Slow Cooked Beef with Mushrooms

This hearty beef and noodles dish transforms an affordable cut of meat into a comforting masterpiece that will fill your home with mouthwatering aromas. After hours of gentle simmering, you'll be rewarded with tender beef chunks in a rich, savory broth that coats every strand of pasta.

I first made this recipe during a particularly brutal Midwest winter when we were snowed in for three days. The slow simmering scent of beef and herbs made our cabin fever much more bearable, and now it's requested whenever the forecast shows snow.

Ingredients

• Chuck roast: Provides the perfect amount of marbling that breaks down during slow cooking for incredible tenderness and flavor
• All-purpose flour: Helps create a beautiful crust on the beef and thickens the sauce naturally
• Yellow onion: Caramelizes during browning for deep foundational flavor
• Garlic: Adds aromatic punch that mellows beautifully during cooking
• Beef broth: Forms the rich base of our sauce
• Mushrooms: Contribute earthiness and meaty texture while making the sauce richer
• Dried thyme: Brings classic herbal notes that complement beef perfectly
• Wide egg noodles: Hold up well to the hearty sauce and provide the perfect texture
• Dried parsley: Adds color and fresh flavor at the end of cooking

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep the Beef:

Thoroughly pat your meat dry with paper towels for proper browning. Combine flour with salt and pepper in a medium bowl, then toss beef cubes until evenly coated. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the meat on all sides until you achieve a deep mahogany crust. This takes patience but builds incredible flavor. Transfer each batch to your slow cooker.

Build the Base:

Using the same skillet with all those flavorful brown bits, add your chopped onions and cook until they turn a beautiful golden color, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic during the final minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Transfer this aromatic mixture to your slow cooker, then add the beef broth, sliced mushrooms, and dried thyme. Stir everything gently to combine and ensure the browned bits from the bottom of the slow cooker are incorporated into the liquid.

Slow Cook:

Cover your slow cooker and set it to HIGH for 4 hours. During this time, the magic happens as the tough connective tissues in the chuck roast break down, resulting in incredibly tender beef. You will know it is ready when the meat easily falls apart when pressed with a fork.

Finish:

When the beef is tender, add the egg noodles and dried parsley to the slow cooker. Reduce the heat to LOW and cook for an additional 30 minutes until the noodles are tender but still have some bite. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Allow the dish to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to let the sauce thicken slightly and flavors meld.

My favorite moment with this dish was watching my typically picky nephew take his first bite and declare it better than his favorite restaurant. The mushrooms that he normally refuses were devoured without complaint, hidden among the tender beef and sauce. Now I make a double batch whenever he visits.

Make-Ahead Options

This beef and noodles recipe is ideal for meal prepping. You can prepare everything up to the slow cooking stage and refrigerate overnight. Simply start your slow cooker in the morning for a ready-to-eat dinner when you return home. For longer storage, complete the recipe through the meat-tenderizing stage but add fresh noodles when reheating to prevent them from becoming mushy.

Smart Substitutions

If chuck roast is unavailable, brisket or bottom round can work well with adjusted cooking times. For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with cornstarch slurry added during the final 30 minutes, and use your favorite gluten-free pasta. Cremini mushrooms provide deeper flavor than white button varieties, but either works wonderfully. Fresh herbs can replace dried in triple the amount if you have them available.

Serving Suggestions

This hearty dish pairs beautifully with tangy sides that cut through the richness. Serve alongside a crisp green salad with vinaigrette dressing or roasted Brussels sprouts caramelized to bring out their sweetness. For soaking up every bit of the delicious sauce, offer crusty sourdough bread lightly toasted with butter. A dollop of sour cream on top provides a wonderful contrasting tang.

The Secret to Perfect Texture

The key to this dish lies in patience during the browning process. Working in small batches ensures each piece of beef develops a proper crust without steaming. This initial step creates the foundation for all the flavor development. Allow space between meat chunks in the pan and resist the urge to stir too frequently. Each piece should sizzle when it hits the pan, creating that magical Maillard reaction that transforms a simple stew into something extraordinary.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What cut of beef works best for this dish?

Beef chuck roast is ideal due to its marbling, which breaks down during slow cooking, making the meat tender and flavorful.

→ Can I skip browning the beef?

Browning the beef adds a depth of flavor to the final dish. While it’s possible to skip, it’s highly recommended for the best results.

→ Are mushrooms essential?

Mushrooms are optional, but they add a wonderful earthy flavor and contribute to the richness of the sauce.

→ What type of noodles should I use?

Wide egg noodles are perfect for this dish as they hold their shape and absorb the broth beautifully.

→ How should I store leftovers?

Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3-4 days or frozen without the noodles for up to 3 months.

→ Can I meal prep this ahead of time?

Yes! You can brown the beef and prep the aromatics in advance, storing them in the refrigerator until ready to cook.