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Crock Pot Poor Man's Stew

Crock Pot poor man’s stew with browned ground beef and tender 1-inch potato cubes in a thick, rust-colored broth. Slow-cooked until vegetables are soft, then thickened with a cornstarch slurry for a hearty finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Total Time 7 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Brown in a skillet and drain excess fat.
Potatoes
  • 4 Yukon Gold potatoes Cut into 1-inch cubes for even cooking.
Carrots and onion
  • 3 carrots Slice into rounds.
  • 1 onion Dice for flavor base.
Celery
  • 3 stalks celery Chop.
Green beans and tomatoes
  • 1 can (15 oz) green beans Drain before adding.
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes Add undrained from the can.
Broth and seasoning
  • 2 cup beef broth Pour over everything in the slow cooker.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) onion soup mix Stir to evenly distribute.
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Adds depth to the stew.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder Season throughout.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Adjust to taste if needed.
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper Season to taste within the batch.
Cornstarch slurry
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch Whisk with cold water to thicken at the end.
  • 2 tbsp cold water Use specifically for the slurry.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef until no longer pink, then drain excess fat.
  2. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.
Build the stew in the slow cooker
  1. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, green beans, and diced tomatoes to the slow cooker over the beef.
  2. Pour the beef broth over everything so the ingredients are mostly covered.
  3. Sprinkle in the onion soup mix, then add Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper; stir to combine.
Slow cook
  1. Cook on low for 7–8 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the broth looks thick and cohesive.
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir the slurry into the stew during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
  2. Cook on high until the broth thickens noticeably and coats a spoon, creating a hearty stew texture.
Serve
  1. Serve the poor man’s stew hot with crusty bread or dinner rolls for dipping.

Notes

For best flavor, keep potato cubes roughly 1-inch so they become tender at the same time as the carrots. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until steaming. Freezing is yes—cool completely, freeze up to 3 months, and thaw in the refrigerator before reheating; you may need to stir well if it thickens. For a lower-sodium option, use low-sodium onion soup mix and reduce added salt accordingly.