Description
This Slow Cooker Witches Brew Stew is a hearty and flavorful Halloween-themed dish combining ground beef, spicy sausage, and a medley of vegetables simmered to perfection. Featuring pumpkin-shaped carrots and spooky mushroom faces, this comforting stew is perfect for fall gatherings and cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. hot breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean or original for less spice)
Vegetables
- 3–4 large carrots, sliced and cut into pumpkin shapes
- 2 cups small diced gold potatoes
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 1 cup diced leeks (from 1 large leek)
- 10 mushrooms, halved and carved for skull faces (added at the end)
Seasonings and Liquids
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. Italian herb seasoning (oregano, marjoram, savory, thyme, basil, rosemary, sage)
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. 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
Instructions
- Brown the Meats: In a large skillet set to medium-high heat on the stovetop, brown the ground beef and hot breakfast sausage together. Crumble thoroughly and drain off excess fat to keep the stew from being greasy. Transfer the cooked meats into the slow cooker.
- Prepare Pumpkin Carrots: To create pumpkin shapes, make two straight slits forming a ‘stem’ at the top of each carrot slice. Then cut two triangles from the sides of the stem and remove them, giving a pumpkin-like appearance. Add these carrot pumpkins to the slow cooker.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Add the diced gold potatoes, celery, diced leeks, minced garlic, Italian herb seasoning, salt, pepper, Campbell’s condensed French onion and tomato soups, water, and beef broth to the slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.
- Cook the Stew: Place the lid securely on the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 8 hours, allowing the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften.
- Prepare Mushroom Skulls: Near the end of cooking, prepare the mushrooms by cutting each lengthwise in half. Use a straw to poke out eye holes and a knife to carve two slits for the nose. Additional slits can be made on the mushroom stem for detail.
- Add Mushrooms: Add the carved mushroom halves to the slow cooker after the main cooking time has finished. Let them cook in the hot stew for an additional 10 minutes to soften slightly while preserving their shape and spooky appearance.
- Serve and Enjoy: Stir gently to distribute mushrooms and ladle the hearty witches brew stew into bowls. Serve hot for a festive and comforting meal.
Notes
- Drain the fat from the browned meats well to prevent a greasy stew.
- The mushrooms are added at the end to maintain their spooky carved shapes and avoid disintegrating in the stew.
- You can substitute Italian herb seasoning with dried herbs you have like oregano, thyme, and basil if needed.
- Adjust the cook time if using a different slow cooker model, ensuring vegetables are tender but not mushy.
- This stew pairs well with crusty bread or a fresh green salad for a complete meal.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 12 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 65 mg
