Print

Hearty Ground Beef and Dumpling Stew in the Crockpot

Close-up of steaming ground beef and dumplings crockpot stew simmering in a black cast iron pot with visible carrots and celery.
Print Recipe
Save Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Make this comforting, easy ground beef and dumpling stew in your slow cooker for a satisfying, hands-off dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs ground beef
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 (10.75 oz) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour (for dumplings)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (for dumplings)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (for dumplings)
  • 1/2 cup milk (for dumplings)
  • 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces (for dumplings)

Instructions

  1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain off any excess grease.
  2. Transfer the browned ground beef to your slow cooker.
  3. Add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, thyme, pepper, and salt to the slow cooker. Stir everything together.
  4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
  5. About 30 minutes before serving, prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt for the dumplings.
  6. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  7. Stir in the milk until just combined to form a soft dough. Do not overmix.
  8. Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the surface of the simmering stew. Do not stir them in.
  9. Cover the slow cooker and continue cooking on HIGH for the remaining 30 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through and puffy.
  10. Serve this easy slow cooker ground beef dinner immediately.

Notes

  • For extra flavor, brown the beef with a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce before adding it to the crockpot.
  • If you prefer a thicker stew, mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water and stir it into the stew during the last 30 minutes of cooking, before adding the dumplings.
  • Check the liquid level before adding dumplings; the stew should be thick enough to support them.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delicerecipe.com/ground-beef-and-dumplings-crockpot/