Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles
Stew-meat beef tips in a rich gravy with egg noodles stirred in at the end, so the dinner is one pot and a side.
Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles
Course: Main CourseDifficulty: Easy6
servings15
minutes8
hours30
minutesStew-meat beef tips in a rich gravy with egg noodles stirred in at the end, so the dinner is one pot and a side.
Ingredients
2 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of celery soup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 oz wide egg noodles, dry
2 tablespoons butter
Salt to taste
Directions
- Pat the beef dry and brown it in the oil in two batches, 2 minutes per side. Browning is optional on a workday.
- Put the carrots and onion in the bottom of the crockpot and the beef on top.
- Whisk the broth, soup, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, parsley and pepper until smooth and pour it over the meat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
- Taste the liquid and add salt if needed. The soup carries some already.
- Turn the crockpot to HIGH and let it come to a gentle bubble, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the dry noodles and the butter, pushing the noodles under the liquid.
- Cover and cook 25 to 30 minutes on HIGH, stirring once halfway through.
- Check a noodle. It should be tender with a little bite, and the sauce should have thickened.
- Turn off the heat and let the pot sit 5 minutes, since the noodles keep absorbing as it rests.
Notes
- Add an extra 1/2 cup of broth if you reheat leftovers, because the noodles keep absorbing. This one freezes poorly after the noodles go in, so freeze the beef and gravy alone and cook fresh noodles. Keeps 3 days in the fridge.
Why noodles go in at the end
Noodles added at the start would turn to paste. Stirring them in late lets them cook in the gravy and thicken it as they absorb the liquid.
That is what makes this a one-pot dinner.
Swaps and serving
Rice can replace noodles but needs a longer time. Do not use thin pasta, which overcooks. Serve with a green vegetable.
A side salad adds contrast to the creamy gravy.
Storing and the sitting mistake
Freeze the beef and gravy without noodles and cook fresh ones later.
The mistake is leaving noodles to sit in the pot. They keep absorbing and the dish turns thick and soft.
Getting the noodles right
Wide egg noodles hold up best. Check one at the end of the cook. It should be tender with a little bite, because it keeps softening in the hot gravy. The butter helps carry flavor, and the five-minute rest lets the sauce settle to the right thickness.
Leftovers need extra liquid, so keep some broth on hand. A splash while reheating loosens the sauce and lets the noodles soften again without turning gluey.
Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles at a glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cooking time: 8 hours 30 minutes
- Servings: 6 servings
- Ingredients: 13, led by beef stew meat, olive oil, onion, carrots
Tips for Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles
Add an extra 1/2 cup of broth if you reheat leftovers, because the noodles keep absorbing. This one freezes poorly after the noodles go in, so freeze the beef and gravy alone and cook fresh noodles. Keeps 3 days in the fridge.
Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles FAQ
How long does Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles take?
Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles takes 8 hours 30 minutes of cooking after 15 minutes of prep.
How many people does Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles serve?
This recipe makes 6 servings.
What do I need to make Crockpot Beef Tips and Noodles?
13 ingredients, led by beef stew meat, olive oil, onion, carrots. Amounts are in the recipe card above.
