This BBQ Beef and Bean Stew is exactly what it looks like…ground beef, beans, and corn in a flavorful stew. But what you can’t see in the picture is actually the best part…it’s what is hidden in that beautiful broth mixture.

A little salsa and a little barbecue sauce goes a long way. This recipe makes 8 generous (1-1/2 cup) servings. You only need 1/3 cup barbecue sauce in the whole batch, which means you get a subtle sweet flavor that is not over-powering. Then, you top the whole thing off with a little cheese.

It’s so good, and I can’t wait for you to try it! But before we get to the recipe, I am going to try to answer any questions I anticipate you having about the ingredients used…

Pick your beans.

Normally, I tell you exactly what kind of beans to use in my recipes. This is not one of those recipes. What is your favorite kind of bean? You get to pick two kinds for this recipe, so feel free to change up this recipe by trying out different kinds of beans. Some beans that would work great are kidney, cannelini, pinto, or black beans, but you could probably use any beans you like.

In case if you are wondering, I used kidney beans and cannelini beans in our stew the day I took my pictures because it is what we already had in our pantry. Typically, I would use kidney and black beans together.

Pick your corn.

I used canned fire-roasted corn, but you can use regular corn without much of a difference in taste. In fact, you could even skip the corn and serve corn-on-the-cob on the side instead, but I like it best in the stew.

Pick your barbecue sauce.

You will only use 1/3 cup barbecue sauce for this whole stew (it makes 12 cups total!). Because BBQ sauce is so sweet, you really don’t need more than that. You can use whatever barbecue sauce you love. I like the flavor of Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce, personally.

Pick your cheese.

If you have read this far, you have probably noticed a theme: It’s the “use what you love” theme. We are carrying that theme all the way through to the cheese on top. I used cheddar cheese on ours, but you can top your stew with any shredded cheese. Other cheeses that would pair well are Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend.

Bring the points down with no cheese or less cheese.

I love shredded cheese on my stew so I recommend it in this recipe, but the stew itself tastes great with or without cheese.

How about one more way to bring the points down?

Another way you can bring the points down is to use sugar free barbecue sauce. I have not tried the Walden Farms Barbecue Sauce myself, so I can’t say from experience if it is any good, but I know there are some WW members who LOVE it because it is zero calories! You can learn more about the Walden Farms Barbecue Sauce here.

Okay,  now that you know everything you need to know, let’s get to this recipe…

Here is what you need:

1 pound 95% lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 (15.5 ounce) cans of beans (any combination of kidney, cannelini, pinto, or black beans…I used 1 can of kidney and 1 can of cannelini beans because that is what we had on hand)
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted corn
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup salsa
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1-1/2 cups reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Here is what you do:

In a large stockpot, cook the beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender, breaking up the meat as it cooks.

Add the 2 cans of beans, corn, broth, salsa, and barbecue sauce in with the beef, without draining the cans. Bring stew to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese on top of each 1-1/2 cup serving.

Makes 8 servings.
One serving is 1-1/2 cups stew with 3 tablespoons cheese.
One serving is 7 green, 4 blue, and 4 purple points.

Print Recipe

3.80 from 5 votes

BBQ Beef and Bean Stew

One serving is 7 green, 4 blue, and 4 purple points.

Makes: 8 servings

Calories: 236

Author: Alisha Hughes

Ingredients

• 1 pound 95% lean ground beef
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 (15.5 ounce) cans of beans (any combination of kidney, cannelini, or black beans)
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted corn
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/3 cup barbecue sauce
• 1-1/2 cups reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

• In a large stockpot, cook the beef and onion over medium heat until beef is no longer pink and the onions are tender, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
• Add the 2 cans of beans, corn, broth, salsa, and barbecue sauce in with the beef, without draining the cans. Bring stew to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes.
• Sprinkle 3 tablespoons cheese on top of each 1-1/2 cup serving.