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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. Karen Jean says

    I made this and put it in the crockpot and it turned out amazing. My husband said it was the best thing I ever made him and he now has a new favorite. Thank you for such an amazing recipe, it will definitely be made again!!

    Reply

      • Stacie says

        Did she answer you ? I would think you have to pre cook the bacon, and pre cook the hamburger meat. 🤔 I know some people who will put uncooked hamburger meat in a crockpot, but I wouldn’t trust it.. If you don’t cook the hamburger meat first, you will have a lot of grease in your food.. Especially, if you use the 80/20 meat..

        Reply

  4. The Lewis Family Farm says

    Delicious! Made this during our snowstorm this weekend with some homemade cornbread and it certainly hit the spot! I made it all in the instant pot and was super easy! This soup is going to be part of our weekly dinners! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  5. Michael says

    Made this in a cold rainy winter day. My 4 year took a bite and yelled Hee Haw! Three thumbs up! Not sore what that means but I think she likes it. Have plenty for the whole week!

    Reply

  6. Danielle says

    This recipe is absolutely amazing and delicious! The whole family LOVED it and I cannot wait to make it again soon. I’m thinking of making it for our X-mas party this year!

    Reply

    • Samantha says

      I’ve made this twice now! The first time I forgot to get ground beef, but happened to have ground turkey in the freezer. I made it exactly the same and added a beef boullion cube to the mix! Made it the second time with the beef, and, surprisingly, we prefer it with the turkey! It’s delicious either way!

      Reply

  7. Randy Smith says

    Wow, made this tonight and everyone loved it. I was informed that I would be making this again. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply

  8. Monica says

    My husband and I love this. I make it for him to take hunting with him, it’s a real stick to your bones meal! Making tonight as he leaves for hunting tomorrow morning 😋 thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  9. Michelle says

    Made this last night
    Delicious! The only thing I did different was add 2.5 Teaspoons of chili powder. Def. Going to freeze for meal prep. Oh, I made cornbread and we had put the stew on top.

    Reply

  10. Tracy says

    What can be used as a substitute for the baked beans? This recipe is everything my brother and I love to eat but he will not eat beans…

    Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Tracy, you can simply make the recipe and omit the beans. The starch from the beans does help thinking the stew so yours probably will be a little thinner but still delicious!

      Reply

      • Linaa says

        Agree Suzanne. Baked beans were too sweet for us. Either Ranch Style (with jalapeños) or black beans would be less sweet. Good recipe, Kathleen, thanks. Is there a calorie count anywhere?

        Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Hi, Sherry. Yes

      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.
      6. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

      Reply

  12. Aidee A Gonzalez says

    I really enjoyed it, so did my husband. Very flavorful. I served it over a little white rice and it was perfect.

    Reply

  13. Bettina says

    I have been making this for my husband since the recipe first posted. It is definitely a keeper as he loves it. We are in a unique situation in that he lives in a large city where he is a professor at the local university & we also have a home I am restoring which is about an hour away. I spend most of my time working on the home.

    I usually make this in an Instapot and it turns out wondefully, but I do chop the potatoes into very small pieces and there are no freezer- related issues. It is one of his favorite dishes which I happen to be making as I write this review. I personally, am not a meat eater so it is perfect to freeze in individual portions so my husband can pull a bag out of the freezer during the week and have a hot dinner. I also do meal prep for my 90 year-old next door neighbor and she absolutely loves the Cowboy Stew. Thanks for posting the recipe.

    Reply

  15. Janita says

    This has been one of my house full of men’s favorites since I found it last summer. Tonight, I made a healthier version with ground Turkey, chicken andouille, and Turkey bacon and no one even noticed! We all love it. I make a giant stockpot full (double recipe) and it’s gone in 2 days. My husband is notorious for eating it for breakfast. It’s the best!

    Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Janita, you absolutely made my day! I love that your whole family loves this! I think your healthy tweaks are really great!

      Reply

    • Kathleen says

      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!

      Reply

    • Kathleen says

      Hi Ashley, I don’t drain the beef because I like the added flavor the fat adds. Feel free to drain the beef if you want a lower fat version!!!

      Reply

  19. Mary Bevis says

    Fantastic! Home with the kids this weekend and our son pulled this together … SUPER! I asked for the recipe and found it in my email when I got home (^_^) My d-in-law sent it. She’s a keeper. Our son? I may have to hire him – makes for a great chef!

    Reply

  20. Jana says

    So good! We are a hunting family and we usually end up having a lot of venison polish sausage. It gets old just eating the sausage, so I was looking for recipes to use it up in. That’s when I came across this recipe. It’s a keeper!

    Reply

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