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This Bonfire Stew is one of those meals that fills the house with the best kind of cozy: smoky bacon, hearty sausage, creamy beans, and tender vegetables, all simmered together in a rich, comforting broth. It’s simple cooking – real, honest, weeknight doable.
What’s to love
- Smoky, hearty flavor – Bacon and sausage make the broth rich and cozy without being heavy. Carrots, potatoes, and beans add heartiness. This feels like stew-meets-campfire!
- Easy, one-pot meal – Everything cooks in the same Dutch oven, it’s simple enough for a busy weeknight.
- Flexible and forgiving – Add a splash of wine for depth, or skip it; thicken it or keep it brothy – it’s all good.
It’s the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you’re sitting around a crackling fire – even if real life looks more like homework spread across the table and the washing machine humming in the background.
Printable recipe
Ingredients
- 4 slices smoky bacon (diced)
- 1 pound smoked sausage or kielbasa (sliced into coins)
- 1 large onion (diced (about 2 cups))
- 2 large carrots (sliced into half-moons (about 2 cups))
- 2 cloves garlic (minced (about 2 teaspoons))
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 sprigs fresh)
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup red wine (optional, but adds depth)
- 2-3 cups beef broth (or enough to cover)
- 1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 2 medium potatoes (peeled and diced into ½” cubes (about 2-3 cups))
- 2 (15-oz) cans rinsed and drained beans (brown beans, kidney beans, or pinto beans all work; brown beans give a nice rustic feel)
- BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup (I use these to season to taste)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (whisked into 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry, optional for a thicker stew)
Tips
- Don’t skip browning the bacon and sausage first – it builds the smoky flavor that makes this stew feel like it’s been simmering over a fire all day.
- Cut your potatoes and carrots into bite-sized chunks (about 2-3 cups each when chopped). Anything too big will take forever to cook; too small and they’ll vanish.
- Beans your way: Brown and navy beans make this feel rustic, but kidney beans also work just fine. Use what you have in the pantry – it’s cozy food, not fine dining.
- The simmer sweet spot: 20 minutes is enough for the veggies to get tender and the flavors to come together, BUT if you’ve got more time, let it go longer. This stew only gets better as it simmers. I usually simmer it for at least 30 and up to 60 minutes.
Instructions
- Prep:A 5-6 quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot is ideal for this recipe. Get your ingredients ready.
- Cook the bacon:In your pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until it’s crispy and the fat has rendered. The goal is a little sizzle, not smoke – slow and steady gives you the best flavor.Once it’s golden, scoop out the bacon with a slotted spoon and set it aside, leaving those lovely drippings in the pot. (That’s where all the flavor hides!)4 slices smoky bacon
- Brown the sausage:Add the sliced sausage right into the bacon drippings. Let it get golden around the edges – about 4–5 minutes. Don’t rush it; this is where the smoky flavor really deepens.1 pound smoked sausage or kielbasa
- Soften the vegetables:Add the onion, carrots, and a pinch of salt to the same pot. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until everything starts to soften and smell sweet.Then stir in the garlic, tomato paste, smoked paprika, thyme, and a good grind of black pepper. Let that cook for a minute or two to toast the tomato paste – it adds a rich, almost roasted depth to your broth.1 large onion, 2 large carrots, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, salt & pepper
- Deglaze the pot:Pour in the red wine (if you’re using it) and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom – they’ll melt right into the stew and give it that cozy, slow-cooked flavor. Let the wine reduce slightly for 2–3 minutes. (If you’re skipping the wine, just use a splash of broth instead.)½ cup red wine
- Simmer the stew:Add 2 cups broth, the diced tomatoes, potatoes, beans, and the browned bacon into the pot. Bring it to a gentle boil, then reduce to low.Cover partly with a lid and let it simmer 25–30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the stew is thickened to your liking. Add more broth if it looks too thick – just remember, this is meant to be stewy, not soupy.2-3 cups beef broth, 1 (14.5-oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, 2 medium potatoes, 2 (15-oz) cans rinsed and drained beans
- Finish and serve:Taste and season with a little BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, salt and pepper. If you’d like it a little thicker, stir in your cornstarch slurry and simmer over medium-low heat for a few minutes.Serve hot, with crusty bread, buttered biscuits, or whatever makes your heart happy!BBQ sauce, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Sausage and Bean Stew (Bonfire Stew)
make your kitchen smell like home?Bonfire Stew questions, answered
Yes to both! Cool it fully and refrigerate for up to 3 days. It also freezes wonderfully for up to 3 months – just thaw overnight and warm slowly on the stove. It’s one of those meals that tastes even better the next time around.
I love using smoked sausage or kielbasa – it adds the perfect campfire flavor without needing extra steps. If you prefer something milder, you can use a regular cooked sausage or even a mix of sausage and ham.
It’s all in the layers! Browning the bacon and sausage first builds a smoky base, and the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and a touch of maple syrup add cozy depth. A splash of red wine (totally optional) makes it taste like it simmered all day.
Either works! I love using fresh thyme when I have it, but dried is perfectly fine – just use about half the amount since it’s more concentrated.
The biggest one is rushing the browning – those golden bits in the pot are flavor gold!
Make sure you don’t scorch the tomato paste base, or you may turn the entire stew bitter.
Also, don’t skip tasting and adjusting seasoning at the end; potatoes and beans can absorb more salt than you think. Using BBQ sauce and maple syrup can help balance out too much acidity.
Perfect to serve with
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