The Ultimate Easy Hamburger Stew
The Ultimate Easy Hamburger Stew (Hearty One-Pot Comfort Food)
When you’re craving a warm, filling dinner that’s packed with rich flavor and simple ingredients, this Ultimate Easy Hamburger Stew is exactly what you need. Made with lean ground beef, tender Yukon Gold potatoes, hearty vegetables, and a thick, savory broth, this cozy meal is the perfect answer for busy weeknights and chilly evenings.
Unlike a traditional beef stew that requires hours of simmering with stew meat, this hamburger stew recipe comes together much faster thanks to ground beef. It’s an easy way to enjoy all the comforting flavors of classic beef stew without the long cook time.
Whether you’re feeding the whole family or looking for a satisfying meal prep recipe, this hearty stew is one everyone will ask for again and again.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Hamburger Stew
- Ready in about one hour
- One-pot meal with easy cleanup
- Loaded with hearty vegetables
- Rich, savory broth
- Budget-friendly ingredients
- Great for meal prep
- Perfect for busy nights
- Ultimate comfort food
This is one of those comforting meals that tastes like it’s been simmering all day, even though it’s simple enough to make on a weeknight.
What Makes This Hamburger Stew So Good?
The secret to this rich stew is layering flavor.
Instead of simply adding everything to the pot, the vegetables are sautéed first before browning the hamburger meat. Tomato paste is cooked briefly to deepen its flavor before adding the beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika.
A small amount of flour thickens the broth naturally, creating a rich, hearty consistency without becoming overly heavy.
Adding Better Than Bouillon gives this stew an incredible depth of flavor that makes it taste like it simmered all day.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon beef base
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- Salt and black pepper
- Fresh parsley
Why Use Yukon Gold Potatoes?
Yukon Gold potatoes are my favorite for stew because they become perfectly tender without falling apart.
While russet potatoes or red potatoes also work, Yukon Golds have a naturally buttery texture that makes every bite even better.
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Buy Now → How to Make Ultimate Easy Hamburger Stew
Step 1: Sauté the Vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add:
- Onion
- Celery
Cook for about 5–6 minutes until softened.
Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 2: Brown the Ground Beef
Add the lean ground beef.
Cook until browned, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Drain any excess fat if necessary.
Step 3: Build the Flavor
Sprinkle the flour over the beef mixture.
Cook for one minute while stirring continuously.
Add the tomato paste and continue cooking another minute.
Cooking the tomato paste first develops a much richer flavor than simply stirring it into the broth.
Step 4: Add the Broth
Pour in:
- Beef broth
- Better Than Bouillon beef base
- Worcestershire sauce
Season with:
- Italian seasoning
- Smoked paprika
- Salt
- Black pepper
Stir until everything is fully combined.
Step 5: Add the Vegetables
Stir in:
- Yukon Gold potatoes
- Carrots
Bring everything to a boil.
Reduce to a gentle simmer.
Partially cover the pot and cook for 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes become perfectly tender and the broth thickens.
Step 6: Finish the Stew
Add:
- Frozen peas
- Frozen corn
Cook another 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.
Finish by stirring in the fresh parsley.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Serve warm.
Tips for the Best Hamburger Stew
Brown the Beef Well
Allow the beef to develop some color before adding the broth. Those browned bits create incredible flavor.
Use Yukon Gold Potatoes
They hold their shape while becoming perfectly creamy.
Don’t Skip the Tomato Paste
Cooking the tomato paste before adding liquid gives the stew much deeper flavor.
Simmer Gently
A slow, gentle simmer allows the vegetables to become tender while keeping the broth rich and flavorful.
Easy Variations
This easy hamburger stew is incredibly flexible.
Try adding:
- Green beans
- Red pepper flakes
- Ground turkey
- Ground chicken
- Frozen mixed vegetables
- Diced canned tomatoes
- Tomato sauce
- Extra carrots
- Mushrooms
You can also substitute vegetable broth or chicken broth if needed, although beef broth provides the richest flavor.
Slow Cooker Instructions
Want to make this in the slow cooker?
Brown the beef and sauté the onion, celery, garlic, and tomato paste first.
Transfer everything except the peas and corn to the slow cooker.
Cook:
- LOW: 6–8 hours
- HIGH: 3–4 hours
Add the frozen vegetables during the final 20 minutes.
What to Serve with Hamburger Stew
This hearty stew is a complete meal on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with several recipes from Krystel’s Cooking.
Try serving it with:
- Easy Homemade Soft Pretzels
- Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Bites
- Easy Homemade Honey Buns
- Chewy Homemade Granola Bars
- Apple Cinnamon Cobbler
- The Best Berry Cobbler
- Easy Brownie Cookie Sandwiches
A slice of crusty bread or a fresh side salad also makes a wonderful addition to soak up every bit of that rich broth.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
The flavors become even better overnight, making this a fantastic meal prep recipe.
To reheat:
- Warm on the stovetop over medium heat.
- Or microwave individual servings until hot.
If the stew thickens too much during storage, simply stir in a splash of beef stock or water while reheating.
Easy Hamburger Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon beef base
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 4 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup frozen corn
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the onion and celery and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Sprinkle the flour over the beef mixture and stir continuously for 1 minute.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute to deepen the flavor.
- Pour in the beef broth and stir in the beef base, Worcestershire sauce, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Add the potatoes and carrots. Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Cover partially and cook for 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened.
- Stir in the peas and corn and cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley.
- Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze hamburger stew?
Yes! Allow the stew to cool completely before transferring it to freezer-safe containers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Can I use ground turkey instead?
Absolutely. Ground turkey or even ground chicken makes a lighter version of this recipe.
Can I add more vegetables?
Definitely! Green beans, mushrooms, peas, corn, and your favorite veggies all work well.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. Like many stews, it tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop.
Is this like poor man’s stew?
Yes! Many people call this poor man’s stew because it uses affordable pantry staples and hamburger meat instead of expensive stew meat while still creating an incredibly hearty, satisfying meal.
Final Thoughts
This Ultimate Easy Hamburger Stew is everything you want in a comforting dinner—rich broth, tender potatoes, flavorful ground beef, and plenty of hearty vegetables all simmered together in one pot. It’s easy enough for busy weeknights, budget-friendly for feeding a family, and satisfying enough to become one of your go-to recipes.
If you’re looking for a cozy meal that’s packed with flavor and made with everyday pantry staples, this easy hamburger stew recipe is one you’ll find yourself making all year long.od food has the power to ignite happiness in our hearts and nourish our souls.
Ingredient list does not have celery listed. Step one does. Not a big deal, I will add celery. It’s easy enough to figure out, I just wanted to bring it to your attention. I am making it now. Sounds delicious and easy.
Hey there! Thank you for bringing this to my attention! I went back in and added the celery to the recipe card! I usually use 2 stalks of celery chopped but some people may choose to leave it out or use less.
Thank you, and onion as well
Ingredients list does not have onion listed.
The onions are optional, not everyone likes them but I think they give a good flavor to it! 🙂
I made this for our supper today, rating it full marks, added the onion and a can of tomato soup just like the other person suggested, a lot more food for a couple of seniors but we will freeze it for later. We love beef stew but the price of stew meat is outrageous, so from now on we will use ground beef instead this will be a great meal this winter.
This is delicious, both my husband and myself agree we need to have this again.
I had everything that the recipe called for on hand, which is rare for me.
It is the perfect meal for a cold fall or winter night. I will definitely be making it again.
Note, I did not change a thing.
I was wondering if I could add cabbage to it what do y’all think
I feel like you can add cabbage as well!
This stew is delicious. I did add onion (we love onion) I’ve made it 3 times so far and it was gobbled up.
Forgot to rate