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• What Is Ground Beef Stew?
• Tips for Cooking and Prepping
• Recipe Variations and Substitutions
• What to Serve with Ground Beef Stew
• Storing, Make-Ahead, and Freezing Tips
• FAQs
• Easy Ground Beef Stew Recipe

When the weeknight budget is tight but everyone’s still hungry, this ground beef stew is the answer. It’s rich, thick, and packed with tender potatoes, carrots, and celery, all simmered together in a savory broth that tastes like it cooked all day. Best of all, it’s made with affordable ground beef instead of pricey stew meat, so you can feed a crowd without stressing over the grocery bill.

What Is Ground Beef Stew?

Ground beef stew is a comforting twist on classic beef stew that swaps expensive cubed chuck roast for humble, budget-friendly ground beef. Instead of braising large chunks of meat for hours, you brown the ground beef quickly and let it simmer with vegetables and broth, which means all the cozy, slow-cooked flavor comes together in about an hour instead of three or four.

It’s the kind of dish that shows up in home kitchens across the country because it’s forgiving, filling, and endlessly adaptable. Toss in whatever vegetables you have on hand, adjust the seasonings to taste, and you’ve got a one-pot meal that stretches two pounds of ground beef into eight generous servings.

Tips for Cooking and Prepping

#1: Brown the beef well before adding liquid

Letting the ground beef develop some deep color (not just turning gray) before you add the broth builds a much richer base flavor for the whole stew.

#2: Buy ground beef when it’s on sale and freeze it

Ground beef is one of the most frequently discounted proteins at the grocery store, so stock up when you see a good price and freeze extra pounds in this recipe’s exact portion size for next time.

#3: Cut potatoes and carrots into similar-sized chunks

Keeping your vegetable pieces roughly the same size ensures everything finishes cooking at the same time, so you don’t end up with mushy carrots and undercooked potatoes.

#4: Don’t skip the cornstarch slurry step

Mixing the cornstarch with cold water first before adding it to the hot stew prevents clumping and gives you that classic thick, spoon-coating stew texture.

#5: Scrape up the browned bits after adding broth

Those browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot after cooking the beef are packed with flavor, so scraping them up with the broth and Worcestershire sauce adds extra depth for free.

#6: Use leaner ground beef to cut down on draining

If you can find 85/15 or 90/10 ground beef at a similar price, it will save you a step and reduce the amount of grease you need to drain off after browning.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

This stew is very forgiving, so feel free to swap in what’s cheapest or what you already have on hand. Yukon gold or russet potatoes work fine in place of red potatoes, frozen mixed vegetables can stand in for fresh carrots and celery, and ground turkey or a leaner ground beef blend can replace the 80/20 mix if you’re watching fat content. You can also stir in a handful of frozen peas or corn near the end of cooking for extra color and nutrition.

What to Serve with Ground Beef Stew

This stew is hearty enough to be a complete meal on its own, but a slice of crusty bread or warm cornbread is perfect for soaking up the thick broth. A simple side salad or steamed green beans also rounds out the meal nicely without adding much to your grocery bill.

Storing, Make-Ahead, and Freezing Tips

Leftover stew keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, and the flavor actually deepens overnight. To freeze, cool the stew completely and store in freezer-safe containers or bags for up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating gently on the stove.

FAQs

Can I make ground beef stew in a slow cooker?

Yes, brown the ground beef with the garlic and tomato paste on the stovetop first, then transfer everything except the cornstarch slurry to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours, adding the slurry during the last 30 minutes to thicken.

Why is my stew not thick enough?

If your stew seems thin after adding the cornstarch slurry, let it simmer a few extra minutes since cornstarch needs gentle heat to fully activate; you can also mix a bit more cornstarch with cold water and stir it in for extra thickness.

Can I use a different protein instead of ground beef?

Ground turkey, ground chicken, or even ground venison all work well in this recipe as long as you adjust seasoning slightly, since leaner meats can taste milder than 80/20 ground beef.

Do I have to drain the fat after browning the beef?

If you’re using 80/20 ground beef, draining most of the excess fat helps keep the stew from tasting greasy, but if you use a leaner blend like 90/10, you may not need to drain at all.

Can I freeze ground beef stew with potatoes in it?

Yes, though potatoes can soften slightly after freezing and thawing; the texture is still perfectly enjoyable, especially in a hearty stew like this one where the potatoes are meant to be tender anyway.

Easy Ground Beef Stew Recipe

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 55 min | Total time: 70 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the Beef Base

• 2 pounds ground beef (80/20 or leaner)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

For the Stew

• 4 cups beef broth
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 4 medium carrots, sliced
• 4 medium celery ribs, sliced
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

For Thickening

• 1/4 cup cold water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

1. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, salt, and black pepper. Break up the meat and cook until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Pour in the beef broth and Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the red potatoes, diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Stir in the sugar, basil, oregano, parsley, paprika, and allspice.
5. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and flavors have developed.
6. In a small bowl, mix the cold water with the cornstarch until dissolved. Slowly pour into the stew while stirring constantly. Cook on low heat for a few more minutes, until thickened.
7. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt and black pepper if needed. Serve hot.

For an even richer flavor, let the stew rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving so the broth can settle and thicken slightly more. Leftovers reheat beautifully and taste even better the next day.