My cowboy stew recipe is one part beef stew, one part chili, five parts DELICIOUS! Three types of meat and wholesome veggies will have everyone in your family begging for more of this stew recipe!
Love hearty stew recipes? You’ll flip for this! With the tender meat of a slow cooker beef stew (one of the most popular stew recipes in the history of my site!!!), and the veggies and beans of a Brunswick stew, cowboy stew takes the best parts of your favorite recipes and simmers them to perfection.
The only thing it doesn’t have is a nod to chicken stew…but hey, let’s throw in some shredded poultry! Why not? Cowboy stew welcomes every ingredient!
Let’s make this 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.
- 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
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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.
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Add beef, onion, and garlic to the pot.
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Brown until the beef is no longer pink.
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Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder over beef. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
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Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and water.
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Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
***See Full Instructions Below.
Cowboy Stew Crockpot Instructions
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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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More Hearty Soups And Stew
- Hungarian Goulash (Authentically Dee-Lish!!)
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Hamburger Stew
- Green Chile Stew
- Shipwreck Stew
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, 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
Joyce E Sudlow says
I tried this recipe last night. I have to say it was amazing. My husband does not like bean soup or spicy food. So I was a little nervous. I talked to him about the recipe and he agreed to try it. I only used half the green chili peppers. He kept coming into the kitchen saying that really smells good. When it was finally done, he ate three bowls. He said there was just enough beans so it didn’t taste like bean soup. Thanks for the new recipe.
Kathleen says
You are so welcome, Joyce! It makes me happy to hear this was a hit for your family!!
Ashley says
This is my new favorite football meal! I cooked the meat exactly how it instructs (well, I added an extra slice of bacon) and then put everything in the crockpot for a few hours. Seriously, it’s so good, I was eating bites of it out of the crockpot before the potatoes were even done! Also, I drained the fat off the beef. I had quite a bit of bacon grease in the pan, so I drained the majority off.
Kathleen says
Hi, Ashley! I’m so happy you like this stew!
Laura says
This looks and sounds amazing. I am thinking about using my Instant Pot as I don’t have that much time in the evenings to get dinner on the table. Any thoughts?
Kathleen says
Laura. Yes, this can of course be converted to an IP recipe. Off the top of my head, I am concerned about the volume of this recipe. I don’t think my IP would accommodate the amount.
Daniela Eaton says
Making this right now. Loaded with goodness is right. Only thing I changed is , instead of corn I used black beans, and used more Chili ,salt pepper and a tsp of Orrington Broth Base I highly recommend. Available on Amazon
Kathleen says
That’s fantastic, Daniela! Thank you
Trish says
This was so yummy! I made it just like the recipe. It made alot. Froze some without the potatoes to have later.
Kathleen says
Thank you, Trish! Glad you like this.
Kracinda says
Will probably swap the baked beans for some beans that aren’t as sweet next time (I used Bush’s brown sugar Hickory and it was too sweet). But still good!
Kathleen says
Thank you, Kracinda!
Natalie says
Yum! I didn’t read the directions first and made extra bacon (everything is better with more bacon, right?) so I drained off most of the grease. Left just enough to cook the flour. Great flavor. Served it with beer bread https://www.food.com/recipe/beer-bread-73440#activity-feed
Perfect!
Kathleen says
That’s awesome, Natalie! Thank you for your positive review. I’d like to pair this with beer bread too! 🙂
Megan Mello says
Hello. I am trying this tonight. I can’t wait for it to be ready. I just have one question, do we drain the hamburger meat or use the grease with the flour?
Kathleen says
Hi, Megan. I hope this reply isn’t too late for your dinner! After browning the beef, sprinkle flour, no need to drain.
Jereme S David says
I made this today. I made some changes to suit my family’s tastes.
– I didn’t use a whole can of green Chiles. I used a can of tomatoes with green Chiles instead.
– I didn’t add the potatoes at all.
– I used more seasoning as I thought it didn’t have enough. I used three tsp of chile powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/2 tsp cumin.
– I only used 1/2 tsp of salt. Bacon and kielbasa are very salty already.
– once the stew was done, I wanted it thicker so I mixed some cornstarch with water, poured it in and brought it up to a boil to make it thicker.
This is a really solid recipe with a lot of room for tailoring to your personal taste.
Kathleen says
Hi, Jereme! Your tweaks look perfect and I agree, this can easily be adjusted 🙂
Christine says
Could you pre cook the meats, then cook in a crock pot? I usually don’t have an hour or 2 to wait for dinner when we get home. If so, how long and what temp do you recommend?
Kathleen says
Hi, Christine. 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. You can also cook the whole recipe and freeze it (leave out the potatoes). Then just reheat and add the potatoes. I hope this works for you! <3
Michelle says
I love soups and stews but my teenage son is a picky eater, I thought I’d give this a shot because you can’t go wrong with 3 meats. This was a huge hit he ate x3 helpings of this it was such a fun variation of a stew.
Thanks for the recipe?
Kathleen says
I’m so happy this was a hit for your family too!!
Terry says
So very good. Was able to make it the day before when I was at home and warm it up the next day when we didn’t get home until late. We all went back for seconds!!
Kathleen says
I’m so happy you enjoyed this, Terry! It’s a great make-ahead dish!
Nancy says
This was really good! Will definitely make it again!
Kathleen says
Thanks for your positive feedback, Nancy! 🙂
Billie Payne says
This is excellent! I cooked my meats as directed in my cast iron enamel pot, and then added it all to the crockpot and let it cook about 2 hours until the potatoes were tender. Served it with cornbread muffins hot from the oven and it was a hit!
Kathleen says
Hi, Billie! Thank you so much for your positive review! Perfect with cornbread, right? 🙂
Danielle says
I had read reviews before cooking this and was nervous about it being sweet as I’m not a big sweet person for dinner recipes. I did a hickory baked bean and added a dried hot pepper while it was simmering. It was still a bit sweeter than my liking, but it was very filling and my husband was a fan! I will be making it again and trying a different variation to help with the sweet.
Kathleen says
Thank you so much, Danielle! I’m happy you like it 🙂 We’d love to hear your variations!
Pamella Hunt says
This sounds amazing! We’re not big baked bean fans, though. If I substitute pinto or kidney beans should I plan on increasing the seasonings?
Kathleen says
Hi, Pamela. You can substitute kidney beans for pinto beans. I think there’s no need to adjust the seasoning. Only adjust it to your liking 🙂 Hope this helps!
Morgan Morris says
What size pot did you use to cook your stew in?
Kathleen says
Hi, Morgan! Any big pot will do.
Jennifer says
I pinned this because I thought my husband would love it. It turns out I love it too! It’s so hearty and delicious. It reminds me of bbq soup.
Kathleen says
Yay, win-win! Thank you, Jennifer! I’m glad you like it 🙂
Tom says
Making this tonight,can I cook this in a crockpot? If so for how long do you think? It sounds amazing. Thanks
Kathleen says
Hi, Tom! I’m quoting what a reader did when he used a crockpot for this recipe: “I cooked my meats as directed in my cast iron enamel pot, and then added it all to the crockpot and let it cook about 2 hours until the potatoes were tender.”
Hope this helps!
Douglas R. Reynolds says
Made the cowboy stew and everyone enjoyed it. I was wondering instead of regular all purposes flour could substitute Mexican corn flower instead? I was thinking it might give it a twist.
Kathleen says
Hi, Douglas. I haven’t tried Mexican corn flour for this stew. However, I use masa harina to thicken my Stew Chili recipe.
Robbin says
This is the second time I am making this. The first time I had it simmering on the stove with the door open. It drew a bear into our yard. The door is shut this time. Lol My husband doesn’t like soups or stews, but he loved this. Definitely worth drawing a bear in. Thanks for the recipe.
Kathleen says
Oh my! I should include that safety tip in the recipe notes! I’m glad the bear didn’t get a chance to eat the stew. So happy you and your husband loved it. Thank you, Robbin!
Cheyenne says
Can you add chilli beans to it? I didn’t know if that would taste weird or not.
Kathleen says
Cheyenne, I LOVE chili beans and use them often!! I think they’d be great in this recipe!!!
Terry says
Making it today let you how goes wva