Description
Crock Pot French Onion Poor Man’s Stew is a hearty and comforting dish featuring ground beef, potatoes, carrots, and tomatoes cooked slowly in a savory onion-flavored broth. Perfect for an easy dinner, this stew delivers rich flavors with minimal effort using a slow cooker.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium yellow or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch pieces
- 14.5 ounces can diced tomatoes with juices, undrained
- 1 ounce packet onion soup mix
- 2 cups beef broth or water (can use low or no salt broth)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Brown the beef and onion: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and diced yellow onion. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes, breaking the beef into slightly larger crumbles, until the meat is fully browned and the onions have softened.
- Drain excess grease: Carefully drain off the excess fat from the beef and onion mixture to keep the stew from becoming greasy.
- Prepare slow cooker base: Place the cut potatoes and sliced carrots into a 6-quart slow cooker. Spoon the browned beef and onion mixture evenly over the vegetables.
- Add tomatoes and seasoning: Pour the can of diced tomatoes with juices over the mixture. Sprinkle the onion soup mix and black pepper evenly on top.
- Pour in liquid and stir: Add the beef broth or water to the slow cooker and gently stir everything together to combine all ingredients.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the potatoes and carrots are fork-tender. Cooking times may vary by slow cooker, so check for doneness rather than relying solely on time.
- Final seasoning and serve: Stir the stew well before serving. Adjust salt and pepper to taste, ladle into bowls, and enjoy hot.
Notes
- Cooking times may vary depending on your slow cooker brand and model; always check the tenderness of potatoes and carrots before serving.
- Using low or no salt beef broth can help control sodium levels in the stew.
- For a thicker stew, you can mash some of the potatoes before serving or add a cornstarch slurry towards the end of cooking.
- This stew can be made ahead of time and tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 hours
- Category: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American