Easy One-Pot Cowboy Stew Recipe – Ready in 30 Minutes!
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Looking for a hearty meal that feeds the whole family without spending hours in the kitchen? This Cowboy Stew recipe is your answer! Packed with ground beef, sausage, potatoes, and beans, this filling dinner comes together in just one pot and is ready in only 30 minutes.
What Makes This Cowboy Stew Special
This isn’t your average beef stew. Cowboy Stew gets its name from the hearty, stick-to-your-ribs ingredients that cowboys would have enjoyed around a campfire. Our modern version combines savory ground beef and sausage with tender potatoes, beans, corn, and just the right amount of spice from green chilies. The best part? Everything cooks in one pot, so you’ll have minimal cleanup after dinner. Oh, we’re also sharing crockpot cooking instructions!
Ingredient Notes and Tips
Ground Beef: We use 93% lean ground beef to keep the stew from getting too greasy. If you use fattier beef, drain off extra grease after browning.
Sausage Selection: Any smoked sausage works great here. Try kielbasa for a traditional flavor, andouille for extra spice, or Italian sausage for more herbs. Even chicken sausage works if you want a lighter option.
Potato Tips: Cut your russet potatoes into small, even 1/2-inch cubes so they cook quickly and evenly. Leave the skin on for extra nutrition and texture.
Canned Goods: Don’t drain the pinto beans or diced tomatoes – the liquid adds flavor and helps create the stew’s perfect consistency.
Spice Level: The combination of diced tomatoes with green chilies plus the can of chopped green chilies gives a mild kick. For less heat, use regular diced tomatoes instead.
How to Make Cowboy Stew
Making this cowboy stew recipe couldn’t be easier:
Brown the meat: Start by cooking ground beef with onion and garlic until the beef is fully cooked. Set it aside on a plate.
Cook the sausage: In the same pot, brown your sliced sausage for 3-4 minutes until golden.
Combine everything: Add the cooked beef back to the pot along with potatoes, beans, tomatoes, broth, corn, green chilies, and all the seasonings.
Simmer: Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 8-12 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender.
Final touches: Stir in frozen peas and cook 4-5 more minutes. Taste and add salt if needed.
Serve: Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley for a pop of color and freshness.
Recipe Variations
Make it heartier: Add crumbled bacon when you brown the ground beef for extra smoky flavor.
Vegetable swaps: Use a bag of mixed frozen vegetables instead of separate corn and peas. Add bell peppers or carrots for more color and nutrition.
Bean lover’s version: Double up on both pinto beans and tomatoes for an extra-filling meal that stretches even further.
Make it soupier: Add an extra cup of beef broth if you prefer a thinner consistency, more like a soup than a stew.
Adjust the size: This recipe easily doubles to feed a crowd or can be cut in half for smaller families.
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Crockpot Cowboy Stew Instructions
Love using your slow cooker? This cowboy stew adapts perfectly for the crockpot! Here’s how to make it:
Crockpot Method:
Brown the meats first (optional but recommended): In a skillet, brown the ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain any excess fat. Then brown the sausage slices. This step adds extra flavor but you can skip it if you’re short on time.
Layer in the crockpot: Add the browned meats (or raw if skipping step 1) to your slow cooker along with diced potatoes, pinto beans with liquid, diced tomatoes with liquid, beef broth, corn, green chilies, and all the seasonings.
Cook on LOW: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. The stew is ready when the potatoes are fork-tender.
Add the peas: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen peas. They don’t need long to cook and can get mushy if added too early.
Final touches: Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve topped with fresh parsley.
Time-Saving Crockpot Version:
For the busiest days, use these shortcuts:
- Skip browning the meat
- Use pre-diced frozen potatoes
- Buy pre-sliced sausage
- Use frozen diced onions instead of fresh
This dump-and-go version still tastes great and saves you precious morning minutes!
Storage Instructions
Cowboy Stew stores beautifully, making it perfect for meal prep:
- Refrigerator: Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days
- Reheating: Warm on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of broth if needed to loosen the consistency
- Freezing: While you can freeze this stew, the potatoes may become slightly grainy when thawed
Serving Suggestions
This hearty stew is a complete meal on its own, but here are some tasty ways to serve it:
- Top with shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onions
- Serve with warm cheddar cheese muffins, cornbread, or crusty bread for dipping
- Add a dollop of guacamole or sliced avocado for creaminess
- Sprinkle with crushed tortilla chips for extra crunch
- Pair with a simple green salad to round out the meal
Related Recipes You’ll Love
If you enjoy this Cowboy Stew, try these similar one-pot wonders:
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken: Another hearty 30-minute, one-pot meal
- Hamburger Soup: A lighter option with plenty of veggies and no beans
- Cheesy Potato Soup: Creamy comfort food with similar flavors
- Taco Soup: Mexican-inspired soup with ground beef and beans
- Turkey Shepherd’s Pie: Ground beef and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes
- Italian Sausage Tortellini Soup: An Instant Pot recipe that’s another 30-minute meal.
Your Turn!
Have you tried this easy Cowboy Stew recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out for your family! Did you make any special additions or variations? Please leave a comment below and don’t forget to rate this recipe with 5 stars if you loved it. Your feedback helps other home cooks find this delicious dinner idea!
Easy One-Pan Cowboy Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
- ½ cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 8 oz sausage sliced
- 2 medium russet potatoes diced into 1/2 inch cubes (3-4 cups)
- 15 oz canned pinto beans with liquid
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies with liquid
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 8 oz can chopped green chiles
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp coarse kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Instructions
- To a deep skillet or pot add the ground beef, onion, and garlic. Over medium heat cook for 5-7 minutes or until the juices run clear. Transfer the beef to a plate.
- To the pot add the sausage. Saute for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Transfer the beef and the remainder of the ingredients (minus the peas and parsley) to the pot.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low medium and simmer for 8-12 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Stir occasionally.
- Taste to see if more salt is needed.
- Add the peas to the pot. Stir until combined. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes or until the peas are cooked.
- Serve and top with fresh parsley.
Notes
- You can easily double or even half this recipe.
- Use mixed frozen vegetables in place of peas and corn.
- Add chopped bacon with the ground beef.
- You can double the beans and tomatoes.
- For the sausage, you can use Kielbasa, andouille sausage, Italian sausage, or even chicken sausage.
- Add an additional cup of broth if you want it more like soup.
Crockpot Method:
Brown the meats first (optional but recommended): In a skillet, brown the ground beef with onion and garlic. Drain any excess fat. Then brown the sausage slices. This step adds extra flavor but you can skip it if you’re short on time. Layer in the crockpot: Add the browned meats (or raw if skipping step 1) to your slow cooker along with diced potatoes, pinto beans with liquid, diced tomatoes with liquid, beef broth, corn, green chilies, and all the seasonings. Cook on LOW: Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. The stew is ready when the potatoes are fork-tender. Add the peas: In the last 30 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen peas. They don’t need long to cook and can get mushy if added too early.Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
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