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Easy Poor Mans Stew: Best One-Pot Ground Beef & Potato Recipe

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This poor man’s stew is a hearty, budget-friendly one-pot meal made with ground beef, potatoes, carrots, and a rich savory broth. It’s perfect for busy weeknights and delivers comforting, stick-to-your-ribs flavor without any fancy techniques.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 works best)
  • 4 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 4 cups)
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds (about 1½ cups)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 4 cups beef broth (low-sodium preferred)
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Optional garnish: fresh parsley, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients first. Peel and cube your potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Slice your carrots into rounds about ¼-inch thick. Dice your onion. Mince your garlic.
  2. Heat your pot over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and let it shimmer for about 30 seconds. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with your wooden spoon as it cooks. Let it brown undisturbed for about 3-4 minutes before stirring. Cook until no pink remains, about 6-8 minutes total.
  3. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon and set it aside in a bowl. Leave about 1 tablespoon of rendered fat in the pot.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Toss in the diced onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns translucent and starts to soften. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom as you stir.
  5. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, and smoked paprika. Stir constantly for about 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant.
  6. Stir in the tomato paste. Cook it for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
  7. Pour in the beef broth and use your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add the undrained diced tomatoes, the bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Stir everything together.
  8. Add the cubed potatoes and sliced carrots to the pot. Return the cooked ground beef to the pot as well. Stir everything together until well combined. Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat.
  9. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let it simmer gently for 20-25 minutes. Stir once or twice during cooking. The potatoes should be tender when pierced with a fork but still holding their shape.
  10. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove the bay leaf and discard it. Add more salt and pepper if needed. If the stew seems too thick, add a splash of broth or water. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes.
  11. Let the stew rest for 5-10 minutes off the heat before serving.

Notes

Brown the beef in batches if needed to avoid steaming. Cut potatoes uniformly for even cooking. Don’t skip the tomato paste step—it deepens the flavor. Let the stew rest before serving for best flavor. Season in layers for better results.

Nutrition

Keywords: poor man's stew, ground beef stew, one-pot meal, budget-friendly, comfort food, potato stew, easy dinner

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