This Simple Ground Beef Stew Is Hearty and Satisfying (2024)

Southern Dinner Recipes
Beef Mains
Soups
Ground Beef Recipes

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

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Updated on 02/23/24

Tested by

Colleen Graham

Tested byColleen Graham

Freelance writer and co*cktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

This Simple Ground Beef Stew Is Hearty and Satisfying (3)

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 50 mins

Servings: 4 servings

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This hearty ground beef stew is a simple combination of lean ground beef, potatoes, and carrots. Beef stock gives the stew its essential beefy flavor, while a basic flour and water slurry thickens the liquid. It's an excellent campfire stew as well. Just throw everything together in the Dutch oven, and simmer the stew until serving time.

It's a very easy and versatile one-pot dish that is ready to eat in just under an hour.For a hearty everyday meal, serve the stew along with crustyrolls or biscuits and a tossed salad. Or spoon the stew over couscous or rice.

What You'll Need to Make This Ground Beef Stew Recipe

A Heavy Dutch Oven

A Sharp Chef's Knife

A Handy Dandy Whisk

"When you simply want a classic, hearty stew, this is an excellent recipe. Cutting the veggies while the beef browns speeds up prep, and the flour thickens the stew perfectly. With so many other ingredients that could work here, the recipe is great for any weeknight." —Colleen Graham

This Simple Ground Beef Stew Is Hearty and Satisfying (7)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cups low-sodium or unsalted beef stock
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cold water
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley, optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Place a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent and the beef is no longer pink.
Drain off the excess fat and return the pan to the heat.
Add the beef stock to the ground beef mixture along with the potatoes and carrots.
Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook for about 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
In a cup or small bowl, combine the flour and cold water; whisk or stir until smooth.
Stir the flour and water mixture into the stew. Increase the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, uncovered,for about 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and add kosher salt and pepper, as needed.
Garnish the ground beef stew with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Tip

A good and flavorful ground beef lean-to-fat ratio for this dish is 85/15 percent. Be sure to drain off excess fat before you add the stock.

Recipe Variations

If you prefer a gluten-free meal, use cornstarch as the thickener. Stir about 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water until the mixture is smooth. Add it to the gently boiling stew, and continue cooking for about 2 to 3 minutes. If it isn't thick enough, repeat with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in about 1 tablespoon of cold water.
For extra flavor, feel free to add a 14.5-ounce can of diced tomatoes or 3 to 4 tablespoons of tomato paste to the ground beef stew.
Make it more substantial and colorful with a handful of fresh or frozen cut green beans along with the carrots.
Steamed frozen peas or mixed vegetables may be added just before the stew is ready.
If you have meat lovers in the family, increase the amount of ground beef to 1 1/2 pounds, or add about 1 cup of drained canned beans for the extra protein.

How to Store

Refrigerate leftover stew in a shallow covered container within 2 hours, and eat within four days.
To freeze the stew, transfer portions to freezer containers or zip-close freezer bags and freeze it for up to six months.

How Do You Drain Grease From Ground Beef?

Removing the fat from the browned ground beef ensures your stew is clean. Since this recipe is made in a heavy pan, it's best to push the ground beef to one side and tip the pot so the grease pools on the other side. Use a spoon or turkey baster to remove the fat and transfer it to a small bowl. Let it cool before discarding it; don't pour it down the drain.

28 Delicious Ground Beef Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
468	Calories
15g	Fat
49g	Carbs
32g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	468
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g	20%
Saturated Fat 6g	29%
Cholesterol 76mg	25%
Sodium 543mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate 49g	18%
Dietary Fiber 4g	15%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 32g
Vitamin C 10mg	52%
Calcium 72mg	6%
Iron 5mg	30%
Potassium 1256mg	27%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

Potato
entree
american
back to school

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