Slow Cooker Amish Creamy Beef and Noodles

A soul-soothing comfort dish featuring tender beef chunks in a rich, velvety gravy with soft egg noodles, designed for the slow cooker to do the work.

Equipment

• Slow cooker
• Small bowl or jar
• Skillet (optional)
• Pot for noodles

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups (950 ml) low-sodium beef broth
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika (smoked or sweet)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• ½ cup (120 ml) cold water
• ⅓ cup (45g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream or full-fat evaporated milk
• 12 oz wide egg noodles
• Fresh parsley, chopped (for serving)
• A pat of butter (optional, for serving)

Instructions

1. Place the cubed beef, diced onion, and minced garlic in your slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle with the thyme, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves.
4. Pour the beef broth over everything and stir gently to combine.
5. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
6. About 45 minutes before serving, make a slurry by shaking or whisking the cold water and flour until completely smooth.
7. Remove the bay leaves from the slow cooker.
8. Stir the slurry into the hot broth and beef.
9. Cover and cook on HIGH for 30 minutes.
10. While the gravy thickens, cook the egg noodles in a separate pot according to package directions for al dente, then drain.
11. After the 30-minute thickening period, stir the heavy cream or evaporated milk into the slow cooker.
12. Gently fold in the cooked, drained noodles until everything is coated in the creamy gravy.
13. Let everything sit in the warm slow cooker for 5-10 minutes off heat.
14. Serve in deep bowls, garnished with fresh parsley and a pat of butter if desired.

Notes

For richer flavor, brown flour-dusted beef cubes in a skillet before adding to the slow cooker. Always use cold water for the flour slurry to prevent lumps. Cook noodles separately to avoid mushiness. Evaporated milk can be used instead of heavy cream to prevent curdling. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days; reheat gently with a splash of broth or milk. The beef and gravy base freezes well for up to 3 months, but cooked noodles may become soft upon thawing.