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Cozy One-Pot Poor Man’s Stew for Chilly Nights

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A humble, budget-friendly stew made with ground beef, potatoes, carrots, and corn in a rich, savory broth. Perfect for chilly nights, this one-pot meal is deeply satisfying and easy to make.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 3–4 medium Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 4 cups beef broth (low-sodium recommended)
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional but recommended)

Instructions

  1. Prep your veggies: dice the onion, mince the garlic, peel and slice the carrots into ½-inch rounds, dice the celery, and peel and cube the potatoes into 1-inch pieces.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned all over (6-8 minutes). Transfer beef to a plate with a slotted spoon, leaving fat and drippings in the pot.
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent and carrots have softened (5-7 minutes). Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Push veggies to the sides of the pot and add tomato paste to the center. Let it sizzle for 30 seconds, then stir into vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until tomato paste darkens.
  5. Pour in about ½ cup of beef broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (deglaze).
  6. Return browned beef to the pot. Add cubed potatoes, remaining beef broth, Worcestershire sauce (if using), dried thyme, and bay leaf. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
  7. After 30 minutes, remove lid and stir in frozen corn. Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender and broth has thickened slightly.
  8. Stir in frozen peas and let warm through for 2-3 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard.
  9. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
  10. Ladle into deep bowls and serve hot. Optionally garnish with fresh parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Notes

This stew tastes even better the next day as flavors meld. For a thicker broth, mash some potato chunks against the pot. Use low-sodium broth to control salt. The recipe is naturally gluten-free; check broth and Worcestershire sauce labels if needed.

Nutrition

Keywords: poor man's stew, one-pot stew, ground beef stew, budget-friendly stew, cozy stew, chilly night dinner, easy stew recipe

Find it online: https://twinkletaste.com/cozy-one-pot-poor-mans-stew-for-chilly-nights/