Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew Recipe — Hearty One-Pot Comfort Meal

Slow cooker hamburger stew is an easy, comforting beef dish made with affordable pantry ingredients like ground beef and canned tomatoes. This hearty stew is full of flavor and simple to prepare. Below are clear instructions for both a slow cooker and an Instant Pot.

Ingredients for Hamburger Stew

• Ground beef
• Potatoes
• Onion
• Garlic
• Bell pepper
• Celery
• Diced tomatoes
• Beef broth (low-sodium)
• Dry mustard
• Relish
• Salt & pepper
• Oil

How To Make Hamburger Stew In The Slow Cooker

Preparing this hamburger stew is straightforward. You can make it in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot. Both methods yield a flavorful, comforting meal.

Slow Cooker

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, and diced bell pepper. Cook 5–7 minutes, breaking up the beef as it cooks, until the meat is no longer pink. Add minced garlic and cook 1 more minute. Drain excess grease.
2. Transfer the cooked beef mixture to the slow cooker. Add chopped potatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, sliced celery, dry mustard, relish, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
3. Cook on HIGH for 3–4 hours or on LOW for 6–8 hours, until potatoes are tender and flavors are melded.

Instant Pot

1. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add ground beef, bell pepper, onion, and celery. Cook 5–7 minutes, crumbling the meat as it cooks. Add garlic and sauté 1 more minute. Drain any excess fat.
2. Stir in diced tomatoes, potatoes, beef broth, dry mustard, relish, salt, and pepper.
3. Close the lid and seal the valve. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes, then perform a quick release. Check potatoes for tenderness and adjust seasoning as needed.

A Hearty Hamburger Inspired Stew

This hamburger stew is a comforting, hearty meal that can easily fit into many eating styles. It can be made Whole30-compliant by choosing compliant ingredients and omitting non-compliant items. To reduce carbs, leave out the potatoes — the stew will remain flavorful and become lower in carbohydrates and more keto-friendly.

What type of potatoes should you use?

Waxy potatoes, such as baby yellow or red potatoes, hold their shape best during slow cooking and are my preferred choice. If you use russets or sweet potatoes, cut them into larger chunks so they don’t break down and become mushy. Ultimately, use whatever potatoes you have and prefer.

Stew or Soup

This recipe is a stew. The distinction between stew and soup is mainly the amount of liquid: stews are thicker and the ingredients are only lightly covered by liquid, while soups have more broth. If you prefer a soup, add about 6 cups more beef broth or a mix of broth and water to reach your desired consistency.

Storing Leftover Beef Stew

Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. To freeze, cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating, or reheat from frozen in a slow cooker or Instant Pot on a low/warm setting until heated through.

FAQs & Tips

• If you don’t have dry mustard, regular prepared mustard can be used instead.
• Omit the potatoes to make the stew lower in carbs or keto-friendly.
• Use a 6-quart slow cooker or an Instant Pot for the amounts listed here.
• Adjust salt and pepper to taste at the end of cooking.

Stew Recipes

• Fiesta Chicken Stew

• Italian Fish Stew

• Beef Bourguignon

• Cranberry Beef Stew

• Oxtail Stew

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