By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 2, 2026
Serves 4
257 cal · 500 min
Slow Cooker Hamburger Stew
Recipe GLPRacbd6b6a36674c
A hearty, comforting beef and vegetable stew made effortlessly in a slow cooker. Tender chunks of potatoes, carrots, and celery combine with seasoned ground beef in a rich tomato broth, perfect for a warming family meal.
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Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (90% lean)
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
2 cups potato, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
4 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried herbs (oregano or basil)
Directions
Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water before beginning meal preparation.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until no pink remains and the meat is fully cooked through (160°F internal temperature). This should take about 7–10 minutes.
Carefully pour off and discard all fat and drippings from the skillet.
Transfer the cooked ground beef to your slow cooker. Add the chopped onion, carrot, potato, celery, canned tomatoes with their juice, water, and dried herbs. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, or on high for 4 to 6 hours, until the vegetables are very tender. Stir occasionally if possible. Serve hot and enjoy.
Comments
This is an honest slow-cooker stew that actually delivers on its 500-minute total (counting active prep of 15 minutes plus 8 hours unattended cooking), which beats recipes that understate hands-on time. All ingredients are year-round staples at any Charlotte grocer—ground beef, onions, carrots, potatoes, celery, and canned tomatoes cost under $15 total, roughly $3.75 per serving. It's genuinely hands-off once assembled, reheats perfectly, and feeds a family without fussiness. The only minor drawback is that it's not regionally distinctive and lacks the local seasonal play a North Carolina cook might want—fresh shrimp or collards would be unusual additions here—but the straightforward, affordable execution and honest time claim earn it a solid rating.
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