A hearty cowboy stew that is sure to hit the spot. Ground beef, kielbasa, potatoes, corn, and beans simmered in the slow cooker. Serve with cornbread or biscuits!
You might also like our slow cooker taco soup, our slow cooker zuppa Toscana soup, or our white chicken chili.
Watch our step by step video!
Hearty Cowboy Stew
I love a good soup or stew on a cold day and this Cowboy soup is so hearty and delicious. It’s SIMPLE too—my favorite kind of recipe. Cowboy stew has been around for a long time, and there are quite a few different ways to make it. Most recipes include ground meat (turkey or beef), sausage, potatoes, tomatoes, spices and beans. Some use pinto beans, others use baked beans. I’ve also seen some recipes that use bacon.
I feel like this is the perfect dish for cleaning out the refrigerator. Add any veggies you’d like (frozen or fresh) like carrots or mixed vegetables.
My version makes a large batch, enough for 8 people, and the leftovers are fantastic! I find that it’s best to allow the stew to stand for 30 minutes before serving. This allows it to slightly cool off and thicken. I like preparing mine in my slow cooker, but I’ll include stove top directions as well.
Cowboy Stew Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef or turkey: I buy ground turkey 99% of the time so that is what I use.
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 (12 oz.) package keilbasa: I use turkey kielbasa, but you can use smoked sausage, polish sausage, etc.
- 2 (16 oz.) cans chili beans in mild sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic cloves
- 1 (4 oz.) green chiles
- 1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn or 1 can of corn (drained)
- 14 ounces crushed or diced tomatoes in juice (I prefer crushed)
- 1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes (3-4 medium potatoes)
- 1 cup beef broth (can also use water)
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
How To Make Slow Cooker Cowboy Stew
- Brown turkey in a large skillet with diced onion on medium-high heat. Cook until meat is done and onions are clear.
- Cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces and kielbasa into small bite sized pieces.
- Add meat to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover, and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8 hours (until potatoes are tender).
Stew will thicken as it cools to a chili/stew consistency.
Slow Cooker Cowboy Stew
Slow Cooker Cowboy Stew
Equipment
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef or turkey
- 1 onion diced
- 1 12 oz. package keilbasa
- 2 16 oz. cans chili beans in mild sauce
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 4 oz. can green chiles
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn or 1 can of corn, drained
- 14 ounces crushed tomatoes or diced (in juice)
- 1 1/2 lbs. red potatoes 3-4 medium potatoes
- 1 cup beef broth or water
- 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Brown turkey in a skillet with diced onion. Cook until meat is done and onions are clear (if using ground beef drain off fat).
- Cut potatoes into 1 inch pieces and kielbasa into small bite sized pieces.
- Add meat to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients, cover, and cook on HIGH for 5 hours or LOW for 8 hours (until potatoes are tender).
- Allow stew to cool 20-30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
How To Make Stove Top Cowboy Stew
- Brown turkey in a large pot or dutch oven with diced onion on medium-high heat. Cook until meat is done and onions are clear.
- Cut kielbasa and potatoes into bite sized pieces.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pot, stir, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover, and allow stew to simmer for 1 hour.
Stew will thicken as it cools to a chili/stew consistency.
Welcome! I'm Brandy, mother to 5 darling kiddos and a cute black lab named Toby. My husband is in the Coast Guard so we've lived all over the place, turning each house into a home. I love baking, sewing, making cute things with my kids, and sharing what I've learned with all of you!
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