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Crock Pot Poor Man's Stew

Crock Pot Poor Man's Stew is a hearty American main dish with browned ground beef, potato cubes, and vegetables simmered until tender in a thick, rust-colored broth. The thickening step with cornstarch-and-water in the last 30 minutes gives it a rich, spoon-coating texture.
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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 base
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Brown and drain excess fat before adding to the slow cooker.
  • 4 potatoes Cut into 1-inch cubes for even tenderness.
  • 3 carrots Slice into rounds.
  • 1 onion Dice.
  • 3 celery Chop.
  • 1 can (15 oz) green beans Drained.
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes No additional prep.
  • 2 cup beef broth Pour over ingredients.
seasoning and thickener
  • 1 packet (1 oz) onion soup mix Stir in to season the stew.
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Adds depth to the broth.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder Seasoning.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Seasoning.
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper Seasoning.
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch Whisk with cold water to thicken.
  • 2 tbsp cold water Used with cornstarch; whisk until smooth.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown and build the stew
  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium-high heat, then drain excess fat.
  2. Add browned beef to the slow cooker along with potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, green beans, and diced tomatoes.
  3. Pour beef broth over everything.
  4. Add onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper and stir to combine.
Slow-cook until tender
  1. Cook on low for 7–8 hours (or high for 3.5–4 hours) until vegetables are tender.
  2. Whisk cornstarch and cold water together, then stir into the stew during the last 30 minutes.
  3. Cook on high until the broth thickens.
Serve
  1. Serve with crusty bread or dinner rolls.

Notes

Pro tip: cut the potatoes into 1-inch cubes so they cook evenly without turning mushy. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently). For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium onion soup mix and decrease added salt slightly to taste.