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cowboy stew with bacon in a bowl

Cowboy Stew

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Dinner’s on! My Cowboy Stew recipe combines three types of tender meat with beans & veggies in a one-pot wonder delicious enough to everyone!

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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!

Cowboy Stew in a bowl

 

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

Ladle scooping cowboy stew with ground beef from the pot

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 with bacon in a bowl

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!

Spoon scooping cowboy stew with sausage in a bowl

How To Make Cowboy Stew Recipe

Step by step how to make cowboy stew

  1. Cook bacon until brown and crispy in a large pot. Set aside.
  2. Add the sausage to pot drippings and brown on both sides. Set aside.
  3. Add beef, onion, and garlic to the pot.
  4. Brown until the beef is no longer pink.
  5. Sprinkle flour, salt, pepper, and chili powder over beef. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
  6. Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and water.
  7. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

***See Full Instructions Below.

Cowboy Stew Crockpot Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Add all meats to a large crockpot.
  5. Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, and water to crockpot.
  6. 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 Stew Recipes

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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! 💗 Kathleen

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Cowboy Stew in a bowl
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Cowboy Stew

Dinner's on! My Cowboy Stew recipe combines three types of tender meat with beans & veggies in a one-pot wonder delicious enough to everyone!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Kathleen

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.
    Step 1 how to make cowboy stew, Cook bacon until brown and crispy in a large pot. Set aside.
  • 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.
    Step 2 how to make cowboy stew with ground beef, Add the sausage to pot drippings and brown on both sides. 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.
    Step 4 how to make cowboy stew with sausage, Brown until the beef is no longer pink.
  • 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.
    Step 6 how to make cowboy stew with ground beef, Add diced tomatoes, baked beans, green chilies, sweet corn, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and water. Boil
  • Garnish with parsley.
  • Add additional water if stew is too thick.

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Notes

  1. 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!
  2. 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!
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Serving: 1/8 of the recipe | Calories: 745kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 45g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 2049mg | Potassium: 508mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Linda Alley says

    I also found this to be too sweet. Wish I had read the comments and used chili beans instead of baked beans. Sad, but do not want the leftovers because of the sweetness.

    Reply

  4. Kathy Chisum says

    My family absolutely loves this recipe!! I would recommend it to anyone! After i put this all together i put it in a prewarmed crock pot on low and let it finish cooking till the potatoes are tender approximately 2 hrs. I like to whip up a batch of homemade biscuits or canned, whatever is easiest and Wala dinner is served. Guaranteed to put a smile on your face! 😊

    Reply

  5. Sarah says

    I make this and take it to work every night. I work 12 hour night shift as a NICU RN and this hits the spot in the middle of the night. Now the other nurses are starting to make it too. So good. I put in kidney beans and it’s perfect.

    Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Hi, Sarah! Wow, you are amazing! Shout out to all the nurses! I’m happy you like this recipe. Thank you for sharing your positive review 🙂

      Reply

  6. Kat says

    It’s a basic everything but the kitchen sink recipe. What do we do with the 3 TBSP of flour? Not in directions. I will assume you throw it in if too watery? Why use flour though? Corn starch is better for thickening.

    Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Hi, Kat. Thank you for asking. Sprinkling flour, salt, pepper, and chili is in Step 3. Flour makes it not so thick. You can use cornstarch to make it thicker.

      Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Hi, Kelly. The crockpot instructions are above the “How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?”
      Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply

    • Joy says

      All you have to do is brown the hamburger, drain the grease, buy a pkg. of real bacon pieces and throw everything in the Crock-Pot! 😊

      Reply

  8. C says

    We made this for dinner this evening, and despite my being a little cautious because of the use of baked beans ,we loved it!

    This is a hearty stick to the bones, delicious and quick meal.

    Reply

        • Kathleen says

          Hi, Cathy. 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.

          Reply

  9. Phyllis Craig says

    How many people will country to feed and is it all right to be a substitute for baked beans for something not so sweet thank you

    Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Hi Phyllis. This Cowboy Stew will feed 8 people. Yes, you can substitute the baked beans. I’d try Chili Beans 🙂

      Reply

  11. Patricia Lynch says

    I made this for me and my husband. Because there is just 2 of us, I tweeked it a bit by using 1 lb of beef, and one kielbasa. I still used the vegetable sizes of cans, but exchanged the tomatoes & chiles for a can of Rotel. I love the sweet hot flavor. This was a perfect choice for today, it’s snowing right now.

    Reply

  13. Wendy says

    This is a awesome cold night stew! It’s a big hit & will be made regularly. I added some chicken to the recipe, other than that I made as directed & served it with homemade cornbread, DELICIOUS!

    Reply

    • Kathleen says

      That’s fantastic, Wendy! Homemade cornbread completes the perfection. Thank you for sharing your positive review 🙂

      Reply

  14. Cody says

    Making this for a second time! My fiancé and parents loved this recipe! I made mine using the stove top setting with my ninja crockpot! It’s delicious with all the layering of flavors.

    Reply

  16. Anthony S says

    Very good stew. I added some extra potatoes and a smoked jalapeño sausage (both personal preference). The flavor was fantastic. Everyone, including the kids, loved it. I’ll be adding this one to the family meal rotation.

    Reply

  18. Lexi says

    This is a fantastic recipe EXCEPT I found the baked beans make this stew too sweet, making it almost inedible. So, I substituted two cans of mild chili beans and some beef bouillon and it was so much more palatable! The recipe is great on its own but would be easy to add or sub other ingredients! 🙂

    Reply

  19. Ashley says

    This is our absolute favorite thing to make now! We do it in the crockpot (cook the meat as per your instructions and combine in crockpot). My husband asks for it almost every Sunday. It’s so good, I eat a spoon of it every time I walk by, even before the potatoes are done!

    Reply

  20. Jason says

    I was just wondering if you would be able to do this in a crockpot. I don’t have the instant pot that you were talking about, but I do have a crockpot

    Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Hi Jason, yes it can. Here are the instructions:
      1. 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.
      2. 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.
      3. 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.
      4. Add all meats to a large crockpot. 
      5. 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.

      Reply

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