This slow cooker 6-ingredient Hoover stew is exactly the kind of throw-together dinner I lean on after a long workday. It’s inspired by Depression-era Hoover stew, which was all about stretching pantry staples into something warm and filling, but this version is even simpler. You literally dump canned cream of mushroom soup over raw beef sausage links in the slow cooker, add just four more basic ingredients, and let it do its thing. The result is a cozy, creamy, budget-friendly dinner that tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
I like to ladle this creamy sausage Hoover stew over hot cooked egg noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes so all that sauce has something to soak into. A simple green salad or steamed green beans on the side keeps the meal from feeling too heavy, and a slice of crusty bread is perfect for swiping up the last bit of gravy in the bowl. If you’re feeding a crowd, set the slow cooker to warm and let everyone serve themselves with their choice of starch and a jar of pickles or sliced cucumbers on the table for something bright and crunchy.
Slow Cooker 6-Ingredient Hoover StewServings: 4
Ingredients
1 pound raw beef sausage links
2 (10.5-ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 (15-ounce) can mixed vegetables, drained
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning (or dried oregano and basil mix)
Directions
Place the raw beef sausage links in a single layer on the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup and beef broth until mostly smooth. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just loosened up so it spreads easily.
Dump the soup mixture evenly over the raw beef sausage links in the slow cooker, making sure the sausages are mostly covered.
Pour the can of diced tomatoes (with their juices) over the soup-covered sausages, then sprinkle the dried Italian seasoning over the top.
Add the drained can of mixed vegetables on top, spreading them out gently. Do not stir; leaving the layers helps the sausages cook evenly and stay juicy.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef sausage links are fully cooked through (no pink in the center and at least 160°F if checked with a meat thermometer).
Once cooked, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with a little salt and black pepper if needed. You can leave the sausages whole, or use tongs and a knife to cut them into bite-size pieces directly in the slow cooker.
Give everything a gentle stir to mix the sausages, vegetables, and creamy sauce together, then serve hot over noodles, rice, or mashed potatoes.
Variations & Tips
You can swap the beef sausage links for another raw sausage you like, such as Italian sausage or kielbasa-style links, as long as they are raw and need full cooking time. If you prefer a slightly lighter version, use one can of cream of mushroom soup and one can of cream of celery soup for a different flavor twist, or choose a reduced-sodium or reduced-fat cream soup. To bulk this up even more, stir in a drained can of beans (like kidney or cannellini) during the last hour of cooking so they warm through without getting too mushy. For extra veggies, add a handful of frozen peas or corn in the final 30 minutes. If you like heat, sprinkle in red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce before serving. Food safety tips: Always start with fully refrigerated raw sausage and keep it out at room temperature only as long as it takes to assemble the slow cooker (ideally under 20 minutes). Make sure your slow cooker reaches a safe temperature by cooking on LOW for at least 6 hours or HIGH for at least 3 hours, and confirm the internal temperature of the sausages hits 160°F with a meat thermometer if you’re unsure. Do not cook this from frozen sausage in the slow cooker, as it may stay too long in the temperature “danger zone.” Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking and reheat until steaming hot before eating.
