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Slow Cooker Witches Brew Stew Recipe

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4.3 from 58 reviews

Our Slow Cooker Witches Brew Stew is a hearty and flavorful Halloween-themed meal featuring Italian sausage, ground beef, and a medley of vegetables transformed into fun spooky shapes like carrot pumpkins and shrunken head mushrooms. This comforting stew is slow-cooked to perfection in a crockpot, making it an ideal dish to warm up your autumn evenings or impress guests at your Halloween party.

  • Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 bowls

Ingredients

Meat and Seasonings

  • 1 pound Italian sausage
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 3 ounces shallots, diced (1 package)
  • 2 ounces dry onion soup mix, divided (2 packets)

Vegetables

  • 8 ounces large white mushrooms (1 package)
  • 4 carrots, peeled
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1½ pounds baby gemstone potatoes, halved

Liquids and Canned Goods

  • 5 cups low sodium beef broth
  • 14 ounces Italian-style petite diced tomatoes (1 can)
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

  1. Brown the Meat and Shallots: Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the Italian sausage, lean ground beef, diced shallots, and one packet of dry onion soup mix. Cook for about 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is thoroughly browned and cooked through.
  2. Prepare the Mushrooms: While the meat cooks, slice the large white mushrooms in half. Use a chopstick or toothpick to poke ‘eyes’ into the rounded side of each mushroom half, creating the spooky appearance of shrunken heads.
  3. Create Carrot Pumpkins: Take each peeled carrot and cut two triangular wedges out of one side, discarding the pieces. Then slice the carrots crosswise into rounds, which will resemble tiny pumpkins with the carved triangular indentations.
  4. Transfer Meat to Slow Cooker: Once the meat mixture is cooked, transfer it into a large slow cooker, leaving any excess grease behind in the skillet.
  5. Sear the Vegetables: In the same skillet with the leftover meat juices, add the sliced mushrooms, carrot pumpkins, chopped celery, and halved baby gemstones potatoes. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, to lightly sear and develop flavor.
  6. Add Vegetables to Slow Cooker and Season: Transfer the seared vegetables to the slow cooker on top of the meat. Sprinkle the remaining packet of dry onion soup mix evenly over the vegetables.
  7. Add Liquids and Combine: Pour in the low sodium beef broth, canned Italian-style petite diced tomatoes, and red wine vinegar into the slow cooker. Stir gently to mix all ingredients together evenly.
  8. Cook the Stew: Cover the slow cooker with its lid, and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours or on low heat for 4-6 hours, until the vegetables are tender and easily pierced with a fork.

Notes

  • For a thicker stew, remove the lid during the last 30 minutes on high to allow some liquid to evaporate.
  • Use low sodium beef broth to control the salt content and enhance the stew’s flavor with seasoning.
  • You can substitute ground turkey for lean ground beef and sausage for a lighter version.
  • Make sure to create the carrot pumpkins and mushroom ‘eyes’ for a fun Halloween effect that kids will love.
  • Serve with crusty bread or over mashed potatoes for a full meal.
  • Author: ELLA
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Category: Stew
  • Method: Slow Cooking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://ellarecipe.com/slow-cooker-witches-brew-stew-recipe/