Pour beef consomme over raw beef strips, accompanied by 4 ingredients, into slow cooker for an easy weeknight feast that disappears faster than anything else

This slow cooker Amish-style beef consommé noodles recipe is the kind of weeknight supper that quietly becomes everyone’s favorite. It leans on just six simple ingredients and the old farm habit of letting the pot do the work while you tend to the rest of your day. You start by laying raw beef strips in the slow cooker, then pour rich beef consommé over the top, add just four more pantry staples, and walk away. By suppertime, the beef is tender, the noodles are silky, and it all tastes like something Grandma might have made after a long day in the fields.

Serve these Amish-style beef consommé noodles in wide, shallow bowls so the gravy can pool around the edges. A side of buttered peas or green beans and a simple lettuce salad with a tangy dressing balances the richness nicely. Warm dinner rolls or thick slices of country bread are perfect for mopping up the extra broth. If you like, finish each bowl with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or a grind of black pepper right before it hits the table.

Servings: 6

2 pounds beef sirloin or stew beef, cut into thin strips

Place the raw beef strips in the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, spreading them out in an even layer.

Scatter the sliced onion evenly over the beef.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the beef consommé, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and Worcestershire sauce until mostly smooth.

Pour the consommé mixture over the raw beef strips and onions in the slow cooker, making sure the beef is mostly submerged in the liquid.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef is very tender.

About 30 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions until just tender.

Drain the noodles well and gently stir them into the hot beef and consommé mixture in the slow cooker. If the mixture seems too thick, you can stir in a splash of hot water or beef broth to loosen it slightly.

Cover and let the noodles sit in the slow cooker on LOW or WARM for 10 to 15 minutes so they can soak up some of the flavorful broth.

Taste and add salt and black pepper if needed. Ladle the beef and noodles into bowls and serve hot.

For a creamier dish, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of sour cream right before adding the noodles, turning it into more of a stroganoff-style supper. If you like extra vegetables, add 1 to 2 cups of sliced mushrooms or frozen peas to the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking. You can swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of celery or cream of onion if that’s what you keep on hand. For a deeper, more old-fashioned flavor, brown the beef strips in a bit of oil in a skillet before adding them to the slow cooker, scraping any browned bits into the pot. If you prefer a bit more broth, add an extra 1/2 to 1 can of beef consommé or a cup of beef broth and serve the noodles more like a hearty soup. Leftovers reheat well on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce.