Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew

$9.88 recipe / $1.65 serving
by Beth Moncel
4.49 from 43 votes
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Yโ€™all. I am SO ready for sweater weather and cozy slow cooker stews! To kick the season off, I made this super simple Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew (also known as Poor Manโ€™s Stew) this week. Itโ€™s nothing fancy, itโ€™s just simple, good, comforting food! I love the simplicity of this dish and the flexibility. This ground beef stew is the perfect thing to have simmering away on the weekend as you do your chores or relax and enjoy watching the changing of the seasons. :)

Overhead view of a bowl of slow cooker hamburger stew with bread on the side

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Whatโ€™s in Hamburger Stew?

Hamburger stew is very similar to traditional beef stew, but itโ€™s made with ground beef instead of stew meat. Using ground beef is a little bit less expensive than using stew meat, and I like how you get a little bit of beef in every bite! 

In addition to the beef we have a medley of fresh vegetables (carrots, onions, potatoes, peas), beef broth, herbs and spices, plus a little Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce to zhuzh it up a bit. Itโ€™s incredibly simple, but creates that beautifully subtle slow stewed flavor.

Why Brown The Hamburger First?

For this Hamburger Stew recipe, I browned the ground beef in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker. I did this for two reasons. The first reason was to render off some of the fat. I used 15% fat ground beef and there was quite a bit that needed to be drained away (I actually tested this recipe once without draining the fat and it just ended up far too oily). The second reason is that you get a nice browning (maillard reaction) on the beef in the dry environment of a skillet that you do not get in the wet environment of a slow cooker. So youโ€™ll get just a little bit more flavor with this extra step!

Can I Use Different Vegetables?

Yes! Stews are very flexible. If you donโ€™t like one of the vegetables listed, go ahead and skip it. Just keep in mind that the potatoes do help thicken the stew, so if you skip the potatoes youโ€™ll have more of a soup texture. Other great vegetables to use in beef stew include:

  • mushrooms
  • pearl onions
  • parsnips
  • turnips
  • rutabagas
  • sweet potatoes
  • winter squash (acorn, butternut, pumpkin)

What Are Stewed Tomatoes?

This recipe calls for stewed tomatoes, which are a variety of canned tomatoes that are popular in the U.S. (example: Hunts stewed tomatoes). These tomatoes are cooked with seasonings and a little bit of sugar to give them the slightest sweetness. Stewed tomatoes add a little extra special unique flavor to the broth of this stew. While you can use diced tomatoes if stewed tomatoes are not available, this substitution will slightly change the flavor of the stew.

How Long Is Hamburger Stew Good?

After cooking this recipe for hamburger stew, I suggest dividing it into single portions (so that it cools faster) and refrigerating it right away. It will stay good in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, or it can be transferred to the freezer for longer storage (about 3 months). This stew is a great item to have stashed in your freezer for busy nights! It can be reheated quickly in the microwave, or slowly over medium-low heat in a pot on the stove.

Slow cooker hamburger stew in a ladle over the slow cooker

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Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew

4.49 from 43 votes
This super easy Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew is simple, comforting food at its best. And the leftovers are even better the next day!
Author: Beth Moncel
Overhead view of a bowl full of slow cooker hamburger stew with bread and a spoon on the side
Servings 1.5 cups each
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 4 hours 15 minutes
Total 4 hours 30 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. russet potatoes ($1.20)
  • 1/2 lb. carrots (about 4 carrots) ($0.45)
  • 1 yellow onion (0.32)
  • 2 cloves garlic ($0.16)
  • ยฝ tsp dried rosemary ($0.05)
  • ยฝ tsp dried thyme ($0.05)
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
  • 1 lb. ground beef ($5.69)
  • 1 15oz. can stewed tomatoes ($1.00)
  • 2 cups beef broth ($0.26)
  • 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce ($0.02)
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce ($0.06)
  • 1 cup frozen peas ($0.60)
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Instructions 

  • Peel and dice the potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Peel and slice the carrots. Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, rosemary, thyme, and pepper to a slow cooker (5 quarts or larger).
  • Brown the ground beef in a skillet, then drain off the excess fat. Add the browned and drained beef to the slow cooker along with the can of stewed tomatoes (with juices). Finally, add the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce to the slow cooker.
  • Give the contents of the slow cooker a brief stir to make sure everything is evenly combined (the broth may not fully cover the other ingredients). Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours, or low for eight hours.
  • After cooking on high for four hours or low for eight hours, remove the lid and stir the stew. Use the back of a spoon to slightly mash some of the potatoes, which will help thicken the stew.
  • Add the frozen peas (no need to thaw) and stir to combine into the stew. Taste the stew and add extra salt if needed (I did not add any, this will depend on the salt content of your beef broth). Serve hot with bread for dipping!

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Equipment

  • Slow Cooker
  • Liquid Measuring Cup
  • Measuring Cups Spoons

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cupsCalories: 348.27kcalCarbohydrates: 41.42gProtein: 20.15gFat: 11.83gSodium: 751.72mgFiber: 5.07g
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Front view of Hamburger Stew in the slow cooker

How to Make Hamburger Stew โ€“ Step by Step Photos

Vegetables herbs and spices in the slow cooker

Peel and dice 2 lbs. of potatoes into 1-inch pieces. Peel and slice ยฝ lb. carrots (about 4 carrots). Dice one onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic to a slow cooker (5-quart or larger) along with ยฝ tsp dried rosemary, ยฝ tsp dried tyme, and ยผ tsp freshly cracked pepper.

Browned ground beef and stewed tomatoes added to slow cooker

Brown one pound of ground beef and drain off the excess fat. Add the browned ground beef to the slow cooker along with one 15oz. can of stewed tomatoes (with the juices).

Beef broth Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce added to slow cooker

Add 2 cups beef broth, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 Tbsp soy sauce to the slow cooker.

Slow cooker ready to be turned on

Give the contents of the slow cooker a brief stir to combine. The broth will not fully cover the meat and vegetables, but thatโ€™s okay. The vegetables will release more moisture and increase the broth as they cook. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight hours.

Cooked hamburger stew in the slow cooker

After cooking on high for four hours or low for eight hours, it will look like this. Give it a good stir and smash some of the potatoes against the side of the slow cooker. The smashed potatoes will help thicken the broth into a nice hearty stew.

Frozen peas being added to the slow cooker

Stir one cup of frozen peas into the slow cooker (theyโ€™ll thaw and heat within a minute or so). 

Finished slow cooker hamburger stew in the slow cooker

Give the hamburger stew a final taste and adjust the salt to your liking. I didnโ€™t need to add any because the broth I use (Better than Bouillon) has a decent amount, but if your broth has less sodium you may find that a pinch of salt at the end helps the flavors pop!

Slow Cooker Hamburger stew in a bowl with a spoon lifting a bite

Serve the hamburger stew immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat (but I donโ€™t know how youโ€™ll resist having a bowl after smelling that cooking all day!).

Try These Other Stew Recipes:

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  1. I made this recipe for dinner last night and it was great! It has such a familiar flavor profile โ€“ reminds me of my momโ€™s Hamburger Pie, which has been a favorite since I was a kid โ€“ but I actually think I like this stew *even more* because itโ€™s failproof. Too many things can go wrong with the pie version. Your Hamburger Stew is all the reward of one of my favorite meals for a fraction of the work., once you throw it in the crockpot youโ€™re basically done. This will definitely be a repeat for the coming winter season.

    My only modification was to add 2 stalks of chopped celery because I was a little short on potatoes.

    Thank you for your consistently high quality content and delicious meal ideas. There are thousands of recipe sites out there, but yours is one of the few I use constantly. When I see a recipe from your site I know I can depend on great tasting, often simple recipes that arenโ€™t too fussy in ingredients or direction, and always on budget. Itโ€™s perfection, truly. Iโ€™ve been following on Facebook and Instagram for years, but never left a comment here on the blog which is long overdue.

    Thank you for what you do!

  2. How long Shd I cook it if Iโ€™m using then instantpot instead of the slow cooker?

    1. Unfortunately, I havenโ€™t tested this in an instant pot, so I canโ€™t offer a recommendation.

    2. Iโ€™ve made this a few times in my Instant Pot. Russet potatoes in big chunks come out perfect with 8min on high. Then I usually let it naturally vent for about 10min on the warm setting. If you use a softer potato like red or Yukon Gold theyโ€™ll be a bit mushy at 8min (I learned from experience) so Iโ€™d maybe try 7min.

      Also once I vented it, I added some fresh brocolli on the top and put the lid back on just on the keep warm setting so they steamed and were perfectly green and crunchy in a couple of minutes. This has actually become one of my favourite Instant Pot meals and it want even written that way :)

  3. This sound delicious! My family and I do not eat meat anymore but Iโ€™ll bet I could make this with Impossible Burger. I plan to try that this week!

  4. This was just okay. Extra salt and pepper helped, as did a generous grating of parmesan cheese to add a bit more flavor. It was easy and it did smell great while it cooked, but the end result was underwhelming. I think Iโ€™ve been spoiled by so many other recipes on here that pack a ton of flavor. This was not one of them. 

    1. I found that as well. I added more Worcestershire more pepper and a couple of tbsp of vinegar from my jar of pickled peppers, but I think balsamic would be nice too. I might do that with the batch I have in my slow cooker right now. And possibly a tbsp of sugar. And I love the Parmesan idea!! Might be a good place to use a parm rind if you have one in your fridge. (pop it in and then remove after cooking)

  5. Trying your stew for tomorrowโ€™s Chiefs game
    Can I add broccoli and mushrooms also?

    1. Mushrooms would do great! I feel like broccoli might get overcooked. Maybe add it more toward the end.

  6. This is another one of those recipes Iโ€™d like to make in my instant pot. Will that work? Thank you!

    1. This would probably work well in an Instant Pot. Most soups tend to do well in the IP. :)

  7. Thanks for this..
    Hamburger was on sale and the crock pot was perfect for warmer weather..
    Love this recipe. So convenient. Great instructions,. Cheap to make.
    Has a great taste with beef in every bile..
    Only change I made was adding chopped celery with the other chopped vegs..
    Followed your recipe for the rest.
    Very good. Will do it again.

  8. We made this as is and it was delicious, Soy Sauce and all! The with the leftovers we added 1 cup of brown gravy to thicken it up and it was even better. It tasted like a classic Beef Stew. Next time weโ€™ll incorporate the gravy into the recipe close to when we first serve it. Enjoy!

  9. Made this today following the recipes exactly. Absolutely delicious! Everyone under my roof (age range 6-73) approved. Will definitely make again!

  10. This tasted just like normal beef stew which was nice. I used a meat substitute, and it worked perfectly. My only issue was that after 8 hours on low, the veggies were still hard. I ended it with 30 minutes pressure cooking on low, and that finished right off. Come to think of it, if you have a pressure cooker you can just do that in the first place- I donโ€™t think there are any flavors that you really need to develop by cooking it for hours.

    1. Yes! I donโ€™t eat beef so I made this tonight with ground turkey and chicken broth. I also modified the spices a little because Iโ€™m not a huge fan of thyme (and rosemary itself just seemed strange). In addition to the worstershire and soy sauce in the recipe I added a traditional hamburger seasoning with salt, pepper, a pinch of cayenne, garlic and onion powders, and a teaspoon of brown sugar. My family loved it!

    2. Yes I donโ€™t eat beef but I use beef broth. Gave it up for lent one time and now it makes me sick if I eat it. Tastes just fine with Ground Turkey. Have not tried vegetable or chicken broth

  11. I know the comments here are mixed but I really liked it. ๐Ÿคท๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ I used regular diced tomatoes and added celery because I needed to use it up. Just make sure you add enough salt if itโ€™s tasting โ€œblandโ€. 

  12. Iโ€™ve made many recipes from this site that are excellent- chicken taco bowls, chicken tikka masala, taco soup, and sesame chicken, to name a few. But this one just didnโ€™t cut it. Somehow it was bland while also being overpowered by the rosemary and thyme. The broth was decent with the bread I made to go with, but I wonโ€™t be making this again.