Slow Cooker Witches Brew Stew Recipe
This Slow Cooker Witches Brew Stew is a hearty and festive Halloween-themed stew featuring ground beef, spicy breakfast sausage, autumn vegetables shaped like pumpkins, and spooky mushroom ‘skull faces.’ Slow-cooked to perfection, this stew combines the rich flavors of beef broth, condensed soups, and Italian herbs for a comforting and fun meal.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours (High) or 8 hours (Low) plus 10 minutes for mushrooms
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes (High) or 8 hours 30 minutes (Low)
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 1 lb. hot breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean original if preferred less spicy)
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 (from 1 large leek)
- 10 mushrooms (cut in half, then carved with skull face designs)
- 1 tsp. minced garlic
Seasonings
- 1 Tbsp. Italian herb seasoning
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
Liquids and Soups
- 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 over medium-high heat on the stovetop, brown the ground beef and hot breakfast sausage together. Crumble them thoroughly and drain off any excess fat. Transfer the cooked meats into the slow cooker.
- Prepare Carrot Pumpkins: Using the sliced carrots, make two straight slits at one end to create a stem shape. Then cut out two triangles from the sides of the stem and remove them to form a pumpkin shape. Add these carrot pumpkins into the slow cooker.
- Add Remaining Ingredients (Except Mushrooms): Add the diced gold potatoes, diced celery, diced leeks, minced garlic, Italian herb seasoning, salt, pepper, Campbell’s French Onion Soup, Campbell’s Tomato Soup, water, and beef broth into the slow cooker with the meats and carrot pumpkins. Stir gently to combine.
- Cook the Stew: Place the lid securely on the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours, allowing flavors to meld and ingredients to become tender.
- Prepare Mushroom Skulls: Near the end of the cooking time, prepare the mushroom ‘skulls’ by cutting each mushroom lengthwise in half. Use a straw to poke out the eyes and a knife to make two slits for the nose. Additional slits can be added on the stem area for effect.
- Add Mushrooms to Slow Cooker: After the main cooking time is complete, add the prepared mushrooms to the slow cooker. Allow them to cook with the stew for an additional 10 minutes to retain their shape and texture.
Notes
- Adding mushrooms at the end of cooking prevents them from becoming too soft and helps them maintain their shape for the decorative skull effect.
- Use mild or original sausage if you want to reduce spiciness.
- The pumpkin-shaped carrots add a festive visual element perfect for Halloween meals.
- This stew can be served with crusty bread or over cooked rice for a complete meal.
Keywords: slow cooker stew, Halloween stew, witches brew recipe, beef and sausage stew, spooky mushroom stew, festive fall stew
Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/slow-cooker-witches-brew-stew-recipe/
