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Cowboy Stew

Cowboy stew is a hearty ranch-style American main dish with browned ground beef, smoky sausage, tender baby potatoes, and a savory tomato-beef broth. It simmers until the potatoes are tender, then finishes with corn and quick seasoning for a thick, comforting bowl.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ground beef
  • 1 lb ground beef
Smoked sausage
  • 12 oz smoked sausage Sliced
Baby potatoes
  • 1 lb baby potatoes Halved
Pinto beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans Drained
Corn
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn Drained
Rotel tomatoes
  • 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes
Diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
Onion
  • 1 onion Diced
Garlic
  • 3 garlic Minced cloves
Beef broth
  • 4 cup beef broth
Ranch seasoning
  • 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning
Chili powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
Smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper To taste
For serving
  • 0.33 cup shredded cheddar
  • 0.5 tbsp jalapeños
  • 0.25 cup green onions

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the meat
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat, then drain the fat. Brown it until no pink remains and the surface looks lightly browned.
  2. Brown the sausage slices briefly in the same pot, then remove them. Cook just until warmed through and lightly browned.
Build the stew base
  1. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes in the pot. Cook until softened but not browned.
  2. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir constantly until fragrant.
  3. Add the chili powder and smoked paprika, then cook for 1 minute. Stir to coat the onion-garlic mixture and wake up the spices.
Simmer until tender
  1. Add the Rotel tomatoes, diced tomatoes, beef broth, ranch seasoning, baby potatoes, and pinto beans, then bring to a boil. Stir well to dissolve the seasoning and distribute the potatoes.
  2. Simmer for 15-18 minutes until the potatoes are tender. You should be able to pierce them easily with a fork.
  3. Add the corn and the browned sausage, then simmer for 5 more minutes. Let everything heat through and the broth thicken slightly.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust so the flavors are balanced.
Serve
  1. Serve the cowboy stew hot, topped with shredded cheddar, jalapeños, and green onions. Add the toppings right before eating so they stay vibrant.

Notes

To keep the broth rich without becoming too thick, stir the stew before serving and add a splash of beef broth if it seems tight after reheating. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (cheese toppings are best added fresh). For a lighter option, use lean ground beef and swap the ranch seasoning packet for a reduced-sodium ranch blend while keeping the rest the same.