Dollop cream of chicken soup onto beef patties, along with 4 ingredients, into slow cooker for a comforting meal that I make without even thinking

This slow cooker 5-ingredient Swedish-style burger steak recipe is one of those comforting, no-brainer meals I can throw together on a busy weekday. It has the cozy, creamy feel of Swedish meatballs but in easy beef patties, and the whole thing comes together by simply dolloping cream of chicken soup right over the raw patties in the slow cooker. It’s the kind of Midwest-style comfort food that fills the house with a warm, savory smell and makes everyone wander into the kitchen asking when dinner will be ready.

These Swedish-style burger steaks are wonderful spooned over hot egg noodles or creamy mashed potatoes so they can soak up all that rich gravy. Buttered rice or cauliflower mash work nicely if you want something a little lighter. Add a simple green side—steamed green beans, roasted carrots, or a bagged salad mix—to round out the plate. A sprinkle of fresh parsley on top right before serving makes it feel a touch special, even though it was mostly hands-off in the slow cooker.

Servings: 6

2 pounds ground beef (80–85% lean), shaped into 6 patties

Lightly spray the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray to help with cleanup.

Shape the ground beef into 6 even burger patties, about 1/3 pound each, pressing them just enough so they hold together but aren’t too dense.

Lay the raw beef patties in a single layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. If you need to overlap them slightly, that’s fine; just keep them mostly flat so they cook evenly.

Open the can of cream of chicken soup and, using a spoon, dollop the thick soup directly over the tops of the raw beef patties, spreading it just a little so most of the meat is covered.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, and beef broth until mostly smooth. It doesn’t have to be perfect; a few small lumps are fine.

Pour the soup and broth mixture evenly over the patties and cream of chicken soup in the slow cooker, making sure the liquid runs down around the sides of the patties to form the base of the gravy.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours, or on HIGH for 3–4 hours, until the beef patties are cooked through and very tender. They may release some fat into the gravy; that’s normal and adds flavor.

Once cooked, gently lift the burger steaks out with a wide spatula so they stay together, and give the gravy a quick stir. If you’d like it thicker, you can remove the lid and let it cook on HIGH for another 15–20 minutes, or stir in a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water and cook until thickened.

Serve the Swedish-style burger steaks hot, spooning plenty of the creamy onion gravy over the top and over your choice of noodles, potatoes, or rice.

For picky eaters, you can skip the onion soup mix and instead season the patties lightly with just salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder, then use only the cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups with the broth. If someone in your house doesn’t like mushrooms, use two cans of cream of chicken soup instead and add a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce for extra savory flavor. To lighten things up a bit, swap in lean ground turkey or a mix of ground beef and ground turkey; just know the gravy will be a little less rich. If you’re watching sodium, choose low-sodium soups and broth, and taste the gravy before adding any extra salt. For a more classic Swedish-style touch, stir in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of sour cream at the very end (after turning off the heat) to make the gravy extra tangy and creamy—just don’t boil it once the sour cream is in. You can also add sliced mushrooms or a handful of frozen peas during the last hour of cooking for a built-in veggie side. Leftovers reheat well the next day and make an easy open-faced sandwich over toast with the extra gravy.