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Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles

A comforting, budget-friendly dish featuring tender beef in a savory mushroom sauce tossed with egg noodles, perfect for weeknights and potlucks.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 2 lbs chuck roast or stew beef, cut into 1–1½ in cubes Trim excess fat.
  • 1 packet onion soup mix Or 3 tbsp dry onion soup blend.
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup (10.5 oz) Substitute with cream of celery or cream of chicken if preferred.
  • 3 cups beef broth Use low-sodium if more control over salt is desired.
  • 1 tsp garlic powder Or substitute with 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced.
  • 12 oz egg noodles Regular or wide noodles. Substitute: gluten-free pasta or spiralized squash for low-carb.
  • Salt & pepper To taste.
  • Fresh parsley, chopped Optional garnish.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Trim large pieces of fat and cut the roast into even 1–1½ inch cubes. Pat dry. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
  2. (Optional) Sear for flavor: Heat 1–2 tbsp oil in a skillet over medium-high. Brown beef 2 minutes per side in batches. Transfer browned pieces to the slow cooker.
Cooking
  1. Layer beef in the slow cooker. Sprinkle the onion soup mix evenly over the meat. Dollop the cream of mushroom soup in spoonfuls. Pour the beef broth around (not directly on top) and sprinkle garlic powder over everything. Do not stir.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 7–8 hours or on HIGH for 4–5 hours, until the beef shreds easily with two forks.
  3. Shred the beef right in the pot using two forks or meat claws. Stir to combine with the sauce, then taste and adjust salt and pepper.
  4. If the sauce is thinner than desired, use a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water) and stir into the pot, cooking on HIGH for an additional 10–15 minutes until thickened.
Noodle Preparation
  1. While the sauce thickens, boil egg noodles in salted water until just al dente, then drain.
Serving
  1. Fold the hot noodles into the shredded beef and sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

Notes

For lower sodium, use unsalted broth and a reduced-sodium soup. Cool and store leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days in the refrigerator or freeze for 3 months.