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Crock Pot Poor Man's Stew

Crock Pot poor man's stew with tender potatoes, carrots, and green beans in a thick, rust-colored beef broth. Slow-cooked ground beef and vegetables turn into an easy one-pot comfort meal, finished with a cornstarch thickener for a hearty 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
  • 1.5 lb ground beef Brown in a skillet; drain excess fat before adding to the slow cooker.
Vegetables and tomatoes
  • 4 Yukon Gold 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 Drain before adding.
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes Add with juices.
Broth and seasonings
  • 2 cup beef broth Pour over the stew ingredients.
  • 1 packet (1 oz) onion soup mix Use as directed for seasoning.
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce Stir in for savory depth.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder Season the stew.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Season to balance the broth.
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper Adds mild heat.
Cornstarch thickener
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch Whisk with cold water to thicken during the last stage.
  • 2 tbsp cold water Used to make a smooth slurry.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and brown the ground beef, stirring until cooked through; drain excess fat.
  2. Add the browned ground beef to the slow cooker along with the potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, green beans, and diced tomatoes.
Season and slow cook
  1. Pour the beef broth over everything in the slow cooker to evenly moisten the ingredients.
  2. Add the onion soup mix, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, then stir to combine.
  3. Cook on low for 7–8 hours until the vegetables are tender, or cook on high for 3.5–4 hours.
Thicken and finish
  1. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together until smooth.
  2. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the stew during the last 30 minutes, then cook on high until the broth thickens.
Serve
  1. Serve hot with crusty bread or dinner rolls on the side.

Notes

For the best texture, cut all vegetables to about 1-inch size so they finish tender at the same time. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat until steaming. Freeze yes—cool completely, then freeze portions up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating. For a lighter option, use lean ground beef (or swap in ground turkey) while keeping the same seasonings and thickening step.