This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish-style beef tips and potatoes is exactly the kind of cozy, no-fuss dinner I lean on during busy weeks. You literally drop seasoned beef tips right onto a bed of raw cubed potatoes in the slow cooker, pour over a simple sauce made from just three pantry ingredients, and walk away. By the time you’re home from work, the potatoes are tender, the beef is fall-apart soft, and the savory gravy tastes like something straight out of a farmhouse kitchen. It’s hearty, budget-friendly, and the kind of meal everyone ends up asking for the recipe after they try it.
Serve these Amish-style beef tips and potatoes in a wide, shallow bowl so all that rich gravy has room to pool around the edges. A simple green side—like steamed green beans, a tossed salad, or roasted carrots—balances the heaviness of the meat and potatoes. Warm dinner rolls or crusty bread are great for soaking up the extra sauce, and if you like a little brightness, add a spoonful of sour cream or a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley right before serving. Leftovers reheat well, so it’s an easy lunch the next day with a side of frozen peas or a quick bagged salad.
Slow Cooker 5-Ingredient Amish Beef Tips and PotatoesServings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 pounds beef tips or stew meat, trimmed
1 (10.5-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (1-ounce) packet dry onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
Directions
Lightly grease the inside of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray or a thin swipe of oil to help with cleanup.
Spread the raw cubed potatoes evenly in the bottom of the slow cooker, making a flat, even layer. This creates a bed for the beef tips and helps them cook in the flavorful juices.
Pat the beef tips dry with paper towels so they brown slightly and don’t get watery. Sprinkle them lightly with salt and pepper if desired.
With clean hands, drop the beef tips evenly over the potatoes in the slow cooker, letting the pieces fall in a single layer on top of the potatoes. It’s okay if some pieces nestle down between the potato cubes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, dry onion soup mix, and beef broth until smooth and well combined. This is your simple three-ingredient sauce.
Pour the sauce evenly over the beef tips and potatoes, trying to cover as much of the meat as possible so everything cooks in the seasoned gravy.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the beef tips are fork-soft.
Once cooked, gently stir from the bottom to coat all the potatoes and beef tips in the gravy, being careful not to mash the potatoes too much.
Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, spooning plenty of beef, potatoes, and gravy into each bowl.
Variations & Tips
For a creamier gravy, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream or a splash of heavy cream during the last 15 minutes of cooking. If you prefer a bit more texture and color, add 2 cups of baby carrots or sliced carrots on top of the potatoes before dropping the beef tips in. You can also swap the cream of mushroom soup for cream of celery or cream of chicken if that’s what you have in the pantry. For extra richness, use low-sodium beef broth and add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to the sauce mixture. To stretch the meal for a larger family, add an extra pound of potatoes and a splash more broth, then serve the beef tips and potatoes over buttered egg noodles. If you’d like a slightly thicker gravy, stir together 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon cold water, then mix it into the slow cooker during the last 20 to 30 minutes on HIGH until the sauce thickens.
