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When I need a hearty dinner fast that actually fills everyone up, this easy Texas cowboy stew is what I make. It is loaded with ground beef, smoky sausage, tender potatoes, beans, and vegetables all simmered in a seasoned tomato broth. It is a simple one pot dinner I rely on for busy weeknights, cold nights, or anytime my family wants something warm and filling without a lot of effort.
I love how everything cooks together in one big pot and turns into a thick, cozy stew with hardly any cleanup. The mix of sausage, beef, and veggies gives it that rustic, comfort food feel without being complicated. It reminds me of classic cowboy food, but made easy with pantry staples and everyday ingredients. It is the kind of comforting meal my family always looks forward to and one I never get tired of making.
If you love hearty one pot dinners, don’t miss my slow cooker family favorite Crockpot Spaghetti, cozy, cheesy bowls of Slow Cooker Chili, or the ultimate comfort food, Crockpot Cowboy Casserole.. Your next dinner is just a pot away!
Ingredients Notes
- Beef smoked sausage: Any smoked sausage works, including turkey, chicken, or kielbasa sausage, but avoid raw sausage like Italian sausage..
- Lean ground beef: You can swap in ground turkey if preferred.
- Yellow onion and garlic
- Russet potatoes: Yukon Gold potatoes work well too.
- Beef broth: Can substitute with chicken broth or vegetable broth.
- Frozen sweet corn: Canned corn works, just be sure to drain it.
- Frozen peas and carrots: Any frozen mixed vegetable blend can be used.
- Pinto beans: Small red beans, kidney beans, or black beans are good alternatives; avoid garbanzo beans.
- Stewed tomatoes: Diced tomatoes can be used if needed.
- Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies add a mild kick.
- Chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper round out the seasoning.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Texas Cowboy Stew
- Cook the sausage: Add the smoked sausage to a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the edges are crisp and the fat begins to render. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Brown the beef: In the same pot, add the ground beef, chopped onion, and garlic. Cook for 5-6 minutes, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and the onions are tender. Drain any excess fat.
- Combine the ingredients: Return the cooked sausage to the pot. Add the potatoes, broth, corn, peas and carrots, beans, stewed tomatoes, Rotel, and all the seasonings. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Simmer to perfection: Bring the stew to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover the pot with the lid slightly cracked and let simmer for about 1 hour, until the potatoes are fork-tender and all the flavors have melded together.
Make Ahead & Storage Instructions
- Make ahead: You can prepare this Texas cowboy stew a day in advance. Simply store it in the fridge and warm it up when ready to serve.
- Refrigerate: Let the stew cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat: Heat individual portions in the microwave, or warm the whole pot gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until heated through.
- Freeze: For longer storage, freeze the stew in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months. Make sure to thaw it completely in the fridge before reheating.
More Easy Dinner Ideas from Princess Pinky Girl
- Garlic Butter Steak Bites: A hearty protein-packed dinner ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for busy weeknights.
- Chicken Sheet Pan Fajitas: Colorful, one-pan meal with chicken and veggies for minimal cleanup.
- Creamy Chicken Orzo: Cheesy skillet pasta with chicken and spinach, perfect for cozy weeknight dinners.
- Chicken Pot Pie: Classic comfort food with tender chicken and vegetables baked in a flaky crust.
- Potsticker Noodle Bowls: Quick, flavorful noodle bowls with pork and veggies, a fun alternative dinner idea.
If you’ve tried this Texas Cowboy Stew Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Texas Cowboy Stew
Serves — 8
This Texas cowboy stew recipe is a hearty, comforting one pot meal packed with ground beef, smoky sausage, tender potatoes, beans, and vegetables, all simmered in a rich, seasoned tomato broth. Perfect for busy weeknights or cozy cold-weather dinners!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 ounces of beef smoked sausage cut into ¼-inch thick slices (Hillshire Farms brand)
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1½ cups diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 cups diced russet potato 1-inch pieces from 2 large peeled potatoes
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1½ cups frozen sweet yellow corn
- 1½ cups frozen peas & carrots medley blend
- 31 ounces (2 15.5-ounce) cans of pinto beans with the liquids
- 14.5 ounces can of stewed tomatoes
- 10 ounces can of original Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the sliced beef smoked sausage to a stock pot (7-8 quarts) on medium-high heat. Cook the sausage for 5-6 minutes or until the edges start to crisp and the fat renders. Transfer the cooked sausage pieces to a paper towel-lined plate to allow all the excess fat to drain, and set aside.12 ounces of beef smoked sausage
- Add the lean ground beef, diced yellow onion, and minced garlic to the hot stock pot. Cook and brown the ground beef for 5-6 minutes or until no pink remains and the onions are tender. Drain any excess fat from the pot.1 pound lean ground beef, 1½ cups diced yellow onion, 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- Add the cooked beef smoked sausage back to the pot, with the ground beef, along with the diced russet potatoes, beef broth, frozen sweet corn, frozen peas & carrots, pinto beans, stewed tomatoes, original Rotel diced tomatoes, chili powder, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine.3 cups diced russet potato, 2 cups beef broth, 1½ cups frozen sweet yellow corn, 1½ cups frozen peas & carrots medley blend, 31 ounces (2 15.5-ounce) cans of pinto beans with the liquids, 14.5 ounces can of stewed tomatoes, 10 ounces can of original Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies, 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Bring the Texas cowboy stew to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour or until the potatoes are fork-tender. Keep the lid just barely cracked open to allow the excess steam to escape the pot.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: This Texas cowboy stew can be stored, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- To Freeze: You can freeze this Texas cowboy stew in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.
- To Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until heated through.
- If you like a little extra heat, you can substitute the original Rotel for a can of hot. You can also add ⅛-¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the spice blend.
- If your stewed tomatoes are in really big chunks (brands will vary), you can use a wooden spoon to break the large tomato chunks into smaller pieces. This is a personal preference.
- I use the liquids from the canned pinto beans because this liquid helps to thicken the broth for this stew slightly. If you really do not want to add the liquids, then you can certainly drain it, but I do suggest not rinsing the beans.
- You can substitute the pinto beans for a different small canned bean. You can use small red beans, kidney beans, or even black beans. I do not suggest using canned garbanzo beans, though.
- You can substitute the frozen corn and frozen peas & carrots for a bag of mixed vegetables if you want to keep it simple.
Nutrition Info
Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 1089mg | Potassium: 1408mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3420IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 125mg | Iron: 7mg
I just made your Texas stew. I was thinking of next time substitute pinto beans for. Charro beans?
You can swap in pinto beans, but it will change the stew a bit. Charro beans come seasoned with bacon, spices, and broth, so they add a lot of built in flavor. Plain pinto beans are much milder. I have not tested this swap, and the stew will taste less bold unless you add extra seasoning.
If you try it, I recommend using canned pinto beans that are well seasoned or adding a little extra garlic, cumin, chili powder, or even a splash of broth to make up for what the charro beans bring. Totally doable, just know it will not have quite the same cowboy punch.
DELICIOUS