This Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles is the ultimate comfort food! Tender, slow-cooked chuck roast and extra-wide egg noodles in a rich, creamy gravy, made complete with a final sprinkle of fresh parsley. It's one of the easiest dinners to assemble with bold flavor that'll have your guests asking for more.
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🗝️ Recipe's key points
- This homemade beef and noodles recipe calls for simple ingredients that come together for a budget-friendly family meal.
- It's easy to feed a large crowd with this beef and noodles dish. The hearty beef and tender noodles go a long way, which means you may even have leftovers to enjoy later in the week!
- This rich and hearty beef and noodles develops a deep, savory flavor through slow cooking.
This slow cooker beef and noodles is the kind of no-fuss, crowd-pleasing dinner that makes weeknight cooking feel effortlessly rewarding.
🛒 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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- Beef (chuck roast) – A well-marbled chuck roast becomes tender and flavorful after hours of slow cooking. Cut into uniform cubes for even cooking.
- Worcestershire Sauce – Adds depth and a savory umami boost to the beef.
- All-purpose seasoning – A convenient blend that seasons the beef with balanced flavor.
- Kosher salt and Black Pepper – Enhances the flavors of the dish.
- Vegetable oil – Used for searing the seasoned beef in a heated skillet to develop a nice char.
- Onion, large – A classic aromatic that creates the foundation of the gravy.
- Beef bouillon – Mixed with hot water to create the savory broth base for the slow cooker.
- Hot water – Mixed with the bouillon.
- Whipping cream, heavy – This gives the gravy a rich, silky finish and helps it cling to the noodles.
- Extra-wide egg noodles – Enjoy this slow-cooker beef and noodles with hearty extra-wide egg noodles. These wide noodles hold the thick, creamy gravy well.
- Parsley – Sprinkled over the top of each serving for a pop of freshness.
🗒 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Add the cubed beef to a mixing bowl and sprinkle with seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. Coat well with your hands or a spoon.
- Brown all sides of the beef in a heated skillet with oil. You want a nice char.
- Add the browned beef and onions to the slow cooker.
- Mix the bouillon with hot water and pour over the beef and onions. Cover and cook (Low for 7-8 hours, High for 4-5 hours).
- Gently fold in the noodles and cream about 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time.
- Cover and cook on high for 25 minutes.
- Sprinkle fresh parsley over the completed dish.
- Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture.
🥫 Storage
Store leftover slow cooker beef and noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat your chilled leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave with reserved broth or water to loosen the gravy since the noodles will naturally absorb some of the gravy.
Only freeze the beef and gravy as noodles get soft and mushy after freezing. When you are ready to eat, thaw the beef, warm it up, and cook fresh noodles.
📚 Variations
- Leaner cut: You can use a leaner cut of beef, but the reduced fat will mean less flavor and less tender meat in the dish.
- Spicy kick: For a spicy beef and noodles recipe, add red pepper flakes, or include chili powder or cayenne pepper.
- Boost of veggies: Feel free to add other veggies to the dish, such as mushrooms or green peppers.
- Protein swaps: Instead of chuck roast, consider making your beef and noodles with stew meat, ground beef, or shredded pot roast.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Use any leftover beef and noodles as a delicious filling in pot pies or served over mashed potatoes.
- Let the dish rest off the heat for 5 minutes before serving so the noodles absorb extra flavor.
- Don't add the noodles to the slow cooker too early or they will turn mushy.
- Don't dump any leftover broth down the sink! Reserve it - you may need it to thin the gravy at the end.
- You can easily make this beef and noodles a day ahead, cool it, refrigerate, and reheat gently the next day. The flavors meld and deepen beautifully.
🤔 FAQs
Chuck roast is a great choice because its marbling and connective tissue help it become tender during slow cooking. Cut it into evenly sized cubes so the pieces cook consistently. Stew meat can also work, although tenderness may vary depending on the cuts in the package.
You can skip browning if you’re short on time, but searing adds a deeper, richer flavor. For the best browning, work in batches rather than crowding the skillet.
Add the dried extra-wide egg noodles near the end, once the beef is tender. Cook on high for about 20–30 minutes, checking for your preferred tenderness, since noodle brands and slow cookers vary. Adding them too early can make them mushy.
Check the consistency after the noodles cook, since they absorb liquid and release starch. If the gravy still needs thickening, stir together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water, then gently stir it into the hot gravy. Cook on high until thickened, checking the noodles so they don’t overcook.
For the best texture, set aside and freeze a portion of the beef and cooking liquid before adding the cream and noodles. Thaw it in the refrigerator, reheat, and finish with cream and freshly cooked noodles. You can freeze the completed dish, but the noodles may soften, and the creamy sauce may separate.
📗 Related Recipes
Discover more hearty dishes with the winning combination of beef and noodles!
- Lentil Bolognese With Pappardelle - This meat-free take on the Italian classic uses hearty lentils in place of beef for a filling, flavorful sauce that's just as satisfying as the original.
- Bolognese Sauce Antica - The thick, slow-cooked meat sauce gets its "antica" (ancient) name from the addition of milk, which tenderizes the meat and enhances its flavor for an authentically Italian taste.
- Spaghetti Meat Sauce - A one-pot sauce that strikes the perfect balance between a traditional Ragù and a tomato-based spaghetti sauce, ready to top al dente spaghetti with parmesan.
🍽 What to serve with slow cooker beef and noodles
Serve this hearty crock pot beef and noodles over al dente extra-wide egg noodles or creamy mashed potatoes for a cozy and satisfying main dish. Add a side of garlic roasted Brussels sprouts or a fresh salad for a boost of nutrition.
A slice of garlic bread or fluffy biscuits are always a welcome addition and great for soaking up any remaining gravy!
🔪 All Our Way recommends the following
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- Mixing bowl and mixing spoon or spatula – The bowl is used to coat the raw cubed beef while the spoon or spatula helps stir the beef and onions, deglazing the pan, and gently incorporating the noodles.
- Sharp knife – The essential tool for cubing the chuck roast and dicing the onion.
- Cutting board – Provides a stable, clean surface for safely chopping all the ingredients.
- Skillet – For searing the seasoned beef.
- Slow Cooker (6 Qt. or more) – I've used a 6-quart slow cooker to comfortably hold the assembled beef and noodles.
- Liquid measuring cup – Ensures the precise addition of oil, Worcestershire sauce, water, and cream for balanced flavor.
- Measuring spoons – For accurately measuring the seasonings and other ingredients.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
Amici miei (my friends), you know I love a good bowl of pasta, but these extra-wide egg noodles deserve their own little round of applause. They curl around tender chunks of beef and catch that savory gravy so beautifully. Clearly, choosing the right noodle is serious business around here!
This Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles recipe may not be Italian, but it has everything I appreciate in a family dinner: plenty of flavor, straightforward ingredients, and a good reason to gather around the table. The chuck roast gets browned first, then settles into the slow cooker with onions and beef broth. While it cooks, I can get back to writing, studying my Italian, or wondering how the afternoon disappeared so quickly.
Near the end, in go the cream and noodles. No canned cream soup—just a splash of cream to give the gravy a lovely finish. And since the noodles cook right in the pot, they get their fair share of that beefy flavor.
Bring a salad or some green beans to the table, scoop out generous portions, and call everyone to supper. A little pane (bread) for the gravy wouldn’t hurt, either. After all, leaving the good stuff in the bowl would be such a shame.
Buon appetito! And keep an eye on that serving spoon. Someone always seems to be hovering nearby.
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📖 Recipe
Slow Cooker Beef and Noodles
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2-¼ Pound Chuck Roast cubed
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
- 1 Large Onion diced
- 3 teaspoons Beef Bouillon
- 3 Cups Hot Water
- ½ Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Pound Extra Wide Egg Noodles
- Flat leaf parsley optional
Instructions
- Add the cubed beef to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning and Worcestershire Sauce over the beef and mix well with your hands (or a spoon).
- Add the oil to a large skillet and turn on the heat to high.
- When hot, add the seasoned beef and sear on all sides until you get a nice char.
- Add the beef to a 6 Quart (or larger) Slow Cooker, along with the diced onions.
- Mix the bouillon with the hot water and pour over the beef and onions. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.
- 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the cream and noodles to the slow cooker. Fold into the cooked ingredients then cover again. Cook on high for 25 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Use any leftover beef and noodles as a delicious filling in pot pies or served over mashed potatoes.
- Let the dish rest off the heat for 5 minutes before serving so the noodles absorb extra flavor.
- Don't add the noodles to the slow cooker too early or they will turn mushy.
- Don't dump any leftover broth down the sink! Reserve it - you may need it to thin the gravy at the end.
- You can easily make this beef and noodles a day ahead, cool it, refrigerate, and reheat the next day gently. The flavors meld and deepen beautifully.
Nutrition
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Marisa Franca
This recipe puts our slow cooker to good use. The chuck roast simmers until tender before the cream is added. It's so nice not to have to use canned soup to give it that rich taste. This is one of our favorites.