This Slow Cooker Amish Country Tomato Beef Casserole feels like it came straight off a church supper table in Amish country, but it only asks five ingredients of you and a few minutes of hands-on time. Raw ground beef goes right into the crock, then you pour tomato soup over the top, add just three more pantry staples, and let it putter away into a cozy, stick-to-your-ribs bake. It reminds me of the kind of thrifty, practical suppers farm wives used to lean on during harvest season: simple, filling, and guaranteed to disappear faster than anything else on a weeknight.
Amish Country Tomato Beef Casserole
INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds lean ground beef
2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS:
Prep: Lightly grease a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker crock with a little butter or cooking spray so the casserole won’t stick.
Layer Beef: Spread the raw ground beef evenly in the bottom of the slow cooker, breaking it up gently with your fingers or the back of a spoon into an even layer. Do not brown it first.
Mix Soup: In a medium bowl, whisk the condensed tomato soup with 1 cup of water until smooth. This thins it just enough so it can seep down through the beef and noodles as it cooks.
Pour Sauce: Pour the tomato soup mixture evenly over the raw ground beef in the slow cooker, letting it completely cover the meat. This is the foundation of the casserole’s sauce.
Add Noodles: Sprinkle the uncooked egg noodles evenly over the tomato-covered beef layer. Gently press them down with the back of a spoon so they settle slightly into the sauce.
Add Sour Cream Mixture: In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and half of the shredded cheddar cheese until well combined. Dollop this mixture over the noodles in several spoonfuls, then gently spread it into a loose, uneven layer. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it will melt and settle as it cooks.
Cook: Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours, until the ground beef is cooked through, the noodles are tender, and the casserole is bubbly around the edges. Avoid lifting the lid too often so the noodles cook evenly …