Cowboy Stew

A serving bowl of stew with a spoon inside of it.

Cowboy Stew is a hearty stew recipe (also called Texas Cowboy Stew) loaded with beef, kielbasa sausage, beans, and russet potatoes for a filling meal. It's the perfect comfort food for cold days and a one-pot meal!

Course Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword cowboy stew, cowboy stew recipe, texas cowboy stew

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 15

Servings

Calories 459kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Equipment

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
1 yellow onion finely diced
4 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
14 oz kielbasa sausage thinly sliced
2 cups water
2 cups beef broth
3 small russet potatoes (peeled and diced small)
1 can (28 oz) petite diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans
2 cans (10 oz each) Rotel original diced tomatoes w/ green chilies
1 can (15.25 oz) whole kernel corn
1 bag (10 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Add the ground beef, finely diced onion, and garlic into a large soup pot or dutch oven pot. Cook and crumble, over medium-high heat, until the beef is no longer pink. Drain the excess grease from the pot.
^{* You need at least a 7 QT pot for this recipe}
2 pounds ground beef, 1 yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic
Add in the remaining ingredients and stir together until well combined. Bring to a boil.
^{* No need to drain the cans. Just dump them into the pot.}
14 oz kielbasa sausage, 2 cups water, 2 cups beef broth, 3 small russet potatoes, 1 can (28 oz) petite diced tomatoes, 2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans, 2 cans (10 oz each) Rotel original diced tomatoes w/ green chilies, 1 can (15.25 oz) whole kernel corn, 1 bag (10 oz) frozen mixed vegetables, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 tablespoon ground cumin, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cover the pot with a lid. Let it simmer for 45-55 minutes or until potatoes are softened and the stew has thickened slightly.
^{* I like simmering with the lid on because I think the flavors blend together better and the potatoes get softer because the lid contains all the heat inside the pot. You can also leave the pot uncovered while simmering if wanted.}

Notes

Smoked Paprika : For a less smokey flavor to the stew, try using 1 teaspoon regular paprika + 1 teaspoon smoked paprika.

Halving The Recipe Tips : This recipe can easily be halved with a few adjustments. Use 1 pound ground beef and I still use the entire kielbasas sausage. The canned ingredient can all be halved, and for the corn I recommend just using the entire can of corn instead of trying to only use half of a can of corn. This stew also freezes well so a full recipe makes enough for another freezer meal.

Make It In A Crock Pot : Brown and crumble the ground beef, onion and garlic in a skillet pan (according to the recipe instructions). Drain the excess grease and then transfer it to a crock pot. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Cook on LOW heat for 6-7 hours

Dried Seasonings : Skip the dried seasonings, or reduce them, and add a packet of stew or chili seasoning into the cowboy stew. There really is nothing off limits when it comes to what flavorings and seasonings can be added into the stew.

Kielbasa Sausage : This is a precooked smoked sausage that comes in a U shape inside the package. Cut it into thin slices (like a coin shape) for the stew. Use any variety you want - beef, turkey, polka, smoked, cajun style, etc. They also sell packs of it that come like hot dogs and that package is 14 ounces. Choose something between 12 ounces to 14 ounces in size.

Nutrition