Deliciously Thrifty: The Ultimate Slow Cooker Poor Man's Stew Recipe

To find the recipe for Slow Cooker Poor Man's Stew, simply click on the "Jump to Recipe" link. You can also view a video of the recipe by clicking on the "Jump to Video" link. If you prefer a printed version, click on the link to "Print Recipe."

This stew is a budget-friendly meal that makes excellent use of ground beef in order to save money. It is a hearty dish that requires little effort to prepare. We recommend trying similar stew recipes, such as Shipwreck Stew or A-1 Beef Stew, for a satisfying dinner.

Back in 2015 when we first published this recipe, we made the entire dish for just .24. Nowadays, grocery prices have increased, but you can still prepare a frugal meal with fresh vegetables and ground beef.

To create this mouth-watering Poor Man's Stew, we use ground beef, russet potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, tomato paste, water, and a variety of seasonings. We cook everything together in the slow cooker for a full day in order to achieve optimum flavor. This stew also makes a great addition to Sunday dinner or a hearty camping meal.

This stew was inspired by the classic movie, The Princess Bride. The scene where Fezzic feeds Inigo Montoya stew in order to sober him up provided the inspiration for our hearty recipe.

When shopping for ingredients, considering buying fresh vegetables in small quantities to keep per-serving prices low. Buying ground beef in rolls, rather than trays, can also help save money. Additionally, using dried spices can be a more affordable option compared to fresh herbs. Water is substituted for beef broth to cut down on cost, but beef broth can be added if desired. Finally, a cheap can of tomato paste is used to provide the necessary tomato flavor. To start preparing the stew, simply brown the ground beef in a skillet before adding it to the slow cooker with the potatoes, onions, carrots, and garlic.

Step Two – Combine tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl using a whisk.

Step Three – Pour the previously mixed ingredients into the slow cooker and stir everything together.

Step Four – Put on the slow cooker's lid and cook it on low for 7-8 hours or continue until the potatoes reach the desired tenderness. Serve the dish in bowls and enjoy!

Additional Vegetables – Incorporate sweet potatoes, frozen peas, and canned green beans into your meal.

Tomato Soup – Achieve a richer taste by swapping tomato paste with condensed tomato soup.

Flavor Enhancers – Spice up your recipe by adding Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce. Alternatively, substitute the prescribed seasoning with a pack of taco seasoning.

Toppings - Elevate your crockpot's poor man's stew by adding toppings like shredded cheddar cheese, diced onion, or crushed saltine crackers.

Bread – You needn't purchase special bread for this meal; buttered sandwich bread serves excellently as a side.

Can I use a different kind of meat? – Experiment with ground turkey, ground chicken, ground sausage, or traditional beef stew meat.

How to store – Refrigerate your leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days or freeze them for a couple of months.

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To make a delectable crockpot poor man's stew, add cooked ground meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic to a 5-quart or bigger slow cooker. Combine tomato paste, water, salt, pepper, onion powder, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl and drizzle the mixture over everything in the slow cooker. Stir well.

Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, resisting the urge to open the lid during the cooking process. Serve with buttered sandwich bread or rolls and enjoy! You may use any type of ground meat, or if you want to be traditional, beef stew meat.

Any leftover food can be stored for up to three days in the fridge or for a longer time in the freezer in an airtight container.

For Variations:

More Vegetables: Add sweet potatoes, frozen peas, and canned green beans for an extra serving of vegetables.

Tomato Soup: Trade tomato paste with condensed tomato soup for an elevated flavor.

Flavor Enhancers: Consider adding Worcestershire sauce or hot sauce for some heat. Alternatively, add a pack of taco seasoning for more seasoning options.

Toppings: As toppings, feel free to add shredded cheddar cheese, diced onion, or crushed saltine crackers.

Our automated system generates nutritional information for this dish. Please note that it is an estimate, and special dietary requirements necessitate personal calculations.

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

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