This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish tomato beef macaroni is the kind of no-fuss, stick-to-your-ribs supper that fits right into a busy farm day or a long workweek. It comes from the plain, practical style of Midwestern Amish cooking, where you use what you have and make it stretch. You simply dump canned diced tomatoes over raw ground beef in the slow cooker, add just three more pantry ingredients, and let it putter away while you go about your day. By suppertime, you’ve got a hearty, tomatoey beef and macaroni dish that seems to disappear faster than anything else on the table.
Serve this tomato beef macaroni in wide, shallow bowls so all that saucy goodness has room to spread. A simple green salad with a tangy dressing, or just sliced cucumbers and onions in vinegar, balances the richness nicely. Warm dinner rolls or buttered bread are perfect for mopping up the last bit in the bowl. If you like, set out a small dish of shredded cheese and a pepper shaker so folks can doctor their own bowls to taste.
Slow Cooker Amish Tomato Beef MacaroniServings: 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (80–90% lean, raw)
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) diced tomatoes with juices
3 cups beef broth (or water with 3 teaspoons beef bouillon granules)
2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni (about 8 ounces dry)
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
Directions
Set a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker on a stable, heat-safe surface, such as a white tile countertop or a trivet. Make sure the crock is in place and lightly spray or grease it if you like easier cleanup.
Break the raw ground beef into small chunks with your hands or a spoon and scatter it evenly in the bottom of the slow cooker. Do not brown it first; it will cook gently in the juices as the hours go by.
Sprinkle the finely chopped onion evenly over the raw ground beef so it can soften and flavor the meat as it cooks.
Pour the beef broth over the beef and onion, making sure most of the meat is moistened. This liquid will become the cooking broth for both the beef and the macaroni later.
Open the cans of diced tomatoes and, holding them over the slow cooker, dump the tomatoes and all their juices directly over the raw ground beef and onions. The tomatoes should mostly cover the meat and help keep it juicy and tender as it cooks.
Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook the beef, onions, broth, and tomatoes on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is fully cooked through and can be easily broken up with a spoon. During this time, avoid lifting the lid more than necessary so the mixture stays hot and cooks safely.
Once the beef is cooked, use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up any remaining large clumps of meat into small crumbles, stirring it well into the tomato mixture. If you see excess fat pooled on top and prefer a leaner dish, you can carefully skim some off with a spoon.
Stir in the uncooked elbow macaroni, making sure the pasta is pushed down into the hot tomato-beef liquid so it is mostly submerged. If the macaroni is not covered, add a splash more broth or water, just enough so the pasta can cook evenly.
Cover the slow cooker again and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the macaroni is tender but not mushy. Cooking time can vary by slow cooker, so begin checking at about 18 to 20 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning at the end, adding salt and black pepper if desired. Give everything a final stir so the beef, tomatoes, and macaroni are well combined. Serve hot, straight from the slow cooker, while it is still saucy and comforting.
Variations & Tips
For a cheesier version, stir in 1 to 2 cups of shredded cheddar or Colby Jack right at the end of cooking, letting it melt into the hot tomato beef mixture. If you like a bit more vegetable content, you can add 1 to 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables or corn during the last 30 to 45 minutes of cooking, as long as the slow cooker stays hot enough to keep the dish simmering. To lean things out, use 90–93% lean ground beef or even ground turkey; if you use a fattier grind, plan to skim off excess fat after the meat is cooked and before adding the macaroni. For a slightly sweeter, more old-fashioned Amish flavor, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of sugar along with the tomatoes to soften their acidity. If you need to stretch the meal for more people, add an extra 1/2 cup of macaroni and a bit more broth, keeping an eye on tenderness. Food safety tips: Always start with fresh, cold ground beef and keep it refrigerated until you are ready to assemble the dish. Do not let raw ground beef sit out on the counter for more than a short time while you prepare the slow cooker. When cooking in a slow cooker, make sure it is set to LOW or HIGH as directed and not on a warm setting; the mixture should reach at least 160°F in the center to safely cook the beef. Avoid repeatedly lifting the lid early in the cooking process, as this can drop the temperature and lengthen the time the meat spends in the food-safety “danger zone.” Leftovers should be cooled promptly, stored in shallow containers in the refrigerator within 2 hours, and eaten within 3 to 4 days, or frozen for longer keeping.
