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The Magical Slow Cooker » Recipes » Beef » Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew

Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew

by Sarah Olson on May 19, 2020 | Updated April 1, 2021 356 Comments

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poor man's stew in slow cooker with yellow spoon in it.
collage of photos of poor man's stew for pinterest

Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew is made from scratch with ground beef to save money. A very hearty meal with very little effort or money.

We love easy stew recipes like this one, Shipwreck Stew or A-1 Beef Stew for an easy hearty dinner.

poor man's stew in slow cooker with yellow spoon in it.

Looking for a budget meal this week? I made this Poor Man’s Stew for $6.24 and it feeds 5 people! I put ground beef, russet potatoes, carrots, onions, a garlic clove (not pictured, I had this on hand), tomato paste, water and seasoning in my slow cooker simmered it all day to make this Hearty Poor Man’s Stew.

The inspiration for this meal came from my favorite old movie The Princess Bride. I made a stew similar to the one seen in the movie where Fezzic (Andre the Giant) hand fed Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) a hearty stew trying to get him sober, so they could go find and save Westley.

What makes this meal budget friendly?

  • Fresh vegetables – I bought just what I needed for this recipe though you can buy large bags of potatoes and carrots and your price will go down.
  • Look for ground beef a roll, it’s almost always cheaper than beef in trays.
  • Dried spices are alway cheaper than fresh and last for years for other recipes as well.
  • I use water instead of broth in this recipe to cut down on the cost, though broth can be used if desired.
receipt for ingredients for poor man's stew

How to make Poor Man’s Stew:

You will need these ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef browned and drained
  • 1.5 lbs potatoes, diced large
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 garlic clove minced (I had this on hand already)
  • 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
ground beef, tomato paste, carrots, onion and potato in front of slow cooker

Directions:

  • Brown the beef in a skillet on the stove-top, drain fat.
  • Add the beef to the slow cooker along with the potatoes, onions, carrots, and garlic.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, onion powder, and oregano. Pour this mixture over everything in the slow cooker. Stir.
ground beef, carrots and onions in slow cooker

How long do I cook poor man’s stew?

  • Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until the potatoes are tender.
  • Serve in bowls and enjoy!
close up of stew with potatoes, carrots and ground beef. Yellow spoon in it.

More stew recipes you’ll want to try!

  • Slow Cooker Classical Beef Stew
  • Slow Cooker A.1. Beef Stew
  • Witches Brew Stew
  • Slow Cooker Beefy Bacon Man Stew
  • Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew
  • Slow Cooker Shipwreck Stew
  • Slow Cooker Split Pea Stew
  • Slow Cooker Farmers Market Beef Stew

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thick stew with potatoes and carrots in slow cooker with yellow spoon in it.

Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew

4.9 from 184 votes
A delicious stew made from scratch with ground beef instead of stew meat to save money!
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 297kcal
Author: Sarah Olson

Equipment Needed:

  • Slow Cooker – 5 quart or larger

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb. ground beef browned and drained
  • 1 1/2 lbs potatoes diced large
  • 3 carrots sliced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1 garlic clove minced (I had this on hand already)
  • 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
US Customary – Metric

Instructions:

  • Add the cooked ground beef, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic to a 5-quart or larger slow cooker.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, onion powder and oregano. Pour this mixture over everything in the slow cooker. Stir.
  • Cover and cook on LOW for 7 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.
  • Serve with buttered sandwich bread. Enjoy!
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How to Video:

Recipe Notes:

This recipe makes about 5 servings. The nutritional value below is for 1/5 of the recipe. Nutritional values are approximate. If you require a special diet, please use your own calculations

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 756mg | Potassium: 1369mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6650IU | Vitamin C: 27.1mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 8mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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    374824 shares
    • 100820

    Filed Under: Beef, Dinner, Ground Beef, Soups

    Comments

    1. Patti says

      April 9, 2022 at 8:47 am

      Can I add beef broth instead of water

      Reply
    2. Tracy says

      April 3, 2022 at 1:03 pm

      Can you add more liquid?

      Reply
      • Sarah Olson says

        April 3, 2022 at 4:15 pm

        Yes, you can add as much liquid as you want. This is on the thicker side, so some do add more liquid.

        Reply
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