Slow Cooker Hamburger Gravy Noodles

Slow Cooker Hamburger Gravy Noodles. This easy hamburger gravy noodles recipe needs just 4 simple things. Ground beef and wide egg noodles cook low and slow in a rich brown gravy for a warm, filling dinner. It’s cheap, simple, and tastes like it took all day to make, perfect for busy weeknights.

This slow cooker 4-ingredient hamburger gravy noodles recipe is just the kind of cheap weeknight dinner my brother loves to make. It’s a simple, low-cost version of the classic Midwestern hamburger gravy over noodles you may remember from growing up. All you need is ground beef, noodles, and a rich, savory brown gravy to do all the work. The slow cooker helps bring out that slow-simmered taste while you go about your day. In the end, it looks and tastes like you spent hours cooking on the stove, even though you barely had to do anything at all.

Serve this hamburger gravy noodles dish piled high in shallow bowls or wide plates, so the rich brown sauce can pool around the edges. A simple green veggie, like steamed or roasted broccoli, green beans, or a fresh salad with a tangy dressing, helps balance out the richness. If you want to make the meal even bigger, add a slice of buttered toast or garlic bread to soak up extra gravy. A cold glass of milk or a light beer goes nicely with this cozy, homestyle dish.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds lean ground beef
• 2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed beef gravy (or brown gravy)
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 12 ounces wide egg noodles (about 6 cups dry)

Slow Cooker Hamburger Gravy Noodles: Directions

1. Cook the beef: Put a large pan on the stove and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and use a spoon to break it into small pieces as it cooks. Keep cooking for about 7 to 10 minutes, until no pink is left. If there’s a lot of grease in the pan, carefully spoon most of it out, but leave a little bit for flavor.
2. Move the beef to the slow cooker: Take the cooked, drained beef and add it to the slow cooker. Spread it out evenly across the bottom instead of packing it down tightly.
3. Make the gravy: Pour the condensed beef gravy and the beef broth right over the beef in the slow cooker. Stir everything together really well, until the thick gravy mixes smoothly into the broth with no lumps left. It should look like a loose, meaty brown sauce.
4. Cook the beef and gravy: Put the lid on the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. As it cooks, the flavors will blend together and the sauce will turn a deep, dark brown while the beef gets very soft and tender.
5. Add the noodles: About 30 to 40 minutes before you’re ready to eat, stir the gravy and taste it. Add a little salt only if needed, since the noodles will soak up some salt from the sauce too. Pour in the dry wide egg noodles and gently push them down into the liquid so most of them are covered. Don’t worry if some edges stick out. They will get soft while they cook.
6. Finish cooking: Cover the slow cooker again and cook on HIGH for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir once about halfway through. The noodles are ready when they’re soft but not mushy, and they’ve soaked up some of the tasty gravy. The finished dish should look like wide noodles and beef crumbles covered in a shiny, dark brown sauce.
7. Serve: Give the whole dish one more good stir to mix the beef and sauce together. Scoop the hamburger gravy noodles into warm bowls or onto plates and serve right away while it’s hot and saucy.