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My Cowboy Stew recipe is one part Beef Stew, one part Classic Chili, and five parts delicious comfort food. With three kinds of meat and plenty of hearty vegetables, it’s a rustic, stick-to-your-ribs dinner that always has everyone going back for seconds.
If you’re looking for something similar but a little brothier, be sure to try my Cowboy Soup, which has the same bold flavors in a cozy soup version.
If you’re new to cowboy stew, there are two delicious ways to make it — and the beans you choose change the flavor of the stew.
BBQ baked beans give the stew a slightly sweet, nostalgic flavor. This is the version many Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops made at campouts.
Ranch Style beans aren’t sweet and create a richer, more savory stew. If you’re making cowboy stew for the first time, this is usually the version most people prefer.
Love hearty stew recipes? Try my Old Fashioned Beef Stew, Pork Stew (one of the most popular recipes on the site!),, and my fabulous next.
Let’s make this stew!
What Is Cowboy Stew?
Cowboy stew is thicker and heartier than Cowboy Soup. While Cowboy Soup has a rich broth, cowboy stew cooks down into a chunkier, more filling dish that’s closer to a chili-style stew.
What I Love About This Recipe
This ain’t your mama’s stew recipe! Loaded with three types of meat and tons of veggies, this stew is the lip-smacking dinner your family’s been waiting for.
- Tender, juicy meat
- One-pot wonder
- Easy cleanup!
- Crowd-pleasing flavor
Cowboy Stew Ingredients
- Bacon
- Kielbasa Sausage
- Ground Beef
- Onion
- Garlic
- Flour
- Salt + Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Diced Tomatoes
- Baked Beans
- Green Chilies
- Sweet Corn
- Potatoes
- Parsley
Cowboy Stew Recipe Notes
My cowboy stew recipe is an amazingly wholesome and easy-to-prepare meal that you’ll feel great about feeding your family! Cooking everything in one pot helps contain the mess and build incredible layers of flavor.
- Let’s Talk Beans!! This is the exact taste of Cowboy stew that my Girl Scout troop used to make. That said, some people find the baked beans, too sweet. I’ve received many suggestions (Hello, Texas! Love you!!) to use ranch-style beans, including the liquid in the can instead!
- Kielbasa – This recipe uses three types of meat for a fully dimensional flavor sensation! If you’re thinking about skipping one, don’t — I promise, it’s worth it. For instance, the kielbasa brings a delicious smokiness that the bacon and beef don’t have. You just can’t have cowboy stew without all these treats!
- Tomatoes – I use canned tomatoes for this recipe to save time in the prep stage as well as the cooking stage. And using petite diced tomatoes helps them break down even faster! If you can’t find petite, using crushed is a good alternative.
- Beans – I love the flavor and sweetness that comes with using canned baked beans in this stew! My favorite is good ol’ Bush’s Original, but you can use any brand at your store. Baked beans add a sweetness to the stew. If that doesn’t appeal to you, use Ranch Style instead!
- Corn – Playing up the sweetness, even more, I use sweet corn in this recipe too. Sweet corn is NOT just corn canned with sugar — it’s a specific type of corn. So make sure you’re reading labels and not just getting plain corn with added sugar. Yuck!
How To Make Cowboy Stew Recipe
-
Cook bacon until brown and crispy in a large pot. Set aside.
-
Add the sausage to pot drippings and brown on both sides. Set aside.
-
Add beef, onion, and garlic to the pot.
-
Brown until the beef is no longer pink.
-
Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder over beef. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
-
Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and water.
-
Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
***See Full Instructions Below.
Cowboy Stew Crockpot Instructions
-
Cook bacon until brown and crispy in a large pot. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
-
Add the sausage to the pot drippings and brown on both sides, adjusting the heat as needed so the fond (brown bits on the bottom of the pot) does not burn. Remove to the plate with bacon; set aside.
-
Add beef, onion, and garlic to the pot and brown until the beef is no longer pink. Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder over beef. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add all meats to a large crockpot.
- Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, and water to crockpot.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.
Storing + Freezing + Make-Ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? Store your cowboy stew leftovers in an airtight container, and they’ll last in your fridge for up to four days. If saving space is a priority, you can put your cooled cowboy stew in a gallon-sized Ziploc.
- It does tend to thicken a little as it sits in the fridge so you may need to thin it out with a little water when you reheat it.
- Can You Freeze This? Yes and no. This cowboy stew recipe is fantastic for meal prep and it always helps to have a ready-made meal in the freezer. But the potatoes can be quite finicky in freezing temps, so you may want to leave those out — you can always add canned potatoes to this when it’s time to serve!
- If you do freeze it sans potatoes, you can let it sit in your freezer for up to three months. To thaw, let it sit in the fridge overnight. Then add your potatoes and reheat!
- Make Ahead Tips: This one-pot wonder comes together pretty quickly thanks to those canned goodies! The various meats can’t be cooked ahead because you need them to build the flavor for your stew, but you can always chop the onions, garlic, potatoes, and kielbasa ahead of time.
- The onions and garlic can be stored together, and the kielbasa can go in a sealed plastic bag — all of it can sit for up to a week in the fridge.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
Serving Recommendations
This cowboy stew recipe goes with pretty much any favorite chili and stew sides! Southern cornbread or Bisquick cornbread if you like it sweet, Bisquick biscuits, beer bread, or tender buttery crescent rolls. Looking for biscuits instead? I don’t blame you! Try my easy peasy Bisquick biscuits, butter swim biscuits, big ol’ cat head biscuits, or for a sweet addition, my Bo Berry biscuits!
I also like to add some veggies and crunch via my KFC coleslaw, strawberry spinach salad, carrot salad, or broccoli salad!
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Cowboy Stew
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 (12-ounce) package kielbasa sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, 80/20
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, with liquid
- 2 (16-ounce) cans baked beans (sweeter) or ranch beans (more savory) with liquid
- 1 (7-ounce) can chopped green chilies, with liquid
- 1 (15-ounce) can sweet corn, with liquid
- 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Cook bacon until brown and crispy in a large pot. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain.
- Add the sausage to pot drippings and brown on both sides, adjusting heat as needed so fond (brown bits on the bottom of the pot) does not burn. Remove to the plate with bacon; set aside.
- Add beef, onion, and garlic to the pot and brown until the beef is no longer pink. Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder over beef. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and water. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- Garnish with parsley.
- Add additional water if stew is too thick.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Let’s Talk Beans!! This is the exact taste of Cowboy stew that my Girl Scout troop used to make. That said, some people find the baked beans, too sweet. I’ve received many suggestions (Hello, Texas! Love you!!) to use ranch-style beans, including the liquid in the can instead!
- Kielbasa – This recipe uses three types of meat for a fully dimensional flavor sensation! If you’re thinking about skipping one, don’t — I promise, it’s worth it. For instance, the kielbasa brings a delicious smokiness that the bacon and beef don’t have. You just can’t have cowboy stew without all these treats!
- Tomatoes – I use canned tomatoes for this recipe to save time in the prep stage as well as the cooking stage. And using petite diced tomatoes helps them break down even faster! If you can’t find petite, using crushed is a good alternative.
- Beans – I love the flavor and sweetness that comes with using canned baked beans in this stew! My favorite is good ol’ Bush’s Original, but you can use any brand at your store.
- Corn – Playing up the sweetness, even more, I use sweet corn in this recipe too. Sweet corn is NOT just corn canned with sugar — it’s a specific type of corn. So make sure you’re reading labels and not just getting plain corn with added sugar. Yuck!
Nutrition
This is on the stove right now! My house smells amazing. I cant wait to try this. I followed recipe to a T. ?
Woooot! Hope you enjoy it, Shauna! ❤
Do you never drain the grease throughout the cooking process?
You can after any of the browning stages.
I made this with Maple Syrup flavored baked beans. I had my reservations, about the recipe. But the 1st spoonful & YUM! Amazing taste!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Rea! 😀
Followed the recipe exactly. This is so delicious! Wouldn’t change a thing. I have already forwarded this recipe to others.
Thanks, Danielle! 😀
Excellent
Incredible!! Husband and son loved it and they are hard to please and rarely like the same
thing. Added Mexican shredded chicken that I had frozen up and chicken sausage sliced (apple and italian). 2nd time I made it (just now) son asked for rib meat and steak to be added so baked country ribs. I bet it still tastes awesome! ….or “awesomer!”
Woot! Way to go, Kerry! 😀
I tried it today and I used the tomatoes and chiles from one can.
I could not find them separately anyway it was deliciously seasoned just perfect!!
I will make this moving forward.
Ritz cracked taste great on the side?
Woot! Glad you like it, Tea! 😀
On the stove right now, house smells great!!!!
Woot! Way to go, Leigh! Enjoy your meal 😀
Enjoy your meal, Leigh! 😀
I am making this for my husband for dinner and would like to make it with the macaroni. When would you add the macaroni so it doesn’t get overcooked??
On step #4, around 10-12 minutes before the simmering is done. Hope this helps!
Would you add the macaroni cooked or uncooked?
Hi Kate! Add the macaroni uncooked. 😀
Anyone make this in an Instant Port? Wondering how long it would need to be on high pressure?
Hi Todd! You can refer to Instant Pot Beef Stew recipe for some inspo. 😀
Todd, I just made this in my instant pot. I browned the meat first then put the remaining ingredients in, cooked for 10 minutes next time I’ll try 5. Used sweet potatoes instead of russets. Very yummy!
Made the cowboys Stew today I use the recipe cooking all meat in the frying pan and then put everything into the crock pot and let it cool for 4 hours and it was perfect thank you for the recipe
You’re welcome, Trever! 😀 So happy to hear you like it!
I was wondering about crock pot, did you cook on high or low setting for 4 hours?
What kind of baked beans do you use? The ones for chilli with the chilli sauce or the baked beans that is served at like bbq’s? Thank you!?
Hi, Sonja! I use Bush’s Original Baked Beans 😀
How long will this keep in the fridge?
Hi Amy! It’ll last for 4 days in the fridge. Enjoy! 😀
The picture made my mouth water and I just had to make it! So, I just made this for the first time and it is delish!!!!! I’ll definitely make it again!
Thank you for the recipe??
You’re very welcome, Chris!?
Been making this at hunting camp for 42 yrs. We always called it grub. Sometimes used hot dogs instead of kielbasa
Interesting, Gary❤️
Can I cut this recipe in half? It’s just three of us here and my hubby will only eat left overs maybe once! (This drives me a little crazy!!)
Hi Amy! Yes, you can 😀 Just look for the “servings” in the recipe card and hover over the number beside it then slide the bar to adjust the serving size. Hope this helps!
Two bowls please!
Just curious….with the tomatoes and also adding green chili’s, could you not just add rotel which has the petite tomatoes and chili’s already mixed??? Just wondering if that would be proportioned right, or should I just keep them separate??
Hi Monica! I haven’t tried using rotel for this recipe before but I think you can give it a shot. Let me know how it turns out for you! Happy cooking! 😀
An executive chef friend described Cowboy Stew as using only offal for protein.
I made the cowboy stew today. It was absolutely delicious. I wanted seconds but was full. I highly recommend this recipe. Awesome! ????
Thanks, Barb! 😀
I made this for my husband and his co-workers and they loved it!
Wow! That’s great, Joan! 😀
We tried this tonight and I found it delicious!
Thank you, Jan! SOOO happy to hear you like it! 😀
Can I make this in my crockpot?
Hi Jan! Yes, you can! Although I haven’t tried making it on a crockpot yet. But if you give this a try, please let me know how it turns out 😀 Happy cooking!