Easy Crockpot Hamburger Stew Recipe

This Easy Crock Pot Hamburger Stew is the perfect comfort food. It’s a cozy, no-fuss dinner that’s perfect for chilly fall or winter nights and busy weeknights. With a busy family schedule, hearty meals that come together easily are always a win. This is a twist on traditional beef stew, using ground beef instead of stew meat. It’s perfect for kids with braces and budget-friendly as well.

First made in 2015 and republished in 2022.

I first saw the idea for a Hamburger Stew on Pinterest and decided to change up a recipe from The Magical Slow Cooker to accommodate my picky eaters. One good thing about this recipe is that it will be easy to change for the pickiest eaters.  

This can also be called “Poor Man’s Stew” because it’s budget-friendly, filling, and always made with pantry ingredients! 

Crock Pot Hamburger Stew Recipe Ingredients:

• Ground Hamburger
• Onion
• Carrots– I use baby carrots and cut them up into smaller pieces.
• Cubed Potatoes-I used russet potatoes
• Minced garlic– or you can use ground cloves of garlic.
• Tomato Paste
• Water 
• Salt and Black Pepper
• Oregano

how to make hamburger stew in a crock pot

Brown the ground beef in a large skillet on medium-high heat; you can also use lean ground beef. I like to add a pinch of my all-purpose seasoning while it’s cooking.

Strain or drain the excess grease off the meat and set the cooked hamburger meat aside while you prep everything else. (I love pulling mine out of the freezer pre-browned, see -> here for tips on how to make frozen cooked ground beef)

Prepare all your vegetables; start by peeling and chopping the potatoes, onions, and carrots. A girlfriend said that sweet potatoes would be good in this, but I prefer yellow, russet, or baby potatoes.

I sprayed my crockpot with non-stick spray, but you can skip this step if you’d like! You can also use Slow Cooker Liners. 

Combine the beef, carrots, onion, potatoes, and garlic in the crockpot. I placed the potatoes on the bottom of the crock so they will cook more with the most direct access to heat.

In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. This is the water, tomato paste, and beef stew seasoning you use.

Pour the water mixture over the beef mixture contents of the slow cooker and cover it with a lid.

Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until done.

The cooking time will vary, so the liquid level must be high for the potatoes to cook thoroughly. Add some more if the liquid gets too low before the stew is done cooking!

Serve with bread bowls or bread; this is perfect for a cold night.

What is your favorite stew recipe? Do you have a go-to stew recipe for the winter months?

Alternative Ingredients To Put In Crock Pot Hamburger Stew:

Now, just like crockpot beef stew, you can make many variations of hamburger stew in a crockpot. It is fun to change it up to make a great recipe every time or just the next time.

• Other Vegetables: Corn Kernels, Green Beans, Frozen Peas, Diced Tomatoes, 
• Beef Broth
• Onion powder or minced onion in place of onions
• Sauces- Worcestershire Sauce, Tomato Soup, Soy Sauce, Tomato sauce, Chicken Broth
• Seasonings- Bay Leaves, Italian Seasoning, basil, rosemary
• Ground meat- like ground Turkey or ground chicken
• Gold Potatoes Or Red Potatoes

What to serve with crockpot hamburger stew

There is no wrong answer on what to serve with this dish! Pick out side dishes your family ikes or just serve it alone.

Bread: Cheesy Garlic Pull Apart Bread, Garlic Parmesan Bisucti Pull Part Bread, English Muffin Garlic Cheese Bread, Easy Cheesy Monkey Bread, Corn Bread

Other Side Dishes: Crockpot Quinoa, Air Fryer Bacon Asparagus, Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes, Air Fryer Brussell Sprouts, Green Beans, Caesar Salad, Green Salad, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Air Fryer Broccoli, Grilled Zucchini, Grilled Corn On The Cob, Air Fryer Zucchini Chips, Crockpot Quinoa, Cole Slaw

How to store hamburger Soup

Allow the stew to cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can freeze it in an airtight container for up to ninety days.

Storing leftovers properly requires the right tools! My preferred storage method is if the leftovers can be sealed in a food saver. If not, then an air-tight container or Ziploc bag for the fridge is the way I go. The airtight container or a freezer Ziploc bag are the next best bet for freezing the leftovers. I also use a food scale to measure portions into serving sizes.

How To Make Zero-Point Ground Beef Stew

With the changes to WW in 2024, you can now make zero-point ground beef stew. Potatoes and ground beef that are 93% or more lean are zero points. As long as you use a zero-point broth, you are good to go. As with zero-point food, watch portions, as they still have calories. This also works for lowering the calories in the recipe.

Slow Cooker Ground Beef Recipes

There are nights when easy crockpot meals with hamburger meat are perfect for dinner time!! Easy Weeknight Ground beef dinners are always a massive hit with all my teens. They are easy to make and fuel the family! Plus, they tend to be budget-friendly as well.

• Crockpot Sloppy Joes
• Crock Pot Beef Chili Recipe
• Crockpot Cheeseburger Bacon Dip Recipe