This old-fashioned oven-baked beef dish is exactly the kind of practical potluck recipe that earned a permanent spot in Midwestern kitchens: minimal ingredients, easy prep, and a rich, savory finish that tastes like far more effort went into it. With just beef, condensed soup, and dry onion soup mix, the oven does most of the work, turning simple pantry staples into tender, bite-sized pieces coated in a deeply comforting gravy-like sauce.
Serve this beef over mashed potatoes, egg noodles, rice, or buttered toast points so none of the sauce goes to waste. For a potluck table, it also fits nicely beside green beans, glazed carrots, a crisp cucumber salad, or a simple dinner roll, and a spoonful of cranberry sauce can be a nice sweet-tart contrast in colder months.
Oven Baked 3-Ingredient Beef Harrison
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds beef stew meat or chuck roast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 packet (1 ounce) dry onion soup mix
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass baking dish.
2. Spread the beef pieces evenly in the prepared baking dish.
3. Spoon the condensed cream of mushroom soup over the beef, then sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly on top.
4. Stir until the beef is well coated, then cover the dish tightly with foil.
5. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring once halfway through, until the beef is very tender and the sauce is hot and bubbling. Serve straight from the dish.
Variations & Tips
Add mushrooms: If you want a heartier version, stir in 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms before baking. They reinforce the flavor of the soup and give the finished dish more texture.
Use chuck roast: Chuck roast cut into cubes gives especially good results because its marbling breaks down slowly in the oven, creating a more tender and flavorful bite than very lean stew meat.
Thin the sauce if needed: If you prefer a looser gravy, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup water before covering the dish. This can also help if your condensed soup is especially thick.
Make it ahead: Assemble the dish earlier in the day, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before it goes into the oven so the glass dish heats more evenly.
Keep it covered: Tight foil is the key to tender beef in a recipe this simple. Covering the dish traps moisture, helping the meat braise gently rather than dry out in the oven.