Instant Pot Cowboy Stew–a hearty stew with smoked sausage, ground beef, bacon, corn and beans. You can make this in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker.

Instant Pot Cowboy Stew
This cowboy stew will fill up your cowboys and cowgirls and leave them satisfied! It’s got three types of meat and loads of flavor. It’s a one pot meal that makes for easy clean up. The first day tastes awesome but the next day of leftovers tastes even better!
This stew is very adaptable to your preferences. If you want to kick it up a notch add in some cayenne pepper. Want more veggies? Add in some sliced carrots and celery with the onions. Like a little sweetness? Use baked beans instead of chili beans. It’s up to you!
Ingredients/Substitution Ideas
- Bacon
- Beef smoked sausage–or pork smoked sausage or kielbasa
- Lean ground beef–or ground turkey
- Onion–or 3 Tbsp of minced dry onions
- Tomato juice–or V8 or beef broth
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Chili powder
- Crushed tomatoes–or petite diced tomatoes or fire roasted potatoes.
- Chili beans–or ranch style beans or baked beans
- Diced green chiles
- Frozen corn–or a drained can of corn
- Russet potatoes–or red potatoes
Steps
- Cook the bacon: Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the bacon. Cook bacon until crispy and then use a slotted spoon to move bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
- Brown sausage: Add the sausage into the bacon drippings and brown on both sides.
- Brown beef: Add in the lean ground beef and onion and brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
- Deglaze the pot: Pour in the tomato juice and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off saute setting.
- Add ingredients: Dump in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, crushed tomatoes, chili beans, green chiles, corn and potatoes. Don’t stir, this will prevent the burn error message.
- Pressure cook: Cover Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid. If you don’t have the soup button use the pressure cook button for 3 minutes.
- Serve: Stir well. Ladle into bowls and serve. Top each bowl with a bit of the cooked bacon.
Notes/Tips
- Serve with cornbread and honey butter.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot*. You can also make this in an 8 quart pot. Halve the recipe in a 3 quart pot.
- This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container* in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Extra tomato juice? Other recipes you can make with tomato juice are Instant Pot Southern Chicken Spaghetti and Instant Pot Fat Burning Soup.

More Cowboy Recipes You’ll Love…
Instant Pot Cowboy Up Supper
Spaghetti with bacon, beans, chili seasonsings and cheese. A hearty supper that will fill up your little and big cowboys.
Instant Pot Cowboy Meatloaf Potato Casserole
Meatloaf seasoned with chili powder and bbq sauce is topped with mashed potatoes, french fried onions and cheddar cheese.
Instant Pot Crispy Cowboy Casserole
A hearty casserole with rice, beans, corn, picante sauce and cheese. It’s topped with french fried onions for a crispy finish!
A Cowboy’s Jambalaya (Instant Pot)
A colorful rice dish with beef smoked sausage, celery, green pepper, tomatoes and garlic. You’re going to love how flavorful and how easy this dinner is to make.
Instant Pot Cheesy Cowboy Soup
A hearty soup with beef, potatoes and cheese. A perfect supper for your hungry cowboys and cowgirls!
Did you know you can filter the recipes on my website to search by meat type, IP or Crockpot, low carb, gluten free, etc.? Use the filter to find exactly what you are looking for.


Instant Pot Cowboy Stew
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes (plus 5 minute NPR)
- Total Time: 29 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
A hearty stew with smoked sausage, ground beef, bacon, corn and beans. You can make this in the Instant Pot or the slow cooker.
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon, chopped
- 1 (12 oz) package beef smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
- 1 pound (16 oz) lean ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups tomato juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15 oz) can chili beans or ranch style beans or baked beans
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (or a drained can of corn)
- 2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions:
- Turn Instant Pot to saute setting. When display says HOT add in the bacon. Cook bacon until crispy and then use a slotted spoon to move bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the sausage into the bacon drippings and brown on both sides.
- Add in the lean ground beef and onion and brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
- Pour in the tomato juice and scrape bottom of pot so that nothing is sticking. Turn off saute setting.
- Dump in the garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, crushed tomatoes, chili beans, green chiles, corn and potatoes. Don’t stir.
- Cover Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the SOUP button to 4 minutes. When time is up let pot sit for 5-10 minutes and then move valve to venting. Remove the lid.
- Stir well. Ladle into bowls and serve. Top each bowl with a bit of the cooked bacon.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Heat a pan over medium high heat. Cook bacon until crispy and then use a slotted spoon to move bacon to a paper towel lined plate.
- Add the sausage into the bacon drippings and brown on both sides.
- Add in the lean ground beef and onion and brown for 5 minutes. Drain off excess grease.
- Add the sausage and beef into the slow cooker. Stir in the tomato juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, crushed tomatoes, chili beans, green chiles, corn and potatoes.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Stir well. Ladle into bowls and serve. Top each bowl with a bit of the cooked bacon.
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
Another great recipe! Thank you, this was so yummy!
★★★★★
Thank you so much for the 5 stars Renee!
Yee-Haw! Giddy-up little darlin’. OMGoodness, was sooooo good. I took your suggestion and added the carrots & celery. Also added 1/8 tsp of cayenne. Knock-your-socks-off delicious + quick & EZ.
★★★★★
Sounds perfect to me! Thanks for the 5 stars Kim!
Hello! If I skipped the bacon (I know; I’m the only person in the universe who doesn’t like it), would I need to use some oil to cook the sausage in? Thanks so much!
I would add a tablespoon of oil to fry up the sausage