Poor Mans Stew

Poor Mans Stew is a hearty American comfort soup made by simmering ground beef, potatoes, and carrots in a rich tomato-and-beef broth. The method creates tender potatoes and a savory, spoonable texture with frozen mixed vegetables stirred in at the end.

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings: 6 servings

Cuisine: American

Calories: 620

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

Beef base and aromatics

1 lb ground beef
1 onion diced
2 garlic minced

Stew vegetables and tomatoes

4 potatoes cubed
3 carrots sliced
14.5 oz diced tomatoes 1 can, drained if packed in liquid
10.75 oz tomato soup 1 can
3 cup beef broth

Seasoning and finish

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp black pepper
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables

Equipment

1 Dutch oven

Method

Brown the beef and aromatics

Brown ground beef and diced onion in a large pot for 8 minutes, until the beef is browned and the onions soften. Drain off excess fat, then add minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds so it becomes fragrant.

Build the stew and bring to a boil

Add cubed potatoes, sliced carrots, diced tomatoes, tomato soup, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir well to combine, then bring the mixture to a boil.

Simmer until tender

Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

Add vegetables and finish

Stir in frozen mixed vegetables, then simmer covered for 5 minutes until heated through. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then serve hot with bread if desired.

Notes

Pro tip: keep the simmer gentle after boiling so the potatoes cook through without breaking. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (reheat until piping hot). For a lighter version, use 90% lean ground beef or swap in a lower-sodium beef broth and adjust salt to taste.