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Hamburger Stew

Hamburger stew with ground beef and tender potatoes simmered in a tomato-beef broth. One-pot method yields a thick, hearty comfort-food texture that tastes even better the next day.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef mixture
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 3 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 4 cup beef broth
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 0.25 tsp salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Brown ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, breaking it apart, about 5–6 minutes; drain excess fat. Look for no pink remaining and a browned, crumbly texture.
Build the flavor base
  1. Add onion and garlic, and cook for 3–4 minutes until softened. You want the onion to turn translucent and the garlic to smell fragrant.
  2. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Watch for the paste to darken slightly and smell toasted.
Simmer the stew
  1. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, crushed tomatoes, beef broth, thyme, smoked paprika, and bay leaf; stir to combine. Make sure everything is evenly distributed in the pot.
  2. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30–35 minutes until vegetables are tender. Check that potatoes easily pierce with a fork and the stew thickens slightly as it simmers.
  3. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning as needed. Taste and fine-tune so the broth is balanced and flavorful.
Serve
  1. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley before serving. Add parsley right at the end for a fresh green finish.

Notes

For the richest stew, let it simmer at a gentle bubble rather than a hard boil so potatoes stay tender. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 4 days; freezer is yes—freeze portions up to 3 months and reheat until hot. For a lighter option, swap part of the ground beef for lean ground turkey (use the same cooking and simmer times) to reduce fat while keeping the hearty texture.