Description

Slow Cooker Witches Brew Stew is a hearty and flavorful autumn-inspired stew combining ground beef and spicy breakfast sausage with a medley of vegetables shaped for festive fun. Slow-cooked to tender perfection, this comforting dish boasts layers of savory goodness with Italian herbs, rich beef broth, and the subtle sweetness of carrots and leeks. Perfect for a cozy meal and easily doubled for gatherings.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Meats

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. hot breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean original if not spicy preferred)

Vegetables

3-4 large carrots, sliced then cut into pumpkin shapes
2 cups small diced gold potatoes
3 celery ribs, diced
1 cup diced leeks (about 1 large leek)
10 mushrooms, cut in half and carved with skull faces
1 tsp. minced garlic

Seasonings and Liquids

1 Tbsp. Italian herb seasoning (oregano, marjoram, savory, thyme, basil, rosemary, sage)
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
10.5 oz. Campbell's Condensed French Onion Soup
10.5 oz. Campbell's Condensed Tomato Soup
1.5 cups water
32 oz. box beef broth

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Instructions

Brown the Meats: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and hot breakfast sausage together until fully cooked, breaking the meat into crumbles. Drain off any excess fat before transferring the cooked meats to the slow cooker.
Prepare Carrots: Slice carrots and then cut them into festive pumpkin shapes by making two straight slits for the stem and removing two triangular pieces from the sides of the stem. Add the shaped carrot slices to the slow cooker.
Add Remaining Ingredients (Except Mushrooms): To the slow cooker, add the diced gold potatoes, celery ribs, diced leeks, minced garlic, Italian herb seasoning, salt, pepper, condensed French onion soup, condensed tomato soup, water, and beef broth. Stir well to combine.
Cook Stew: Cover the slow cooker with its lid. Cook the stew on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 8 hours, allowing flavors to meld and vegetables to soften.
Prepare Mushrooms: Near the end of the cooking time, prepare the mushrooms by cutting each in half lengthwise. Carve skull faces by poking out the eyes with a straw and making slits for the noses and stems using a knife.
Add Mushrooms and Finish Cooking: Add the carved mushrooms to the slow cooker after the main cooking time has finished. Let them cook for an additional 10 minutes to heat through while maintaining their fun shape.

Notes

You can substitute the hot breakfast sausage with chicken breasts, ground turkey, or kielbasa but expect a change in flavor and consider adjusting salt and seasonings.
This stew freezes well either before or after cooking; add mushrooms fresh after thawing if freezing before cooking.
To double the recipe, use a 6-quart or larger slow cooker.
If short on time, you can skip the decorative carrot and mushroom shaping without compromising flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: 312
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 1095mg
Fat: 17g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 9g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 19g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 20g
Cholesterol: 63mg