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Meatball Stew

Meatball stew with browned homemade meatballs and potatoes simmered in a thick savory brown gravy. Tender vegetables and juicy meatballs come together in one covered pot for a hearty American dinner.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
breadcrumbs
  • 0.5 cup breadcrumbs
egg
  • 1 large egg
milk
  • 0.25 cup milk
salt
  • 1 tsp salt
garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
onion, diced
  • 1 onion, diced
all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
beef broth
  • 4 cup beef broth
tomato paste
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
potatoes, cubed
  • 1 lb potatoes, cubed
carrots, sliced
  • 3 carrots, sliced
frozen peas
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the meatballs
  1. In a bowl, mix ground beef, breadcrumbs, large egg, milk, salt, and garlic powder until evenly combined and no dry crumbs remain.
  2. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs and set them on a plate while you heat the pot.
Brown and build the stew
  1. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then brown the meatballs in batches until browned on all sides; set aside as they finish.
  2. Add onion to the Dutch oven and cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden.
  3. Sprinkle in all-purpose flour and stir for 1 minute until it smells toasty and clings to the onions.
  4. Whisk in beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and dried thyme, scraping up browned bits from the bottom.
  5. Add potatoes and carrots, bring to a simmer, then return the browned meatballs to the pot.
Simmer and finish
  1. Simmer covered at a steady bubbling for 25-30 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender and the gravy thickens; cover stays on for consistent cooking.
  2. Stir in frozen peas and cook for 5 minutes until bright green and heated through, then serve hot.

Notes

For best texture, don’t overcrowd the pot when browning meatballs—brown in batches so they develop color instead of steaming. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat gently until hot. Freezing is OK up to 3 months (thaw in the fridge), but peas may soften slightly after freezing—add a fresh splash of peas in the last 5 minutes if you prefer firmer bites. For a lower-fat swap, use 90% lean ground beef to reduce grease while keeping the stew hearty.