Hearty Comfort: Just 4 ingredients. My grandpa relied on this incredibly filling dinner during the toughest of times

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or on HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the onions are soft and almost melting into the broth.
Once the cooking time is up, gently stir the stew from the bottom to combine the beef, potatoes, onions, and tomatoes into a rich, dark, tomato-based broth. Taste and add a pinch of salt and pepper at the table if you like, but remember the spirit of this stew is simple and frugal, just like grandpa made it.
Serve the mulligan stew hot, ladled straight from the slow cooker, making sure each bowl gets plenty of beef, potatoes, onions, and broth. Keep it on the WARM setting if your family will be coming back for seconds throughout the evening.
Variations & Tips
To keep the spirit of a true 4-ingredient mulligan stew, any extra seasonings or add-ins are optional and can be adjusted to what you have on hand. For kids who are sensitive to texture, cut the potatoes a bit smaller and dice the onions finely so they almost disappear after the long cook. If your family prefers a slightly thicker stew, mash a few of the potatoes against the side of the slow cooker and stir them back in, or let the lid sit slightly ajar for the last 20–30 minutes on HIGH to let some liquid evaporate. For a milder flavor, choose plain crushed tomatoes; for a little more zip, use diced tomatoes with green chilies or fire-roasted tomatoes. To stretch the meal even further on tight weeks, serve the stew over cooked rice, elbow macaroni, or egg noodles so everyone still gets plenty of hearty bites. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days and tend to taste even better the next day, making this a great make-ahead option for busy school nights.