Pour canned french onion soup over raw ground beef patties, alongside 2 ingredients, into slow cooker for a hearty feast that’s always a yes in my house

This slow cooker 4-ingredient Amish French Onion Beef is the kind of no-fuss, stick-to-your-ribs supper that has fed farm families around here for generations, just in slightly different clothes. Instead of fussing with browning and gravy from scratch, we lean on canned French onion soup, pouring it straight over raw ground beef patties right in the slow cooker, then tuck in two simple pantry helpers to round it out. By suppertime you’ve got tender, savory beef swimming in a rich oniony broth that tastes like it simmered on the back of a woodstove all afternoon. It’s the sort of hearty feast that’s always a yes in my house, especially on busy days when I still want something that feels homemade and comforting.

I like to serve this Amish-style French onion beef ladled over creamy mashed potatoes, so they soak up every drop of that onion gravy. Buttered egg noodles or white rice work just as well if that’s what you have on hand. Add a simple side of green beans, peas, or a tossed salad to brighten the plate, and pass some crusty bread or dinner rolls to mop up the juices. A dish of applesauce or pickled beets on the table gives it that old-fashioned Midwestern feel I grew up with.

Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80–85% lean), formed into 4 even patties

Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with a bit of butter or cooking spray to help with cleanup later.

Form the ground beef into 4 thick, even patties, pressing them just enough so they hold together but aren’t packed too tightly.

Lay the raw ground beef patties in a single layer on the bottom of the slow cooker. It’s fine if they touch slightly, but avoid stacking.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the condensed French onion soup, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and dry onion soup mix until mostly smooth and combined.

Pour the soup mixture evenly over the raw ground beef patties in the slow cooker, making sure each patty is well coated and some of the mixture runs down around the sides.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the patties are cooked through and very tender, and the sauce has thickened into a rich onion gravy.

Once done, carefully lift the patties with a wide spatula, as they will be very soft, and serve them topped with plenty of the onion gravy from the slow cooker.

Taste the gravy and, if desired, season with a little black pepper or a pinch of salt at the table, keeping in mind the soups and mix are already salty.

For a creamier gravy, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of sour cream right at the end of cooking, off the heat, and let it melt into the sauce before serving. If you prefer a bit more texture, add 1 to 2 thinly sliced onions on top of the patties before pouring on the soup mixture; they’ll melt down but still give you some soft onion strands. You can also tuck in 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms for extra heartiness. To stretch the meal for a bigger family, use up to 2 pounds of ground beef and form 6 smaller patties; keep the same amount of soup mixture and cook on the longer side of the suggested time. For a slightly lighter version, you can use ground turkey or chicken, though the flavor will be milder and you may want to add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce to deepen the taste. If the gravy is thinner than you like, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water, stir it into the hot liquid in the slow cooker, and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes until thickened. Leftovers reheat well and are wonderful shredded and piled onto toasted buns for an easy open-faced sandwich the next day.