Cowboy Stew Recipe

A bowl of hearty Cowboy Stew with sausage, beans, corn, potatoes, and tomatoes in a rich, chunky sauce sits on a blue surface with a cloth napkin and spoon beside it.

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4.86 from 7 ratings

Cowboy Stew is thick and hearty with bacon, beef, sausage, potatoes, beans, and corn in a chili-style broth.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cowboy stew, cowboy stew recipe

Servings:

Calories: 543kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

6 slices bacon chopped
1 ½ pounds ground beef
12-14 ounces smoked sausage sliced (I love andouille or Conecuh, or kielbasa - use your favorite)
1 medium onion diced
1 green bell pepper diced (or use 2-3 jalapenos to spice it up)
4-5 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained (fire roasted tomatoes preferred for extra flavor)
2-3 cups beef broth
1 ½ pounds potatoes diced (Yukon or russet - peeled if desired)
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can kidney beans (or black beans), drained and rinsed
1-1 ½ cups corn (drained canned corn or frozen corn)
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika or regular paprika
1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
Hot sauce to taste (start with 1-2 teaspoons, plus more for serving)

Instructions

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp, 4-5 minutes. Remove to a plate. Leave 1-2 tablespoons drippings (drain excess).
Add the ground beef and cook 3-4 minutes to brown, crumbling with a wooden spoon as you go.
Add the sausage slices and brown them 2-3 minutes. Stir a bit and push the ingredients to the side of the pot.
Add onion and bell pepper to the bare side of the pot. Cook 5 minutes to soften.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to develop the flavor.
Add the diced tomatoes, 2 cups beef broth, seasonings, Worcestershire, and 1-2 teaspoons hot sauce (or to taste). Simmer 10-15 minutes (or up to 60 minutes for deeper flavor). If it thickens too much, stir in ¼-½ cup broth at a time.
Stir in the beans and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 20-25 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Stir in the corn and reserved bacon. Simmer 10 minutes more.
Taste and adjust salt, hot sauce, or broth thickness. Serve hot with extra hot sauce at the table.

Slow Cooker Method

Cook bacon, brown beef and sausage, sauté onion/garlic (steps 1-5).
Add everything except beans/corn to slow cooker: LOW 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours. If your potatoes are still firm, cook another 30-60 minutes on HIGH.
Stir in beans/corn for the last 20-30 minutes.

Notes

For Serving. Shredded cheese, sour cream/crema, chopped onion, sliced chilies, red pepper flakes, crackers or cornbread. Don't forget the hot sauce!

Nutrition