on before sundown on Friday and cook gently until the next day. Cholent (or hamin in Sephardic homes) is the best known. The long, slow cooking makes the beef tender and lets the beans and barley absorb all the flavor.

Tips for a Good Cholent

Soak the beans overnight so they cook evenly; if you forget, boil them for 2 minutes and let them sit covered for an hour. Add enough water or stock to cover everything, since barley and beans absorb a lot of liquid overnight. Browning the meat first adds flavor.

Kosher Notes

This is a meat (fleishig) dish. There are specific halachic guidelines about food left cooking over Shabbat, including how cooked it should be before Shabbat starts and how the slow cooker is set up, so follow your rabbi’s guidance. Leftovers keep for 4 days and reheat on the stove with a splash of water.

Easy Slow Cooker Cholent Recipe Traditional Sabbath Stew
This traditional Sabbath stew transforms simple ingredients into a hearty, comforting meal that cooks slowly overnight in your slow cooker.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Jewish
Calories: 485
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs beef chuck roast cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup dried kidney beans soaked overnight and drained
  • 1 cup dried chickpeas soaked overnight and drained
  • 1 cup pearl barley
  • 6 medium potatoes peeled and halved
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 6-8 cups water or beef stock enough to cover ingredients

What I use for this recipe

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Method
 

  1. Season the beef pieces with 1 teaspoon salt and half the black pepper. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
  2. Layer the seasoned beef pieces in the bottom of your slow cooker.
  3. Add the drained kidney beans and chickpeas in an even layer over the meat.
  4. Sprinkle the pearl barley over the beans.
  5. Arrange the halved potatoes on top, cut side down.
  6. In a small bowl, combine diced onion, minced garlic, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, remaining salt, and remaining pepper. Scatter this mixture over everything.
  7. Tuck the bay leaf into the mixture somewhere in the middle.
  8. Pour enough water or stock to cover all ingredients by about 1 inch. Don't overfill - you want some space at the top.
  9. Cover and cook on LOW for 12-16 hours. The longer cooking time will give you more tender meat and creamier beans.
  10. Remove bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  11. Serve hot with fresh challah bread.

Notes

Soak your beans overnight for best results - this helps them cook evenly. If you forget to soak them, you can quick-soak by boiling for 2 minutes, then letting them sit covered for 1 hour before draining. The cholent will keep warm in the slow cooker for several hours after cooking is complete. Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth.
Nutrition Facts
8 servings per recipe
Serving size 1 serving
Calories 485
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 19%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 95mg 32%
Sodium 890mg 39%
Dietary Fiber 12g 43%
Total Sugars 8g
Protein 38g 76%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Ess gezunterheit!

Yiddish for "eat in good health." Kosher recipes for Shabbat, the holidays and every weeknight, with meat, dairy and pareve always kept apart.

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