Slow Cooker Poor Man's Stew is such a simple and affordable stew and a lot more flavorful than you would expect! Hearty and filling!
A BUDGET-FRIENDLY, HEARTY, AND FILLING CROCKPOT STEW
Here's an easy dinner that everyone in the family can enjoy without breaking the bank! This delicious Slow Cooker Poor Man's Stew is sometimes known as Shipwreck stew or Cowboy stew. It's made with just a few simple ingredients and spices and needs minimal prep time. This hearty stew is packed with flavor; potatoes, carrots, and onion that's all cooked low and slow until they are meltingly tender. Get ready for some serious flavor!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Letting it cook the full cook time really helps bring all the flavors together. It's what really makes this stew so delicious. Cook it low and slow and let it all meld together!
Ditch the ground beef and try ground pork or ground chicken instead.
To enhance the flavor profile, try adding some thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
I like to peel the potatoes but you can totally leave the skin on if you want to. Either way will work just fine.
I used Yukon Gold potatoes here since they're creamy and delish but you can use russets or red potatoes. Any of them will turn out well.
Leftover stew should be transferred to an airtight container once it has cooled down. Keep the leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze it for up to 3 months.
Reheat leftovers in the microwave, on the stove, or in the slow cooker until heated through again.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)
- ground beef
- Yukon gold potatoes
- diced carrot
- onion
- cloves garlic
- water
- tomato paste
- Italian seasoning
- kosher salt and black pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER POOR MAN'S STEW
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into crumbles. Cook, occasionally stirring, until there is no pink left, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
Spray the body of an 8-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the cooked beef. Add the potatoes, carrot, onion, garlic, water, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to the cooker. Stir well to combine.
Cook for 5-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high until the veggies are tender. Stir every hour or so if you can.
Serve immediately.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Slow Cooker Poor Man's Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ½ pounds yukon gold potatoes, peeled, medium diced
- 2 cups carrots, medium diced
- 1 large onion, large diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups water
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up into crumbles. Cook, occasionally stirring, until there is no pink left, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
- Spray the body of an 8-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add the cooked beef.
- Add the potatoes, carrot, onion, garlic, water, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper to the cooker. Stir well to combine.
- Cook for 5-6 hours on low or 2-3 hours on high until the veggies are tender. Stir every hour or so if you can. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can leave the skin on yukon gold potatoes if you wish, I prefer to peel them for this recipe. Other potatoes that would work are Russets or red potatoes.
- You can use ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground pork in place of the beef.
- Some fresh herbs that would be nice include thyme, rosemary, or parsley.
- Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days, freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat back in the slow cooker, stovetop, or microwave.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Gina
That looks and sound delicious!
Brandie @ The Country Cook
Thanks so much Gina! Hope you love it if you try it!