Pour cream of mushroom soup and these 3 ingredients over beef stew meat into a slow cooker for a dish that keeps everyone coming back for seconds

This slow cooker 4-ingredient smothered beef tips recipe is the kind of no-fuss comfort food that’s fed Midwestern farm families for generations. You start by nestling simple beef stew meat in the slow cooker, then pour cream of mushroom soup and just three pantry ingredients right over the top. By the time supper rolls around, the meat is fork-tender and swimming in a rich, savory gravy that tastes like you fussed all afternoon, even though the slow cooker did the work. It’s the sort of dish I leaned on during busy harvest seasons, when I needed something hearty that could sit warm and welcome everyone home, no matter what time they walked through the door.

These smothered beef tips are made for piling over a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes, buttered egg noodles, or white rice so they can soak up every bit of that creamy mushroom gravy. Add a simple side like buttered peas, green beans, or sweet corn for color and crunch, and maybe a pan of dinner rolls or biscuits to swipe through the sauce. A crisp green salad with a tangy dressing helps balance the richness, and if you’re feeding a crowd, a dish of coleslaw or a fruit salad on the side turns this into a full Sunday-style supper.

Servings: 6

2 to 2 1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-size chunks

Place the raw beef stew meat in an even layer on the bottom of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. If there are larger chunks, cut them into more uniform, bite-size pieces so they cook evenly.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, combine the cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, and beef broth. Stir until the soup mix is mostly dissolved and the mixture is smooth and pourable.

Pour the cream of mushroom soup mixture evenly over the raw beef stew meat in the slow cooker, making sure all the meat is coated and nestled down into the sauce. Use a spatula to gently spread the mixture if needed.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the beef tips are very tender and easily pierced with a fork. Avoid lifting the lid during cooking so the heat and moisture stay inside.

Once the beef is tender, give everything a gentle stir to combine the meat and gravy. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed, adding a pinch of salt or black pepper to your liking.

Serve the smothered beef tips hot, spooning the meat and plenty of gravy over mashed potatoes, cooked egg noodles, or rice. Ladle any extra sauce from the slow cooker over the top of each serving.

For a creamier gravy, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream or a splash of heavy cream right at the end of cooking, off the heat, so it doesn’t curdle. If you’d like some vegetables cooked right in with the beef, you can add 1 to 2 cups of sliced mushrooms, baby carrots, or thick-sliced onions on top of the meat before pouring on the soup mixture; just know this will add liquid and soften the vegetables quite a bit. To thicken the gravy further, whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water, then stir that slurry into the hot sauce during the last 30 minutes of cooking and let it bubble on HIGH until thickened. For a salt-conscious version, choose low-sodium cream of mushroom soup and low-sodium beef broth, and you can use only half the onion soup mix packet, adding more to taste at the end. If you prefer a bit more seasoning, a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce or a pinch of dried thyme stirred into the soup mixture before pouring it over the beef adds a deeper, old-fashioned pot-roast flavor. Food safety tips: Keep the beef refrigerated until you’re ready to load the slow cooker, and don’t let raw meat sit out at room temperature for long. Always start with a clean slow cooker and clean utensils, and wash your hands well after handling raw beef. Make sure the dish cooks until the beef is fully tender and hot throughout; if you’re unsure, the internal temperature of the meat should reach at least 145°F, though this recipe goes well beyond that for tenderness. Once cooked, don’t leave the beef tips at room temperature for more than 2 hours; refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers and use within 3 to 4 days, reheating until piping hot before serving.