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.
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)
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.
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
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.
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!
More stew recipes you’ll want to try!
Slow Cooker Classic Beef Stew- Slow Cooker A.1. Beef 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
Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.
Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew
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
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!
This is now a part of our fall/winter line-up. It almost seems too simple to be delicious but it really is! I do mine in the oven for an hour at 350 and it comes out beautifully! I, too, use beef broth instead of water and add a couple of cans of drained sweet peas at the end. It’s just my husband and me but we’re happy to have oodles of leftovers! Plus we have a lot of fun with the name lol.
Fast and hearty
I make on stove top. Use celery as well sometimes throw in a couple handfuls of cabbage. Use a quart of beef broth and diced tomatoes instead of sauce. Takes about thirty minutes. I usually thicken with a beef gravy packet at the end of cooking time.
I want to try using hearty vegetable soup instead of tomato paste and water. Do you think that would work?
I think that should work. You may end up needed to add a touch of water still.
Been making this for years. I use beef broth instead of water. A can of diced tomatoes instead of paste. When cooked add a packet of beef gravy mix let it cook a bit. More like beef stew. I sometimes throw in some cabbage slaw too.
Im in uk cant get paste what else ca i use
Do you have tomato puree or concentrate, I believe that is what is similar in the uk.
So yummy. I made it for the second day in a row. Thank you!
Made this for years, we call it hobo stew. I use tomatoe soup and a can of water, and a tsp of brown sugar. I favorite of my sons. Could always stretch with more taters and carrots.
If I want thicken the stew a bit, can I add a bit of flour or will this ruin the flavor & consistency? and if adding flour, should I add a bit more water?
I’ve never had luck adding flour directly to a slow cooker recipe. It will make it clumpy. I’ve seen people mix it with milk then add, or make a roux then stir it in. It’s hard to say without trying.
For this I might try adding a block of cream cheese, or some fully loaded instant mashed potato flakes to thicken it.
I would add either of these at the end stir them in
Try some instant mashed potatoes (I like the Loaded Mashed Potatoes flavor. The plain potato flakes will thicken the stew without altering the flavor
try thickening with instant mashed potatoes flakes
My grandmother always put tapioca in her stew to thicken it. I have adopted her recipe into my rotation and it works like a charm. 1 tablespoon for a recipe of this size.
Add corn starch slurry
We didn’t care for it at all. Added extra seasonings, didn’t help. We were hungry so we ate it. Will not make again.
Can u also cook it on top of stove every time I try to make meal in a slow cooker it don’t seem to come out right
Love it! Big hit with my family.
I can’t eat tomatoes. Do you think this would work with cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup? Thanks!
Yes, it should work fine.
It sounds good but pricing from 2015 is bogus especially with the Covid. Got the date from your receipt.
This post is from years ago. Yes, beef prices are higher now of course.
Give her a break! It’s no big deal that the receipt was older. We all get the picture….this is an inexpensive dish to make.
Thank you Peggy for speaking up for her! Some people, I swear! I agree with you. Love her recipes and can’t wait to try more.
You can use a can of diced tomatoes instead of the tomato paste. You can also add in leftover veggies, like corn or peas, toward the end of cooking. Old celery or zucchini chopped up can also help. And you can serve it over a piece of bread with a slice of cheese on top and call it pizza soup!
HI.Great recipes However I’m a 82 year old widower. Live alone.
Dont have a crock or instant pot. Can I just use a big ole fashioned pot on the stove? If so – how long do I cook it. THANK YOU.
I think that would work fine, may need to add extra water, and cut the potatoes smaller. You’ll have to watch it, I’m guessing around 30 minutes.
Hello again Sarah.
Will try that.
Thank you
I make it in a pot just as Dominick says. Really good! I have made this so many times. Thank you!