I kept the ingredient list short in my Easy Beef And Noodles Recipe, and I’m sharing the slow cooker tip that makes it so simple to pull together.

Jump to Recipe

I stumbled onto this Slow Cooker Beef Noodles when I wanted something simple that didn’t taste like takeout. Using beef chuck roast and Reames egg noodles it somehow nails that old fashioned flavor but with way less fuss than you’d think.

I call it my Easy Crockpot Cheesy Beef And Noodles moment because the noodles soak up the juices and keep surprising you, like you taste one thing then another. This Crock Pot Slow Cooker version isn’t fancy, and sometimes I mess up the timing, but it keeps pulling me back, makes me curious what small change will make it perfect next time.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Beef chuck roast: rich in protein and iron, gives deep savory flavor and hearty texture.
Egg noodles: starchy carbs that make dish comforting, absorb sauce like little flavor sponges.
Carrots: add natural sweetness, vitamin A and fiber, bright color and soft bite.
Beef broth: boosts meaty umami, provides sodium and depth, keeps everything moist.
Tomato paste: concentrated tangy tomato, adds acidity and umami, small dose goes far.
Worcestershire sauce: salty, slightly sweet, funky umami punch, a little really stretches flavor.
Butter: adds silkiness and mouthfeel, a bit of fat helps flavors cling, yum.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 large yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 medium carrots, sliced

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 cups beef broth

1 cup water

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

12 ounces Reames egg noodles (frozen or 12 oz wide egg noodles)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Pat the beef cubes dry, sprinkle with the kosher salt and black pepper, then toss with the 2 tablespoons flour until lightly coated.

2. Heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the beef in batches so it gets a good crust, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, transfer browned pieces to the slow cooker.

3. In the same skillet add the chopped onion, sliced carrots and chopped celery, cook 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften, stir in the minced garlic and the 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1 minute more to wake up the flavor, then pour in the 3 cups beef broth and 1 cup water and scrape up the browned bits, pour everything into the slow cooker.

4. Add the 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes to the slow cooker, give it a stir to combine with the beef and veggies.

5. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork tender and the flavors are melded.

6. Remove the bay leaves, shred or chop the beef into bite sized pieces right in the cooker, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed; if the liquid seems too thin, turn the cooker to high, remove the lid and let it reduce for 15 to 20 minutes.

7. Add the Reames egg noodles: if using frozen noodles add them about 25 to 30 minutes before serving, if using 12 ounce wide dried egg noodles add them 8 to 12 minutes before serving, stir gently so noodles are submerged and cook until tender.

8. Stir in the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter until melted and glossy, let the stew sit 5 minutes to thicken a bit, then serve warm.

Equipment Needed

1. 6 to 7 quart slow cooker or crockpot, big enough for all the beef and noodles
2. Large heavy skillet or sauté pan (cast iron or stainless) for browning the meat
3. Chef’s knife and sturdy cutting board for trimming and chopping veggies, meat, etc.
4. Mixing bowl to toss the beef with flour, plus paper towels to pat the cubes dry
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for broth, water, flour and seasonings
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape up browned bits and stir stuff together
7. Tongs and a slotted spoon to move browned beef and stir without splashing
8. Ladle or large serving spoon for transferring stew and a small bowl or plate for resting the bay leaves

Enjoy, its an easy set up and you wont need much more.

FAQ

Do I have to brown the beef first or can I skip it?

You can skip it if you're short on time, but browning gives way more flavor and helps the sauce thicken (the flour clings to the seared edges). If you do brown, do it in batches in a hot pan for 4 to 6 minutes so you get good color.

When do I add the egg noodles and which kind should I use?

Add the noodles at the end so they dont go mushy. For frozen Reames noodles stir them in and cook on high 10 to 15 minutes until tender. For wide dried egg noodles add them and cook on high 20 to 30 minutes, checking often. Don't add dried noodles at the start of the long slow cook.

How do I thicken the gravy if it's too thin?

Take the lid off and let it cook on high 20 to 30 minutes to reduce. Or whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir into simmering sauce until thick. Another trick is mashing a few cooked carrots into the liquid for body.

My beef turned out tough, what went wrong?

Tough beef usually means it needed more time or higher low-and-slow tenderness. Use chuck roast and cook until fork tender (about 7 to 8 hours on low or 4 to 5 hours on high). Also make sure cubes are about 1 inch and not over-salted early on.

Can I make this ahead or freeze leftovers?

Yes. Refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days. For freezing leave out the noodles if you can, otherwise frozen noodles get soggy. Freeze the beef gravy for up to 3 months, thaw overnight and reheat gently, then cook fresh noodles before serving.

Can I convert this to Instant Pot or stovetop?

Sure. Stovetop: brown beef, then simmer covered 2 to 3 hours until tender. Instant Pot: brown on sauté, add liquids, pressure cook 45 minutes with natural release, then add noodles and cook on sauté 8 to 12 minutes until done. Adjust times as needed.

Slow Cooker Beef Noodles Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Beef chuck roast: swap for beef stew meat (already cubed, cooks same time) or boneless short ribs for a richer, gelatinous finish; if you grab a lean cut like round, expect it to be a bit less tender unless you cook longer.
Vegetable oil: use canola or light olive oil, or avocado oil instead; melted butter works too for flavor but watch the browning so it doesn’t burn.
All purpose flour: substitute cornstarch (use about half the flour amount since it thickens stronger) or a 1:1 gluten free flour blend; you can also skip and simmer to reduce the sauce if you wanna avoid thickeners.
Beef broth: chicken broth or low sodium vegetable broth can stand in, just add 1 teaspoon soy sauce or an extra splash Worcestershire to bring back that beefy umami.

Pro Tips

– Brown the meat in batches, dont crowd the pan or you’ll just steam it. Those browned bits stuck to the skillet are gold, so scrape them into the slow cooker with some hot liquid to boost the flavor.

– Salt in stages. Season the beef before searing but taste and adjust at the end, and use low sodium broth if you want more control — its easy to oversalt early and cant fix it later.

– If you plan leftovers, cook the noodles separately or undercook them a little before adding, otherwise they turn to mush after reheating. Frozen noodles go in late, dried even later, or just toss cooked noodles in when serving.

– If the stew is too thin, reduce it with the lid off on high for a bit or whisk a small flour or cornstarch slurry into a ladle of hot broth first so it doesnt clump. Finish with the butter and a tiny splash of acid like vinegar or lemon to brighten everything up.

Slow Cooker Beef Noodles Recipe

Recipe by Nicky Smith

0.0 from 0 votes

I kept the ingredient list short in my Easy Beef And Noodles Recipe, and I'm sharing the slow cooker tip that makes it so simple to pull together.

Servings

servings

Calories

810

kcal

Equipment: 1. 6 to 7 quart slow cooker or crockpot, big enough for all the beef and noodles
2. Large heavy skillet or sauté pan (cast iron or stainless) for browning the meat
3. Chef’s knife and sturdy cutting board for trimming and chopping veggies, meat, etc.
4. Mixing bowl to toss the beef with flour, plus paper towels to pat the cubes dry
5. Measuring cups and measuring spoons for broth, water, flour and seasonings
6. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula to scrape up browned bits and stir stuff together
7. Tongs and a slotted spoon to move browned beef and stir without splashing
8. Ladle or large serving spoon for transferring stew and a small bowl or plate for resting the bay leaves

Enjoy, its an easy set up and you wont need much more.

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 large yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 medium carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cups beef broth
1 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
12 ounces Reames egg noodles (frozen or 12 oz wide egg noodles)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Pat the beef cubes dry, sprinkle with the kosher salt and black pepper, then toss with the 2 tablespoons flour until lightly coated.
Heat the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the beef in batches so it gets a good crust, about 2 to 3 minutes per side, transfer browned pieces to the slow cooker.
In the same skillet add the chopped onion, sliced carrots and chopped celery, cook 3 to 4 minutes until they start to soften, stir in the minced garlic and the 2 tablespoons tomato paste and cook 1 minute more to wake up the flavor, then pour in the 3 cups beef broth and 1 cup water and scrape up the browned bits, pour everything into the slow cooker.
Add the 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes to the slow cooker, give it a stir to combine with the beef and veggies.
Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is fork tender and the flavors are melded.
Remove the bay leaves, shred or chop the beef into bite sized pieces right in the cooker, taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed; if the liquid seems too thin, turn the cooker to high, remove the lid and let it reduce for 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the Reames egg noodles: if using frozen noodles add them about 25 to 30 minutes before serving, if using 12 ounce wide dried egg noodles add them 8 to 12 minutes before serving, stir gently so noodles are submerged and cook until tender.
Stir in the 2 tablespoons unsalted butter until melted and glossy, let the stew sit 5 minutes to thicken a bit, then serve warm.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.