This slow cooker Amish-style carrot beef pasta is the kind of hearty supper that feels right at home on a busy weeknight or a quiet Sunday afternoon. Beef short ribs slowly cook with simple pantry ingredients and sweet baby carrots until everything turns rich, tender, and comforting, then it all gets spooned over pasta for a filling meal. It has that old-fashioned, practical style of cooking that makes the most of a few ingredients while still bringing big, cozy flavor to the table.
Serve this dish with buttered green beans, a crisp side salad, or a loaf of warm bread to soak up the savory sauce. If you want to keep the meal extra comforting, mashed potatoes can stand in for pasta, and a little applesauce or pickled beets on the side gives it a nice homespun touch that fits the dish beautifully.
Slow Cooker 6-Ingredient Amish Carrot Beef Pasta
Servings: 6
Ingredients
3 pounds beef short ribs
1 pound baby carrots
1 medium onion, sliced
1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 packet onion soup mix
12 ounces egg noodles
Directions
1. Lightly grease the slow cooker insert if desired. Arrange the beef short ribs in the bottom, then tuck the baby carrots all around the meat. Scatter the sliced onion over the top.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the condensed cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix until combined. Spread this mixture over the beef and vegetables as evenly as you can.
3. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and the carrots are soft. If you like, skim off a little extra fat before serving.
4. Near the end of cooking, boil the egg noodles in salted water according to the package directions. Drain well.
5. Remove the bones from the short ribs if needed, then spoon the beef, carrots, and gravy over the hot egg noodles and serve right away.
Variations & Tips
For extra flavor: Brown the short ribs in a skillet before adding them to the slow cooker if you have a few extra minutes. It is not required, but it gives the finished sauce a deeper, richer taste.
For picky eaters: If your family prefers a smoother sauce, stir the cooked gravy well before serving and cut or shred the beef into smaller bites so every forkful mixes easily with the noodles.
Noodle swap: Egg noodles are especially nice here, but this also works well over mashed potatoes, rotini, or even rice if that is what you already have in the pantry.
Vegetable addition: A handful of peas stirred in at the end or a side of steamed green beans can brighten up the plate without changing the cozy feel of the meal too much.
Make-ahead tip: You can assemble the beef, carrots, onion, soup, and soup mix in the slow cooker insert the night before and refrigerate it. The next morning, set it into the cooker and start your day with dinner already on its way.