Hamburger stew is a budget friendly meal and it’s absolutely delicious — plus it’s very simple to make! This recipe is Whole30 and Paleo compatible, and you can make it in the Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, OR Dutch Oven!
Hamburger Stew Recipe
This budget friendly hamburger stew is one of my favorite easy dinner recipes. Because using ground beef in recipes is fraction of what you’d spend on other cuts of beef, this meal is super affordable. In fact, it’s typically name “poor man’s stew”!
Poor Man’s Stew is just a folksy name for a stew made with ground beef or hamburger meat instead of more expensive cuts of beef, like chuck roast or round.
I just call it hamburger stew and it’s the hearty and healthy stew to make when you’re on a budget. A meal for the whole family shouldn’t have to break the bank! I try to create healthy recipes with budget in mind, like simple marinated chicken breasts, lentils and ham soup, to help make clean eating more manageable for real families.
This quick hamburger stew is an all-around great meal to make for a chilly winter night, and I’ve been known to make it when I know I’ve got loads of canned goods in the pantry. It’s an ultra cozy and comforting stew, full of hearty vegetables, beefy flavor, and a rich, tomato-ey broth. Best of all, it feeds a crowd!
I like to make this hamburger stew in my slow cooker, but you can make it in a dutch oven on the stove top, or in your Instant Pot! The directions for all three methods are included in my recipe below. So grab whichever method is easiest for you and let’s get started.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
You’re going to love this affordable, protein-packed, and simple ground beef stew recipe:
- You can easily make this a one pot meal! Not only is a family favorite, but it’s my favorite because I don’t have to do many dishes after dinner time.
- Classic beef stew is a hearty meal that doesn’t require much effort to make. Even if you’re inexperienced in the kitchen, you can make this!
- Throw this in the slow cooker in the morning as a set and forget meal, or pop it into the Instant Pot when you need a last minute dinner. So versatile and time-saving.
Ingredients
These simple ingredients are all you need to make the most amazing quick stew. It’s loaded with the most rich flavors and is so easy to make:
- ground beef
- onion
- carrots
- minced garlic
- diced potatoes
- Italian seasoned
- diced canned tomatoes
- water
- chicken broth
Substitutions and Variations
Sometimes I add a bag of frozen peas to add a little sweetness to the rich dish. Feel free to add other mixed vegetables as well!
Try to buy Yukon or Red Potatoes, since they hold up well in soups and stews. Idaho or Russet Potatoes would also work, but they’re better for baking and wouldn’t be my first choice for a stew.
Buying pre-seasoned diced tomatoes allows you to skip buying your own, separate seasonings, making the ingredients recipe cost even less.
You can use vegetable broth, beef broth or chicken broth. Add extra protein by using some bone broth! To make the soup go farther, you can add a few cups of water too.
How to Make Hamburger Stew
Brown the hamburger meat and then transfer it to the slow cooker if you’re using that method. For an Instant Pot, turn it to sauté mode and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it apart and turning with a spatula as it cooks. If you’re using a Dutch Oven, turn the heat on the burner to medium and cook the beef, using a spatula to break it apart as it cooks.
Then dice the carrots, onion, and potatoes and mince the garlic. Combine everything in your dutch oven, Instant Pot, or slow cooker
When you have tender potatoes and veggies and the flavors are just right, your slow cooker hamburger stew is ready. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
And that’s it! Honestly, does a healthy, hearty, balanced Whole30 dinner get any easier than this? I don’t think so.
How to Store Leftover Hamburger Stew
Transfer the leftover cooled stew to an airtight container or zip top bag, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To freeze leftovers, transfer to a freezer zip top bag, squeeze all the air out of the bag that you can, then set it flat in the freezer overnight. Transfer it to any place in the freezer and store for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before heating it up to eat it.
Make it Ahead
To prep in advance: To make this traditional beef stew ahead of time, cook the beef, prep the vegetables, and set it all in the refrigerator up to a day in advance.
The cut potatoes will brown a bit, so alternatively, you can store the cut potatoes in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator, then drain and add it to the slow cooker prior to cooking.
To freeze: Alternately, cook the beef and prep the vegetables, and add all the recipe ingredients to a freezer safe zip top bag. Squeeze the air out of the bag, then store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Defrost the bag on a plate in the refrigerator overnight, then follow directions to cook the dish.
What to Serve with Hamburger Stew
I love to pair this hearty stew with some cheesy garlic bread, but it’s also a complete meal all on its own. So you don’t have to pair it with anything if you don’t want to!
However, it goes beautifully with hearty sides like mashed potatoes too. You can even serve your bowl of stew over rice or noodles too. This stew is great with a salad too!
Tips for Success
This is a super easy meal, but be sure to check out my simple tips to ensure it turns out perfect:
- I recommend 80-85% ground beef for stews. It’s not so lean that it’ll dry out, and not so fatty that it makes the soup greasy. Lean ground beef is the best option, and always drain off the excess fat before mixing up the rest of the ingredients.
- Chop the potatoes and veggies into even sizes so that they all finish cooking at the same time. If you have some large chunks and some small, then they’ll all cook at different rates.
- One of the great things about ground beef stew is that it’s so customizeable. However, if you add lots of stuff to your stew then be sure to increase the amount of broth so that there is still plenty of liquid.
FAQ
If you like that classic thick stew broth, then add some flour or cornstarch into the stew. This will help thicken it up pretty quickly!
You can really use whatever kind of veggies you want. Carrots, green beans, tomatoes, potatoes, green peas, the list could go on! Whatever you have on hand and sounds good to you.
More Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Classic Ham and White Bean Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Stew
Hamburger Stew
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 15 ounces Italian seasoned diced tomatoes or substitute unseasoned diced tomatoes plus 1/4 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon basil, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme.
- 3.5 cups water or beef broth
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 3-4 carrots
- 4-5 potatoes Choose yukon or red potatoes if possible.
- 10 ounces frozen peas optional
Instructions
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat. Add the beef to the skillet, using a spatula to turn the meat and break it apart as it cooks. Transfer the cooked meat to the slow cooker.
- Dice the carrots, onion, and potatoes. Mince the garlic.
- Add all the recipe ingredients (except peas, if using) to your slow cooker and use a large spoon to mix everything together.
- Cover and cook on low heat for 4-5 hours or high heat for 2-3 hours.
- If using frozen peas, add them in the last 30-45 minutes so that they cook through but aren't mushy. Test to make sure the vegetables are cooked through and tender, then season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add the beef and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it apart and turning with a spatula as it cooks.
- Dice the carrots, onion, and potatoes. Mince the garlic.
- Add all the recipe ingredients (except peas, if using) to your Instant Pot. Cover and turn to High Pressure for 15 minutes. Allow for a Natural Pressure Release (do nothing and allow the pressure to naturally dissipate) for at least 10 minutes, then turn the steam release valve. Carefully open the Instant Pot.
- If using frozen peas, stir them into the stew now. Set the Instant Pot back to Saute mode and cook together, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Stovetop (Dutch Oven) Instructions
- Place your dutch oven on the stovestop and turn the heat on the burner to medium. Add the ground beef. Cook for about 5-6 minutes, using a spatula to turn the meat and break the pieces apart as it cooks.
- Dice the carrots, onion, and potatoes. Mince the garlic.
- Add all the recipe ingredients (except peas, if using) to your dutch oven. Stir together. Bring to boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 45 minutes, opening and stirring occasionally.
- If using frozen peas, stir them into the stew the last 10-15 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
Video
Nutrition
