Beef & Pumpkin Stew

Nothing screams fall more than the cooler air, pumpkins and soups.  In this beef and pumpkin stew is a great hearty soup that is packed with ground beef and a lot of tender vegetables. The pumpkin puree thickens the soup in place of a traditional roux thickened beef stew. Don't let the removal of the potatoes and other traditional ingredients deter you from this stew, the stew comes out delicious and will definitely be a family favorite.

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Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add ground meat, onion, carrots and garlic. Cook until the meat has browned and vegetables have softened. Add the italian seasoning, salt, pepper, sage and parsnips. Cook until fragrant.

Add in the stock and pumpkin, Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer covered for 20-30 minutes.

The recipe can be done in the crockpot as well. To make the recipe in a crockpot, brown the ground beef in a skillet on the stove. Add the browned meat and  all of the ingredients besides the spinach into the crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Add the spinach in the last 30-60 minutes.

Add spinach and simmer covered for another 10 minutes. Adjust seasonings if needed.

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Beef & Pumpkin Stew

45 mins Serves 6 Ingredients: Ground Beef, Celery, Parsnips, Spinach, 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, Yellow Onion, Italian Seasoning Garlic Cloves Pumpkin Puree