Easy Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew For Hearty Meals

Introduction

Imagine a dish that delivers incredible flavor with minimal fuss and only a handful of budget-friendly ingredients. This Easy Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew is exactly that—a comforting, hearty meal perfect for feeding a crowd or making weeknight dinners a breeze. With a rich tomato base, tender vegetables, and savory ground beef, this stew is a staple for anyone looking to serve up warmth and satisfaction with little effort.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew

This recipe stands out for its classic, home-cooked flavors and effortless preparation—just toss in simple ingredients, set your slow cooker, and let it work its magic. The slow cooking process melds the flavors beautifully, creating a savory, soul-warming stew that tastes like it simmered all day (because it has, but without you having to lift a finger). Plus, it’s versatile enough for substitutions; use what you have and make it your own!

Building the Flavor in Poor Man’s Stew

A few key ingredients are all you need for maximum flavor: ground beef provides richness, while carrots, onions, and potatoes offer sweetness and texture. The addition of garlic, Italian seasoning, and tomato sauce creates a deeply satisfying, savory broth. For a nutritional boost, consider stirring in a handful of frozen peas or canned beans near the end of cooking.

Effortless Preparation for Busy Days

This stew is as easy as it gets—brown the ground beef (if desired for deeper flavor), layer everything into your slow cooker, pour over the broth and tomato sauce, then set it and forget it! The long, gentle simmer transforms basic ingredients into a cozy, filling dish without constant supervision or stirring.

Serving Suggestions for a Hearty Meal

Serve this stew piping-hot with crusty bread, cornbread, or over steamed white rice to soak up every drop of the delicious broth. Sprinkle with fresh parsley for color, or top with shredded cheese for extra comfort. It’s a one-pot meal that satisfies on even the chilliest evenings.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe yields about 6 hearty servings, each packed with protein, fiber, and essential vitamins from the vegetables. Per serving, you can expect approximately 350 to 400 calories, making it a nutritious and filling meal that won’t break the calorie bank.

Easy Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew (Recap)

This slow cooker stew delivers maximum flavor with minimal prep and wallet-friendly ingredients—a true comfort meal ideal for any day of the week.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate a perfectly organized shopping list, sorted by grocery store section—making meal planning and grocery trips efficient and stress-free.

Instructions

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Drain excess fat. (Browning is optional but adds depth of flavor.)
2. Add the browned beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, and garlic to your slow cooker.
3. Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juices), tomato sauce, and beef broth.
4. Season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
6. If adding peas or beans, stir them in during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
7. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Ladle into bowls, garnish as desired, and enjoy!

Weekly Meal Planning

This stew is an outstanding choice for batch cooking and hearty weekly meal prep. Save and schedule this recipe in your meal plan for the week, and CookifyAI will generate smart, consolidated shopping lists and prevent duplicate purchases across all your planned meals.

Planning Benefits:

Automatically totals ingredient quantities from all your recipes

Optimizes your shopping list by store section for faster grocery runs

Reduces forgotten ingredients and food waste

Keeps your meal prep organized and efficient

Pro tip: Add all your weekly recipes to your planner and let CookifyAI handle the ingredient math—for example, ensuring you buy just the right amount of potatoes for this stew and any other planned dishes.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7–8 hours (on LOW) or 4–5 hours (on HIGH)
Total Time: 7 to 8 hours 15 minutes

Enjoy effortless, hearty meals all week with this Easy Slow Cooker Poor Man’s Stew—budget-friendly comfort food at its best!