Slow Cooker Beef Noodle Casserole
42 Comments Jan 18, 2023
Updated Sep 12, 2024
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Beef stew meat chunks are mixed with egg noodles, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and a variety of spices for an irresistible Slow Cooker Beef Noodle Casserole. This is a comfort food that even picky eaters will enjoy!
If you enjoy casseroles that use simple pantry staples, then you must try my Taco Potato Casserole, Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole, or Broccoli and Cauliflower Casserole.
Table of Contents
Why this beef noodle casserole recipe works
When you’re looking for a quick and easy way to cook beef, turning to the crockpot is always a huge help. This dump-and-go style recipe doesn’t call for very many ingredients at all and the cooking time is very reasonable.
The most prep you’ll do is cook the egg noodles before adding them to the cooked meat mixture. It’s a win-win for a busy weeknight meal option. This recipe is an adaption of a Creamy Beef Noodle Casserole from Bowl Me Over, which my family makes ALL the time. If you want a version without tomatoes, we love to make this Hamburger Noodle Casserole from Plowing through Life!
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef Stew Meat: I suggest using anywhere between 1.5-2 pounds of meat to make sure you have a piece with every bite.
- Egg Noodles: These are cooked al dente and added towards the end of cooking time. I typically cook mine for about 6 minutes or so to ensure they are not overcooked.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: When it comes to this kind of cheese, I recommend using a block and shredder, so it actually melts and doesn’t leave that cakey texture.
- Tomatoes: You’ll need a can of diced tomatoes and tomato sauce to help create the sauce for this dish.
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder give this casserole a great flavor everyone will enjoy.
- {The full recipe is in the recipe card below the images}
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Place the beef into the slow cooker along with the seasoning.
Step Two – Pour over the canned tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir the beef and tomato mix together. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. (The longer it cooks, the more tender the meat will become.)
Step Three – In the meantime, cook egg noodles until they are al dente (still with a bit of firmness is okay).
Step Four – Add the cooked noodles to the slow cooker with the meat and sauce.
Step Five – Add a 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese and stir.
Step Six – Place the lid back on and cook for 20 minutes more on the HIGH setting. Turn off the slow cooker, serve, and enjoy!
How to serve
- This beef noodle casserole is truly a meal all on its own. Therefore, you can add a few hearty scoops to a plate or bowl and serve as is.
- You can also serve this delicious meal with a side of corn, mashed potatoes, or any other steamed vegetable of your choice.
- And don’t forget the bread! Garlic bread, butter rolls, or even sandwich bread are great go-to’s.
- When it comes to toppings, you could add a dollop of sour cream, a few sprinkles of grated parmesan cheese, extra shredded cheddar cheese, and diced green onions.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, and/or a mix of sausage would work perfectly in this dish. In fact, using ground beef would make it old fashioned hamburger noodle casserole.
There are many ways you can play around with this recipe. One way is to add mushroom soup and cream cheese. This would create a much thicker casserole. You could also add green pepper, frozen peas, corn, diced onions, and any other vegetables you prefer.
Elbow macaroni and rotini are the two I would use in replacement of egg noodles.
Red pepper flakes would add a nice kick. Chili powder and Worcestershire sauce would add an additional flavor.
Place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, add the casserole to a casserole dish (or any baking dish) and reheat in the oven. You can also reheat on the stove top.
More Slow Cooker Casserole Recipes
- Slow Cooker Cinnamon Roll Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
- Slow Cooker Lumberjack Casserole
- Slow Cooker Vegetarian Enchilada Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chile Relleno Casserole
Slow Cooker Beef Pasta Dinner
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. beef stew meat, can be 1.5-2lbs.
- 1½ tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 15 oz. tomato sauce
- 15 oz. diced tomatoes
WAIT TO ADD THESE ITEMS
- 12 oz. egg noodles
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (freshly shredded if possible), divided
Instructions
- Add the beef stew meat to your slow cooker.
- Sprinkle over the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and onion powder.
- Pour over the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.
- Stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours. The longer it cooks, the meat will become more tender.
- Near the end of the cooking time, cook the egg noodles according to the package directions on the stove top. I cook mine for 6 minutes. Do not overcook the noodles. Cook them to al dente.
- Drain the noodles and add them to the slow cooker with the meat and sauce. Also, add a 1/2 cup of the cheese. Stir.
- Sprinkle over the remaining cheese. Place the lid back on and cook for 20 minutes more on the HIGH setting.
- Turn off the slow cooker and serve!
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- Ground beef, ground turkey, ground chicken, and/or a mix of sausage would work perfectly in this dish. In fact, using ground beef would make it old fashioned hamburger noodle casserole.
- Place them in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, add the casserole to a casserole dish (or any baking dish) and reheat in the oven. You can also reheat on the stove top.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Recipe adapted for the crockpot from Bowl Me Over.
This recipe is a keeper! I’m into one pot meals lately so I just added the egg noodles to the slow cooker and let them cook right in the pot with the juices for about 20 mins. They turned out perfect and helped thicken the sauce. Also topped with Parmesan and mozzarella because it’s what we had on hand. My 7 year old ate as much as my husband and even my picky 5 year old liked it. Had roasted cauliflower as a side which mixed in great.
Have t ask maybe i didn’t read it right. This recipe asks for 2 cups of cheese, but all I see is that you ad only a half of cup at the end. with the noodles. Am i missing something.
Add 1/2 cup into the noodles and stir. Then top with the rest. I’ll fix the post. The recipe card has the right directions. So sorry!
thank you that’s what i was going to do. lol 4 more hr’s to go
Sarah, I made this recipe for myself and my wife we loved it. I will be making it again this weekend.
Keep the GREAT Recipes coming, and for the person who rated it as a one, there is away one negative person in the bunch.
I’m so glad you tried this! Thank you.
I might this tonight for my boyfriend. He loved it. I will make it again.
Yummy! The whole family enjoyed it. I used round steak.
If I wanted to add vegetables, like maybe peas and/or carrots, when should they go into the pot?
Carrots I would add at the beginning and peas (I would use frozen). Stir in the frozen peas at the same time as the pasta.
2 MANY CARBS …NOT HEALTHY…CARBS TURNS 2 SUGAR.
Hi! Leaving a one-star review for a recipe that isn’t on your diet is kind of rude!
If you don’t like it don’t fuckin eat it!
You know how people are. The commenter clearly lacks critical thinking and common sense. Nothing else going on. I think it looks DELICIOUS! I’ll probably make it tomorrow:) People could always use chick pea noodles instead of egg noodles if they’re watching carbs!
Amen! The title says noodles. The dietetically correct Nazis are annoying.
the carbs are coming from the pasta. you could easily switch to a different pasta, even a protein pasta. giving a 1 rating is absurd because of that. everything in moderation. carbs(good carbs & pasta is ok) are essential in your diet
Giving a one star rating for something that you disagree with is not the way the rating system is suppose to work. I’m assuming that you did not even make this recipe because of the amount of carbs you are concerned about. Because of your one star rating, you brought down the overall rating of this particular recipe. That is extremely unfair. Just something to consider in future ratings.
With that being said, I currently have it slow cooking and I am very excited to try this. Thank you, Sarah!
Then don’t make it, dummy!
Odette, sounds like you just need to eat carrots! Enjoy!
Do you do and vegetarian and vegan recipes for the slow cooker?
I have a few, I do plan to add more!
Hi Sarah. In the photo it looks like you’re using rotini or corkscrew pasta. The egg noodles we have in Canada are flat, like a stroganoff noodle. Does the recipe work better with a firmer pasta?
We have both kinds of egg noodles in the U.S.! These egg noodles do break apart easily. But you can use any pasta for this recipe, use 12 ounces though.
If you use ground beef instead of stew meat, do you just mix the UNCOOKED ground beef with the spices, tomatoes and tomato sauce in the slow cooker? Is the cooking time the same? Thank you.
I personally would cook it first, if you don’t, it should work, but it would be more of a liquidy dish.
What do you think about substituting the cheese with a cream of mushroom soup?
I think that would work good!
Didn’t try it yet but prob next few days when I get a few things I do not have. I’m using ground beef because it’s a little cheaper then stew meat. My husband likes a lot of meat and it will def be in every bite too.