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Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew

Who doesn’t love an easy slow cooker recipe? Especially a recipe one that is budget-friendly and minimal ingredients. 😊 Poor Man’s Ground Beef Stew is a great “Crockpot dump”, and you can use any veggies you already have in your fridge. We put this recipe together based on our favorite ingredient mix including potatoes and carrots.

Jump to Recipe

What you’ll need;

– 1 lb. ground beef
– 1.5 lbs (about 3) potatoes diced largely
– 3 carrots sliced
– 1 onion diced
– 1-2 garlic cloves minced
– 6 oz. can tomato paste
– 2 cups of water
– 1 tsp. salt
– ¼ tsp. pepper
– 1 tsp. onion powder
– 1 tsp. dried oregano

HOW TO MAKE SLOW COOKER POOR MAN’S STEW?

  • Step 1: Brown ground beef and drain. Set aside

  • Step 2: Chop Potatoes, Onion, and Carrots.
  • Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and oregano.
  • Step 4: Add all ingredients to the crockpot. Mix well and cook on low for 7 hours. Remember, it’s like an oven, if you lift the cover your food will take longer to cook.

  • Step 5: Serve and Enjoy!

Tip: We love to eat with fresh bread (great for dipping)! It also tastes wonderful topped with shredded cheddar cheese!

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, HERE ARE A FEW MORE I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE!

  • THE ULTIMATE SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW
  • AMAZING SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND GRAVY
  • SLOW COOKER CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew

Poor Man’s Ground Beef Stew is a great “Crockpot dump”, and you can use any veggies you already have in your fridge
4.90 from 85 votes
Print Save Rate
Course: Slow Cooker
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours hours
Total Time: 7 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 5
Calories: 297kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1.5 lbs (about 3) potatoes diced large
  • 3 carrots sliced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 1-2 garlic cloves minced
  • 6 oz can tomato paste
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

Instructions

  • Brown ground beef and drain. Set aside
  • Chop Potatoes, Onion, and Carrots.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together tomato paste, salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, and oregano.
  • Add all ingredients to crockpot then fill them with water or broth.. Mix well and cook on low for 7 hours. Remember, it’s like an oven, if you lift the cover your food will take longer to cook.
  • Serve and Enjoy! Tip: We love to eat with fresh bread (great for dipping)! It also tastes wonderful topped with shredded cheddar cheese!

Notes

Our 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 Facts
Serving Size 5
Servings Per Container 1/5

Amount Per Serving
Calories 297 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 14%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat g
Cholesterol 58mg 19%
Sodium 756mg 32%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 10%
Dietary Fiber 6g 24%
Sugars 6g
Protein 23g 46%

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Nutrition

Calories: 297kcal
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Theresa

    November 3, 2024 at 10:23 pm

    5 stars
    I made this recipe today. I didn’t do the slow cooker version, but I did it on top of the stove. I cooked my ground beef and onions together, drained it once they both were done. I then added carrots and potatoes and sautéed them for about 10-15 minutes. I added the tomato paste and the dry ingredients to it and the two cups of water and in about 25 minutes it was done. It tasted amazing! Would be a great meal for winter time!

    Reply
  2. Kathleen McDermott

    December 14, 2023 at 7:01 pm

    5 stars
    In my 42-year-old crockpot (wedding gift!) now. Smells heavenly. Used MSF faux beef crumbles and dehydrated onion flakes, added cup sliced celery, replaced water with 3 cups faux beef broth. My kind of recipe.

    Reply
  3. Deb

    July 24, 2023 at 3:48 pm

    Making this right now. Sounds delicious 😋

    Reply
  4. Barb

    August 31, 2022 at 12:03 am

    Made this tasty recipe tonight. I’m always looking for recipes under 3-4 hundred calories. Still looking for recipes for bariatric patients. Very tasty, Barb

    Reply
  5. Jen

    December 1, 2021 at 3:37 am

    5 stars
    Made this for the first time today and it did not disappoint! My family loved it! This had flavor and comfort all in one! Will definitely make again!

    Reply
  6. David

    August 28, 2021 at 9:36 pm

    5 stars
    Loved it. Did rotel & green chili to it. Made it pop a lil more served with an instant pot bread recipe too was really good. Thank you for sharing with us

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      August 28, 2021 at 10:03 pm

      How wonderful, David! So glad you decided to give it a try!

      Reply
  7. Malynda

    February 24, 2021 at 11:27 pm

    Tried this a few weeks ago and was a little bland

    Reply
    • Ashley

      June 29, 2022 at 7:46 pm

      A little personal flare is needed, but that is the thing for most recipes.

      Reply
  8. Laura

    February 12, 2021 at 1:45 am

    5 stars
    Very delicious and easy to follow instructions. I cooked it on the stove both times and added an additional 4 cups of water. I also added a can of El Pato sauce for a little kick. Definitely recommend this recipe!

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      February 12, 2021 at 11:10 am

      I’m glad to hear it was a hit!

      Reply
  9. Sam

    February 3, 2021 at 9:05 pm

    Can this be made stovetop, like in a Dutch oven?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      February 5, 2021 at 2:57 pm

      Yes. It can be done on the stovetop. Just be careful to cook it on low heat and give it a stir once in a while to make sure it doesn’t burn on the bottom

      Reply
  10. Sharon

    February 1, 2021 at 10:10 pm

    5 stars
    So delicious! Will be making again and again. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      February 2, 2021 at 11:05 am

      Yay!! Thanks for coming back to let me know.

      Reply
  11. Susan Wright

    January 7, 2021 at 7:49 pm

    I ran out of carrots but added 2 cans of dark red kidney beans. I used beef broth instead of water and Italian seasoning instead of dried oregano. It was delicious. The tomato paste really made it special. I will definitely make this again!

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      January 7, 2021 at 9:44 pm

      Great idea Susan! So glad it was a hit!! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Julia

    December 12, 2020 at 9:49 pm

    Could you do this with ground chicken instead of beef?

    Reply
    • Donna J Blaxton

      December 20, 2021 at 3:31 am

      I made this dish years ago and called it the same thing….
      Because ground beef was cheaper than stew beef. My family always wanted beef stew so I came up with a cheaper version, since we were on a limited budget, back in 1990’s.

      Reply
  13. Ashley

    November 24, 2020 at 1:16 am

    Can you prep this the night before? This way I can just get up in the morning and put all in the crock pot for dinner tomorrow night ?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      November 24, 2020 at 8:57 pm

      Yes, of course! Simply brown the beef and chop your veggies then place them into an air-tight container. When you are ready to cook add everything to the slow cooker

      Reply
  14. Amanda

    November 5, 2020 at 4:17 am

    5 stars
    Instapot friendly directions?

    Reply
  15. Denise Thorburn

    September 26, 2020 at 3:26 am

    Hi hun put everything in then put two cups of water or beef broth or more

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      September 27, 2020 at 10:51 am

      Yes, 2 cups of beef broth.

      Reply
    • Victoria

      October 8, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      Hi could this be could on high for half the time ?

      Reply
      • 100krecipes

        October 9, 2020 at 1:02 pm

        Hi victoria, I would recommend sticking to the cooking time stated as cooking faster on a higher heat can make the ingredients very soft and possible mushy

        Reply
  16. Gary Fitzgerald

    September 25, 2020 at 11:40 pm

    Is a 4 qt slow cooker big enough?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      September 27, 2020 at 10:52 am

      Hi Gary, Yes this should be fine

      Reply
  17. Brenda

    September 16, 2020 at 11:44 pm

    I don’t understand what this means…….. In the first, we add all the ingredients, then fill them with water or broth. what is the “them”?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      September 17, 2020 at 10:51 am

      Yes, fill the ingredients with water or broth!

      Reply
  18. Linda

    September 16, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    I thought I had purchased all ingredients for Poor Mans Stew, but I had forgotten the tomato paste. Is there a substitute that I can use? Thank You

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      September 16, 2020 at 7:56 pm

      Hi Linda, thank you for your message. Fresh tomatoes or a tomato tin should work great as a substitute,

      Reply
  19. Kim

    September 15, 2020 at 4:08 am

    Can this be frozen?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      September 15, 2020 at 10:12 am

      Yes can be frozen for up to 3 months, thanks kim,

      Reply
  20. CheriAnn

    July 28, 2020 at 6:04 pm

    Could you please post the nutritional information. My mother is diabetic and i need those in order to prepare proper meals for her. Per serving please.

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      July 28, 2020 at 9:12 pm

      Hi Cheri Ann,

      I have added the nutritional information in the recipe card, I hope your mother will love the recipe, if you have any question feel free to ask, Thanks

      Reply
  21. Donna

    July 26, 2020 at 4:06 pm

    I’m still not clear on when you add the 2 cups of water.

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      July 26, 2020 at 6:29 pm

      Hi Donna,

      Firstly, we add all the ingredients, then fill them with water or broth…! Please let me know how it turns out. Thanks

      Reply
  22. Janetta

    July 12, 2020 at 12:37 pm

    I just put this in the crockpot so we would have lunch ready after church. I added a small bag of frozen peas, it already looks wonderful. Can’t wait till lunch!!

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      July 12, 2020 at 3:32 pm

      Hi janetta,

      Sounds delicious! always a good addition, Thanks for coming back to let me know ❤️

      Reply
  23. Mary

    July 2, 2020 at 11:37 am

    5 stars
    When we would go camping I would make this stew but used canned mix veggies, a package of beef stew seasoning, onion & garlic. Simple but tasted delicious.

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      July 2, 2020 at 1:28 pm

      Hi Marry,

      I’m so glad you will be able to tweak it to your liking. Thanks for the 5 stars, ☺️

      Reply
  24. Heather

    June 19, 2020 at 4:30 pm

    I would love to make this, it looks and sounds amazing! How can I make this using my stove?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      June 19, 2020 at 8:48 pm

      Hi Heather,

      Sauté the ground beef in a skillet with added oil, stirring constantly. When the ground beef is fried from all sides, add onions and carrots to the skillet, cook until soft. Remove everything from the skillet, if necessary, wash it. Fry the potatoes in oil until golden brown, add ground beef with onions and carrots, mix. Add tomato paste, ½ cup of water, salt, spices, mix. Cover with a lid and simmer over low heat for 20-30 minutes.

      Aleksa,

      Reply
  25. Pauline

    June 6, 2020 at 4:44 pm

    5 stars
    One of my favorite recipes!!! I make this pretty much every other week, it’s so simple and full of flavor! I just make some jasmine rice with it and have leftovers for days:)

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      June 6, 2020 at 5:41 pm

      Hi Pauline,

      So glad you love it too, That’s such a smart way to use them, I hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  26. Randi

    June 6, 2020 at 3:26 am

    Do you fully cook the ground beef before putting it in the slow cooker or is it just truly a brown?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      June 6, 2020 at 10:09 pm

      Hi Randi,

      Perfect, ground beef should be browned until cooked. It will not be dry anyway since during the cooking process in a slow cooker it absorbs all juices.

      Aleksa,

      Reply
  27. Barb green

    May 30, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    May I ask anyone how high is the pot suppose to be, I mean what’s the temperature suppose to be this guys not too bright should have all the directions right I can’t start my pot if I don’t have what temp , so can you help me out ?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      June 1, 2020 at 12:35 pm

      Hi Barb,

      The cooking temperature range is between 175°F to 215°F. The low and high setting will peak at 215ºF, however the low setting cycles on and off that temperature more frequently. Therefore, the high setting will cook the food in a shorter period than the low setting. In the warm setting, the Crock-Pot will be between 165 to 175ºF.

      Reply
  28. Michelle

    May 29, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    When do you put the water in?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      May 30, 2020 at 12:53 pm

      Hi Michelle,

      In the first, we add all the ingredients, then fill them with water or broth.

      Reply
  29. Donna G

    May 12, 2020 at 8:04 pm

    Instead of using water could you use beef stock?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      May 12, 2020 at 9:00 pm

      Hi Donna,

      Yes, beef broth can be used instead of water. So the taste will be richer. Just keep the same proportion. In addition, if your broth is salty, reduce the amount of salt in the main dish.

      Aleksa,

      Reply
    • Donna

      October 17, 2021 at 11:56 pm

      I used Beefy Mushroom soup and went up to 3 cans of water instead of 2 cups. I also added a 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes for a little zip.

      Reply
  30. Melissa

    May 6, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    5 stars
    I made this last night on the stove. After I browned the ground beef, I made a broth of the tomato paste, seasonings and water. I did add beef stock to the water for a bit of extra flavor, and because I added this, I omitted the salt the recipe called for. I then added the broth and chopped veggies to the ground beef, put a lid on it and let it simmer on low for about 60 minutes because the carrot and potato chunks were pretty thick. It was so good and my husband and two teenage boys loved it. Very filling and great for a cool night. Served it with homemade bread.

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      May 6, 2020 at 6:57 pm

      Hi Melissa,

      So so glad you enjoy it! This recipe always reminds me of my childhood. 😋

      Reply
    • Christine

      December 9, 2020 at 9:07 pm

      Doing mine on the stove… need it for dinner tonight and didn’t realize it was a slow cooker recipe!! Will cook on low with a cover!!

      Reply
  31. Kelly

    May 5, 2020 at 7:00 pm

    Can this be done on a high setting for a quicker cook time ?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      May 6, 2020 at 9:34 pm

      Hi Kelly,

      Yes, it can be cooked on high. The cooking time will be 3-4 hours. Do not forget that for the best results, the cooker should be 1/2 or 3/4 full, including liquid (sauce). Cook with the lid closed. After 3 hours, you can check the readiness of the dish.

      Reply
    • Donna

      October 17, 2021 at 11:58 pm

      I cooked mine on high for 3 hours then added frozen peas and cooked for 45 minutes. It’s fine. I even stir it half way through to make sure the veg cooks evenly.

      Reply
  32. Melissa V

    April 28, 2020 at 3:14 pm

    I added more seasoning, cilantro and jalapeño. So yummy. In Mexico we call this picadollo (minus the carrots).

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      April 28, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Melissa,

      Wonderful, I’m so happy you enjoyed these, thank you!

      Reply
  33. Jess

    April 19, 2020 at 7:24 pm

    This looks great and I have all the ingredients. How long do you think this would take on the stove?

    Jess

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      April 20, 2020 at 10:30 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Jess,

      To cook this dish in a pan on the stove, replicate the first three steps from the recipe. Then add all the vegetables to the fried ground beef, pour in the sauce, mix, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes on low heat. After this time, take a couple of pieces per sample. Also, make sure that there is enough liquid in the pan. Add boiled water if necessary. Cook another 20-30 minutes under the lid until a more delicate texture.

      Reply
  34. Christina

    April 18, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    Has anyone modified this for the Instant Pot? Just wondering how it worked out?

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      April 20, 2020 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Christina,

      You can easily try this recipe in the instant pot. replicate the first three points from the recipe, then put all the ingredients in an instant pot bowl and fill with sauce. Close the lid and select the “stewing” mode. At the end of the cooking cycle, take a sample. If the softness and consistency of the dish do not suit you – repeat the mode.

      Reply
      • Nadia Pearson

        June 23, 2020 at 9:34 pm

        How long should it be on stewing mode? Do you do natural release or quick release?

        Reply
        • 100krecipes

          June 26, 2020 at 5:03 pm

          Hi Nadia,

          You can set to “Meat / Stew” in the Normal setting (high pressure for 35 minutes) and NR for 10 minutes.

          Aleksa,

          Reply
  35. Erin

    April 11, 2020 at 3:45 pm

    5 stars
    Its delicious. I ended up adding some mixed veggies to it. Helped cut the tomatoey taste

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      April 11, 2020 at 4:01 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Erin,

      So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by 😋

      Reply
  36. Donna

    March 31, 2020 at 12:38 pm

    Can’t wait to make poor man’s stew!o

    Reply
    • 100krecipes

      March 31, 2020 at 1:13 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Donna,

      We are so happy to hear that from u, I hope you will like it, please share ur experience with us Thanks 😋😋

      Reply
4.90 from 85 votes (69 ratings without comment)

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