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A quick and easy hamburger stew recipe with ground beef and vegetables in a savory broth. This budget-friendly meal is hearty comfort food perfect for any night of the week.
Hamburger stew is made with ground beef instead of stew meat for a quicker and budget friendly alternative to traditional beef stew. Some people call it poor man’s stew or hobo stew, but we call it delicious!
I wanted to make this classic comfort food a little more affordable and easier to make on a typical weeknight. I also wanted a meal we could eat enjoy year round.
So, I made a couple of changes to my usual beef stew recipe, and I’m happy to say that ground beef stew is just as good as the original. Even my picky eaters approve! Serve with thick slices of sourdough bread for a truly satisfying meal.
Why you’ll love this easy recipe!
- A hearty and filling one-pot meal with easy clean up!
- Made with simple pantry ingredients
- No need to turn on the oven
- Tastes like a warm hug
Ingredients for Ground Beef Stew
Here are the basic ingredients. Full amounts and detailed instructions are listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Yellow onion
- Lean ground beef — I use a leaner cut, so I don’t have to drain any grease
- Tomato paste — to thicken and flavor the stew
- All purpose flour — thickens the stew
- Celery, carrots, baby potatoes
- Worcestershire sauce — for classic umami flavor
- Beef broth
- Seasonings — sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder and herbes de Provence blend
- Frozen peas — optional, but add a pop of color and texture
- Butter or olive oil — for cooking the onion and beef
How to Make Hamburger Stew
Sauté the onion in butter or olive oil until soft. Add the ground beef, and cook until no longer pink. Don’t break it up to much, as you want some larger pieces for texture. Stir in the veggies, Worcestershire, tomato paste, seasonings and flour, then add the broth.
Bring to a boil, then allow to simmer until the veggies are tender. Stir in the peas last, as they’ll stay nice and green if they don’t cook too long.
Recipe Tips
Cut the veggies in smaller pieces, roughly about the same size so they cook evenly.
Don’t bread up the meat too much or you won’t have the same chunky texture.
Refrigerate leftover stew in an airtight container for 3-4 days. You can reheat stew in the microwave or stove and add extra liquid if needed. It freezes well for up to 3 months.
Variations
If you want a thicker stew, add 3 cups of broth. You can add more liquid if you need it. If you only have one pound of beef, I suggest using less broth.
You can substitute Italian seasoning or dried parsley for the Herbes de Provence, but this blend really adds wonderful fresh flavor.
Can I Make this in a Crockpot?
Yes, you can make crockpot stew with ground beef, similar to stew meat. Just brown the onion and beef on the stove before adding everything to the slow cooker. Cook for 2-3 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low.
More Hearty Ground Beef Dinners
Easy Hamburger Stew
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon herbes de Provence seasoning
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 small celery ribs chopped
- 4 medium carrots peeled and sliced
- 1 pound small baby potatoes quartered
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch Oven, sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat until soft
- Add ground beef, and cook until no longer pink, breaking into large pieces as you go
- Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire, herbes de Provence, salt, garlic powder, pepper, celery, carrots, potatoes and flour, and stir until well blended
- Stir in the beef broth, then cover, and heat until boiling
- Reduce heat, remove lid, and simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender and broth has thickened
- Stir in the peas in the last 5-10 minutes before serving
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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