Easy Beef Stew with Canned Vegetables

This easy Beef Stew with Canned Vegetables can be made on the stovetop or in the crockpot. It has stew meat, potatoes, carrots, green beans corn, mixed vegetables, and diced tomatoes in it. Hearty, comforting, and delicious!

Easy Beef Stew with Canned Vegetables

Today, it’s kinda rainy and cold outside and it’s got me craving a big ol’ pot full of soup. Isn’t it funny how a day being cold and rainy just stirs up the soup and stew cravings inside of us?

Usually, I will make up a big pot of my adapted version of Paula Deen’s Vegetable Soup– but sometimes I want something a little more ‘soupy’ with a hearty dose of vegetables.

Enter my super easy Beef Stew with Canned Vegetables.

This beef stew with mixed vegetables is super simple to make – and best yet, it’s delicious as can be. I normally cook this on the stovetop, but you can also use your crockpot for this and slow cook it.

Ingredients for Easy Beef Stew

Nothing crazy here, all basic ingredients that most of us already have in our pantries with the exception of the stew meat.

You will need: (exact measurements in the full printable recipe at the bottom of this post)

• Beef Stew Meat: This is the best meat to use for my beef stew recipe. You can find stew beef pre-cut at the grocery store, which make it much more convenient. Chuck roast cut into pieces works well too.
• Diced Baby Carrots: If baby carrots aren’t available, regular carrots chopped up will do just fine.
• Diced Potatoes: Russet potatoes are a great choice because their starch content helps to thicken the stew. You can substitute with red or yellow potatoes if you prefer a firmer texture.
• Vegetable Broth: Beef broth or beef stock can be used for a richer taste.
• Tomato Sauce: Gives the stew a tangy flavor. Tomato paste diluted with water or tomato juice can be a substitute if sauce is not on hand.
• Corn: Canned corn adds sweetness and texture. Fresh or frozen corn kernels can also be used if you prefer.
• Green Beans: If using canned, consider adding them later in the cooking process to maintain their crispness.
• Mixed Vegetables: Any combination of frozen or fresh vegetables you have can be used as a substitute.
• Diced Tomatoes: Fresh tomatoes can be used, though the stew might need a longer time to simmer and reduce.
• Salt and Pepper to Taste: Start with a little and adjust to taste.

How to Make Beef Stew with Canned Vegetables

You can either use the stove top or a crockpot to make this easybeef stew recipe. It won’t work as well with a pressure cooker because the broth needs time to develop and reduce. Here’s what you need to do:

Stovetop Method

When cooking this vegetable stew on the stove, I always use my beloved Dutch oven or a large cast iron pot. It just feels more legit to me.

1. Prepare the Beef: Season the stew meat with salt and black pepper. Browning the beef in a big pot is optional but recommended for extra flavor. Use a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Combine Main Ingredients: To the pot, add vegetable broth and tomato sauce. Then, toss in diced potatoes and carrots. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
3. Cook: Bring the pot to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium. Let it simmer, stirring now and then, until the potatoes and carrots are soft.
4. Add Canned Vegetables: Mix in canned corn, green beans, mixed vegetables, and diced tomatoes. Continue cooking on low heat for another 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Crockpot Method

1. Season and Brown Beef: Start by seasoning the beef cubes with salt and black pepper. When I make this in the crockpot, I still take the time to brown my stew meat first before adding it to the slow cooker. This is an optional step, but one I rarely skip.
2. Layer Ingredients in Crockpot: In your slow cooker, combine the browned beef, vegetable broth, tomato sauce, diced potatoes, and carrots.
3. Slow Cook: Cover the crockpot and set it to cook on low heat for about 6 hours.
4. Add the Rest: Stir in the canned corn, green beans, mixed vegetables, and diced tomatoes. Let it cook on low for an additional 30-60 minutes or until all vegetables are heated through.

Serving Suggestions

• Fresh Bread: You’ll want a way to mop up the deliciousness of my vegetable beef stew, and my Longhorn Bread is perfect! Corn bread or a nice crusty bread works too!
• Homemade Biscuits: I always make a batch of my homemade buttermilk biscuits or my easy 3-ingredient biscuits if we’re not using bread as a side.
• Garnish with Green Onion: Before serving, sprinkle some chopped green onion on your soup, it’s so good like that!

Recipe Variations

• Use Beef Broth for Deeper Flavor: Swap one of the vegetable broth boxes with beef broth to enrich the stew’s flavor.
• Add Worcestershire Sauce or Red Wine: Add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce or a splash of red wine to the mix.
• Brown with Olive Oil and Fresh Garlic: When browning your meat, add in some minced garlic for added flavor.
• Use Ground Beef: I’ve made this soup using ground beef before and it was a super fast and tasty lunch.
• Thicken with Tomato Paste: For a thicker sauce, mix in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste with the tomato sauce. This will give your stew a richer consistency and deeper tomato flavor.
• Add a Thickener: For a thicker stew, you can make a slurry using cornstarch mixed with water. Add at the end of cooking to your desired consistency.

How to Store Leftovers

I am a firm believer that soup tastes even better the next day! This soup can be stored using an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can freeze it for up to 6 months. I always use the stove to preheat it.

I hope you enjoy this deliciously simple Vegetable Beef Soup recipe! If you make it, I’d love for you to take a picture and tag me on Instagram at @MrsHappyHomemaker.

Print Pin

Easy Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef stew meat
• 2 32oz boxes vegetable broth
• 6 potatoes peeled and diced
• 1 cup diced baby carrots (half of a 16oz bag of baby carrots, diced)
• 2 15oz cans tomato sauce
• 2 14.5oz canned green beans
• 2 14.5oz canned corn
• 2 14.5oz canned mixed vegetables
• 1 28oz can diced tomatoes

Instructions

Stovetop:

• Brown the stew beef in the pot first (optional). I like to season mine with salt and pepper before I brown it.
• Add the vegetable broth, diced potatoes, diced carrots, & tomato sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, & reduce heat to low/med heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and carrots are tender.
• Add in the corn, green beans, mixed vegetables, & diced tomatoes. Cook for an additional 30 minutes on low. Season with salt & pepper. If you like garlic, switch out the salt for garlic salt instead to season it with.

Crockpot:

• Season the stew beef with some salt & pepper. Brown in a skillet first (optional). Add the meat, vegetable broth, tomato sauce, diced potatoes, & diced carrots. Cover and set the crockpot to low heat. Cook for 6 hours.
• Stir in the corn, green beans, mixed vegetables, & diced tomatoes. Cook on low for an additional 30-60 minutes, or until all the veggies are hot.

This delicious recipe has been shared at the Weekend Potluck.