Campfire Stew is a hearty meal in a bowl filled with ground beef, potatoes and vegetables. It’s a back to school meal that even picky eaters will enjoy. This recipe is sponsored by the Ohio Beef Council. As always, all opinions are mine alone.

What is Campfire Stew?
Looking for a well-balanced meal to feed your kids on a busy school night? Look no further than my Campfire Stew! I recently wanted to make vegetable soup with ground beef, and I kept running across the name Campfire Stew. I guess because if you’re out camping, ground beef is quick and easy to cook in the great outdoors. More so than slow cooking a tougher cut of beef, like my Sirloin Tip Roast. But even at home, ground beef is a quick, delicious and nutritious option for any type of meal.
This soup is so simple to make and it can be frozen so that you have a meal ready to go at any time. My teenage kids enjoyed this soup topped with a little cheese and sour cream. Plus a good old-fashioned peanut butter and jelly sandwich on the side and some applesauce.
What you need for Campfire Stew
- Ground Beef – I like Ground Sirloin (90/10) or Ground Round (85/15) for soups, stews and casseroles. I choose Ground Chuck (80/20) when I am making burgers.
- Butter
- Onion
- Garlic
- Tomato Paste
- Salt, Pepper, Oregano, Parsley, Thyme – I like fresh herbs for garnish, but use dried herbs most often for cooking because it saves on prep time and is a more cost-effective option.
- Worcestershire Sauce
- Beef Broth
- Vegetable Broth
- Potatoes
- Corn
- Carrots
- Green Beans
- Diced Tomatoes
How to make Campfire Stew
In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Then add the onion and garlic and cook it for a bit. Add the ground beef and break it up as it cooks. Once the beef is no longer pink, add the tomato paste and all the seasonings (salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and thyme and Worcestershire sauce). Cook until the tomato paste is well blended into the beef mixture.
Add both the beef broth and vegetable broth, plus the cubed potatoes. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover the soup and cook for about 20 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables – corn, carrots, green beans and the tomatoes. Cover again and simmer the soup for an additional 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender.
How to Freeze Campfire Stew
Be sure the stew is at room temperature and add it to glass Ball jars. Seal the jars and freeze the stew for up to one month. When ready to serve, remove the jars from the freezer and allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat the stew on the stove to serve.
Tips from Ohio Beef
- Be sure to choose packages of ground beef that are bright red in color and firm to the touch.
- Store ground beef in your refrigerator for 1-2 days or in your freezer for up to 4 months.
- Beef is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is one of the most satisfying nutrients. Eating a protein-rich diet will help students feel full and prevent cravings throughout the day.
- For student athletes and active kids, there is no better choice than beef. The protein in beef helps build muscle and provides enough energy to support kids on-the-go.
- Visit www.OhioBeef.org and follow the Ohio Beef Council on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for beef nutrition facts, cooking tips, recipes and to meet Ohio’s beef farming families. Use #OhioBeef to share photos of your healthy meals this school year!
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Campfire Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef use Ground Sirloin (90/10 lean) or Ground Round (85/15 lean)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 cups potatoes peeled and diced small
- 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
- 1 can (15 oz) carrots drained
- 1 can (15 oz) green beans drained
- 1 can (15 oz) petite cut diced tomatoes undrained
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook for about one minute, until garlic is fragrant.
- Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is no longer pink, breaking it up as you go.
- Stir in the tomato paste and seasonings - salt, oregano, parsley, thyme, pepper - and Worcestershire sauce.
- Cook for 1 -2 minutes, until the tomato paste is well combined with the beef.
- Add the potatoes and both the beef broth and vegetable broth. Bring the stew to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the corn, carrots, green beans and tomatoes. Cover the pot again and continue to simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender.
- Serve the stew topped with shredded cheese.
Patty at Spoonabilities says
What a terrific meal for any day! A total crowd pleaser and so delicious!
foodtasticmom says
Most definitely.
Luci says
Yum! This Campfire Stew is delicious! So full of wonderful flavors and definitely very filling! It was the perfect weeknight dinner that I can’t wait to make again!
foodtasticmom says
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Emily says
This campfire stew recipe is so delicious! I love all the flavors, and even my picky kids loved it!
foodtasticmom says
Yay! Thanks Emily.
Alexandra says
We love comforting dishes like this – warming and delicious. The flavours are really good, and this was something the whole family enjoyed!
foodtasticmom says
So happy to hear this!
Shashi says
WOA – this is comfort food at it’s finest! And, I don’t even eat meat but I’m drooling! I love all the spices and herbs in this – I’m going to sub in some ground chicken or turkey and make this this weekend!
foodtasticmom says
Glad to hear it!
Carolyn says
Everybody knows that campfire stew is an old Girl Scout standard. I’ve been making it for 60 years at campouts and at home except that I use a pound of ground beef, a diced onion, and 1 can of Campbell’s Vegetarian Vegetable soup. Brown the ground beef and onion, add the soup, and serve over a toasted bun or a slice of bread.
foodtasticmom says
I was not in Girl Scouts as a child and had no idea. Thank you for providing this information!
Jess says
this sounds so delicious!
foodtasticmom says
It most definitely is!
Kristen Wood says
Pinned to make for family this weekend! Thank you! 🙂
foodtasticmom says
I’m sure you will all love it. Thanks!
Colleen says
This campfire stew is a new favorite at my house! Everybody loves it and it’s so simple to make, too. Thanks for sharing!
foodtasticmom says
So glad you all enjoyed it. You’re welcome!
Kate Hahnel says
My campfire stew turned out so flavorful and cozy! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
foodtasticmom says
Love hearing this. You’re welcome and thanks for taking the time to rate and comment!
Andrea says
A hearty and comforting stew that is perfect for my family. Yummy!
foodtasticmom says
Yes, it sure is! Thanks!