This slow cooker creamy beef supper is the kind of practical weeknight meal that earns a permanent place in the rotation: inexpensive, filling, and made from a short list of pantry-friendly ingredients. Pouring evaporated milk over raw ground beef may seem unusual at first, but as the mixture cooks low and slow, the beef, pasta, and creamy sauce come together into a rich, comforting one-pot dinner with a casserole-like feel and very little hands-on work.
Serve this hearty dish with a crisp green salad, simple steamed green beans, or buttered peas to balance the richness. Warm dinner rolls or thick slices of crusty bread are also welcome for soaking up the creamy sauce, and if you like a little brightness, a spoonful of chopped parsley or a few shakes of black pepper on top just before serving wakes everything up nicely.
Slow Cooker Creamy Beef Supper
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 pound raw ground beef
Directions
1. Lightly coat the inside of the slow cooker insert with cooking spray or a thin film of oil if desired. Spread the raw ground beef evenly across the bottom of the slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly over the beef. Spoon the cream of mushroom soup over the top, then pour in the evaporated milk and beef broth. Do not stir yet.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, breaking up the beef with a spoon about halfway through cooking so it cooks into small crumbles and mixes into the sauce.
4. Once the beef is fully cooked, stir well until the sauce is smooth. Add the uncooked egg noodles, pressing them down so they are mostly submerged in the hot liquid.
5. Cover again and cook on LOW for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the noodles are tender. Stir once near the end to keep the noodles from clumping.
6. Give the mixture a final stir, let it stand for 5 minutes to thicken slightly, then spoon into bowls and serve hot.
Variations & Tips
Add cheese: For an even richer finish, stir in 1 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar or mozzarella during the last few minutes of cooking, just until melted. This gives the dish a more casserole-like texture.
Swap the pasta: Egg noodles are especially good here because they cook quickly, but small pasta shapes such as rotini or shells can also work. If using a thicker pasta, you may need a little extra broth and a slightly longer final cooking time.
Use a different soup: Cream of chicken, cream of celery, or cheddar soup can stand in for the cream of mushroom if that is what you have in the pantry. Each one changes the flavor a bit while keeping the same creamy character.
Season carefully: Onion soup mix and canned soup both bring salt, so taste the finished dish before adding any extra seasoning. A little black pepper at the table is often all it needs.
Avoid overcooking the noodles: The biggest trick with this recipe is adding the noodles near the end. If they stay in the slow cooker too long, they can become overly soft and absorb too much liquid.
