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Cozy Poor Mans Stew with Potatoes and Ground Beef

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A hearty, comforting stew made with simple ingredients like ground beef, potatoes, and carrots. It’s the perfect meal for cold nights, ready in about 45 minutes with just one pot.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20 recommended)
  • 3 medium potatoes (about 1.5 lbs / 680 g), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (Yukon Gold or Russet)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 large carrots, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 4 cups (960 ml) low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)
  • 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas (optional)

Instructions

  1. Prep your vegetables first. Dice the onion, carrots, and celery into small, even pieces—about 1/4-inch cubes. Mince the garlic. Peel and dice the potatoes into 1/2-inch cubes.
  2. Brown the ground beef. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5-7 minutes, until deeply browned and no longer pink. Spoon off excess fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon.
  3. Sauté the aromatics. Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and onion is translucent. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Add the tomato paste and flour (if using). Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. If using flour, sprinkle over vegetables and stir for another minute.
  5. Pour in the liquids. Add beef broth and diced tomatoes with their juices. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot (deglazing).
  6. Add the potatoes and seasonings. Stir in diced potatoes, dried thyme, smoked paprika, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
  7. Simmer until tender. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are fork-tender.
  8. Add peas (optional) and adjust seasoning. If using frozen peas, stir in during the last 2 minutes of cooking. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf.
  9. Rest before serving. Let stew sit off heat for 5 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Notes

For a thicker stew, mash some potatoes against the side of the pot or use a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water). The stew tastes even better the next day. For a gluten-free version, skip the flour or use a cornstarch slurry. For a lower-carb option, swap potatoes for cauliflower florets and reduce cooking time to 15 minutes.

Nutrition

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

Find it online: https://eliplate.com/cozy-poor-mans-stew-with-potatoes-and-ground-beef/