This beef and noodles dinner is rich, creamy, and plain in the best possible way. The slow cooker does the work, and wide egg noodles cook right in the savory gravy. You’re going to love this easy, comforting dinner with green beans, a simple salad, or buttered rolls.
Why You’ll Love It
- Minimal prep — layer the ingredients in the slow cooker and let it cook.
- Everyday ingredients — stew meat, egg noodles, canned soup, and broth keep it simple.
- Feeds six comfortably — perfect for a hearty family dinner.
- Creamy, tangy finish — sour cream stirred in at the end makes the sauce extra satisfying.
Ingredient Notes
Beef stew meat is exactly what you want here: those little cubes cook low and slow until they’re tender and tucked into the gravy. Don’t bother browning it first. Browning adds flavor, but the point is that this is easy. This is not a cooking show.
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Use wide dry egg noodles, not the skinny little ones. The wide noodles hold their shape better through the long cook. Brands do differ a bit, which is one of those annoying kitchen facts. If the noodles tend to cook fast, peek a little early. Just a quick peek, though. Don’t stand there stirring around like you’re prospecting for gold.
The onion soup mix brings salt, onion flavor, and that old-fashioned savory taste without making you chop one more thing. The basic grocery-store packet works well—Lipton if it’s on sale, store brand if it isn’t.
For the condensed cream of mushroom soup, use the regular 10.5-ounce can. A reduced-fat version works, but “fine” is not why creamy beef noodles are made. Low-sodium beef broth is helpful since the soup mix and canned soup already bring plenty to the party. Full-fat sour cream stirs in smoothly and tastes like it means it.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
- 12 ounces dry wide egg noodles
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker insert if desired. Put the 1 1/2 pounds of raw beef stew meat in the bottom and spread it into a fairly even layer.
- Sprinkle the packet of onion soup mix evenly over the beef. Then scatter the 12 ounces of dry wide egg noodles over everything. Try to distribute them reasonably well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the 3 cups of low-sodium beef broth until the soup is mostly smooth. A few little lumps are not the end of civilization. Pour that mixture evenly over the noodles, and do not stir. Leave the layers alone.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the beef is tender and the noodles are soft. If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking around 5 1/2 hours. If the noodles seem to be soaking up more liquid than expected, add a splash more beef broth. Not a whole cup. Just enough to loosen things.
- Turn off the slow cooker and stir in the 1/2 cup sour cream until the sauce is creamy and fully combined. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving so it can thicken up a bit. This is when the smell gets particularly dangerous.
Variations
For more mushrooms, add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms over the beef before you add the noodles, along with a little extra black pepper at the table.
For an even richer, almost casserole-like finish, stir 2 to 4 ounces of cream cheese in with the sour cream at the end. It makes the sauce thicker and a little more luxurious.
You can use cubed chuck roast in place of stew meat, and browned ground beef works too if that’s what you have. Leaner meat may need a bit more broth to keep the texture nice. Very lean ground beef can make the finished dish a little too tight.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days in a covered container. The noodles will continue soaking up some of that creamy gravy overnight, so don’t be alarmed when it looks thicker the next day. That’s normal. It may be even better for lunch.
Reheat individual portions in the microwave with a small splash of beef broth or water, stirring partway through. You can also warm it gently on the stovetop, again with a little broth to loosen the sauce. Don’t blast it too hard or too long; sour cream sauces can get a little cranky when overheated.
Freezing is not recommended after cooking because the noodles can get soft and the creamy sauce changes texture. Make it fresh, enjoy the leftovers, and then move on.
Final Notes
Serve this with buttered green beans, roasted carrots, or a cold crisp salad with whatever dressing is hiding in the refrigerator door. Warm rolls are wonderful for catching the gravy, although a piece of plain sandwich bread works when the roll situation gets away from you. It still counts.
This is the kind of meal for busy schedules and noisy evenings. There’s something reassuring about lifting that lid at dinnertime and finding a whole supper waiting there—beef tender, noodles soft, sauce creamy, no heroic effort required.
Slow Cooker Amish Egg Noodle Beef
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beef stew meat
- 12 ounces dry wide egg noodles
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker insert if desired, then place the raw beef stew meat in the bottom and spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the onion soup mix evenly over the beef, then scatter the dry wide egg noodles over everything and distribute them reasonably well.
- Whisk together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and beef broth in a medium bowl until mostly smooth, then pour the mixture evenly over the noodles without stirring.
- Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours, until the beef is tender and the noodles are soft; if the slow cooker runs hot, start checking around 5 1/2 hours.
- Turn off the slow cooker and stir in the sour cream until the sauce is creamy and fully combined, then let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving.
