We love a good hamburger stew, and this easy recipe is packed with big, beefy flavor and plenty of veggies! I love this simple supper. It makes a pretty big batch so it’s ideal for meal prepping or potlucks. It’s beefy, loaded with veggies, and it’s so much faster to make than regular stew. Hungry? Give this Classic Hamburger Stew a try!
There’s nothing fancy about this classic Hamburger Stew, and that’s precisely why it’s so good. This ground beef stew is hearty, rich, and packed with flavor—the kind of meal that warms you up from the inside out. Think tender ground beef, soft potatoes, and sweet carrots, all simmered in a savory broth that soaks into every bite. It’s an easy stew, perfect for busy nights when you need something satisfying without the fuss. Plus, it’s a one-pot meal, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy a cozy meal with your family.
The beauty of Hamburger Stew is how adaptable it is. Keep it classic with onions, garlic, and a splash of Worcestershire, or throw in extra veggies to make it your own. Serve this hearty beef stew with crusty bread for soaking up all that rich broth, or ladle it over rice if you want to stretch it even further. Leftovers? Even better. The flavors deepen overnight, making it an ideal make-ahead ground beef stew. Whether it’s a chilly evening or you just need an easy beef stew recipe, Hamburger Stew delivers every time.
Ingredients
- Lean ground beef – I cook with 80/20 ground beef. Buy it on sale and freeze it for this recipe to make it even more budget-friendly.
- Carrots – You’ll need a couple of big carrots, not baby carrots.
- Celery – Use the leafy stalks and all. There’s so much flavor in the leaves!
- Onion – I cook with yellow (aka brown) onions. You could use any kind of onion.
- Garlic – Please use real garlic, not jarlic.
- Potatoes – Really any kind of potato will work in this recipe.
- Tomatoes – You’ll need a 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes, undrained.
- Beef broth – Cook with low or no sodium-added beef broth, or make your own!
- Worcestershire sauce
- Dried thyme
- Salt – I cook with kosher salt. If you use table salt, use a bit less.
- Ground black pepper
- Maggi sauce – Optional but adds so much flavor. You can find this wherever you buy bovril or boullion.
- Bay leaf
- Cornstarch
- Cold water
- Green peas – Use frozen green peas; canned will get mushy.
- Corn niblets – I like frozen niblets for their texture, but canned and drained is fine, too.
How to Make Classic Hamburger Stew
- Prepare the vegetables by peeling and dicing the potatoes and onion, slicing the carrots, and mincing the garlic. Set aside.
- Add the ground beef and flatten it into a pancake at the bottom of your soup pot or Dutch oven. Cook it undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes, then flip and break it into chunks. Continue cooking until browned but not necessarily fully cooked through.
- Stir in the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook the veggies for around 8 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the potatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, pepper, Maggi Sauce (if using), and bay leaf. Stir well.
- Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and let it cook for 20-25 minutes or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Stir this into the stew and simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the broth thickens.
- Add the frozen peas and corn. Stir and cook for 2-3 more minutes until heated through.
- Adjust seasoning if needed, then serve hot and enjoy.
Step-By-Step Process
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use lean ground beef to keep the dish from being too greasy. If there’s excess fat after browning, drain it before adding the vegetables.
- Maggi Sauce enhances the flavor with a deep umami note, but the stew is still delicious without it.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors blend, and this dish freezes like a dream.
Recommended
Make It A Meal
This stew is filling on its own, but it pairs well with crusty bread, biscuits, or even a bed of white rice. A simple side salad makes a great fresh addition.
Storage
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave. For longer storage, freeze in portion-sized containers for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Classic Hamburger Stew
Ingredients
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 pound carrot peeled and cut into ¼-inch coins
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 pounds potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes canned and undrained
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Maggi Sauce optional
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1 cup green peas frozen
- 1 cup corn niblets frozen
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables by peeling and dicing the potatoes and onion, slicing the carrots, and mincing the garlic. Set aside.
- Add the ground beef and flatten it into a pancake at the bottom of your soup pot or Dutch oven. Cook it undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes, then flip and break it into chunks. Continue cooking until browned but not necessarily fully cooked through.
- Stir in the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for around 8 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
- Add the potatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, salt, pepper, Maggi Sauce (if using), and bay leaf. Stir well.
- Bring the stew to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and let it cook for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
- Mix the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Stir this into the stew and simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the broth thickens.
- Add the frozen peas and corn. Stir and cook for 2-3 more minutes until heated through.
- Adjust seasoning if needed, then serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use lean ground beef to keep the dish from being too greasy. If there’s excess fat after browning, drain it before adding the vegetables
- .Maggi Sauce enhances the flavor with a deep umami note, but the stew is still delicious without it.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the flavors blend, and it freeze like a dream!