There are recipes that earn their place by being fussy and grand, and then there are the ones that win hearts because they are plain good, dependable, and welcome at every potluck table. This old-fashioned beef Beaumont is one of those casseroles, built from just four simple ingredients and baked until the beef turns savory and tender under a bubbling blanket of cheese. It feels like the kind of dish Midwestern home cooks have always understood well: modest pantry staples, easy preparation, and a pan that comes home scraped clean.
Serve this hearty casserole with buttered egg noodles, fluffy mashed potatoes, or plain white rice to catch the rich juices. A crisp green salad, green beans, or simple peas make a fine contrast to all that savory goodness, and if you are feeding a hungry crowd, a basket of warm dinner rolls on the side rounds it out beautifully.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Beef Beaumont
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces
1 packet dry onion soup mix
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish.
2. Spread the beef stew meat evenly in the prepared dish.
3. Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix over the beef, then spoon the condensed cream of mushroom soup across the top and spread it lightly to coat.
4. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the beef is tender and cooked through.
5. Remove the foil, sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top, and return the dish to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling with browned edges.
6. Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Variations & Tips
Use a different cheese: Sharp cheddar gives this casserole a hearty, old-fashioned flavor, but Colby jack or Monterey jack will melt beautifully too if that is what you have on hand.
Make it ahead: You can assemble the beef, soup mix, and mushroom soup in the dish a few hours ahead and refrigerate it covered. Add a few extra minutes to the baking time if it goes into the oven cold, then top with cheese near the end as directed.
Tenderness tip: If your stew meat runs a little tough, keep it covered and bake a bit longer before adding the cheese. Every cut of beef has its own mind, and an extra 15 to 20 minutes can make all the difference.
Add a little color: Though the charm of this recipe is its four-ingredient simplicity, a scattering of chopped parsley over the top right before serving freshens the look for company suppers and church dinners.