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Beef and Noodles over Mashed Potatoes

Slow-simmered, fork-tender beef and buttery egg noodles ladled over creamy mashed potatoes, a hearty old-fashioned comfort food classic worth the wait.

· 3 min read
Beef and Noodles over Mashed Potatoes — homestyle, freshly served

There is a particular kind of Midwestern kitchen wisdom in serving noodles over mashed potatoes instead of choosing one or the other. It sounds like too much starch until you taste it, a soft bed of potatoes soaking up rich, beefy gravy while tender egg noodles add just enough bite to keep every forkful interesting.

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This dish shows up at potlucks and Sunday dinners across small towns for a reason. It began as a way to make a tough, inexpensive cut of beef stretch across a crowd, simmered low and slow until it fell apart with a fork, then thickened into a gravy hearty enough to be the whole meal. Nobody who grew up on it thinks of it as poverty food. They think of it as the thing worth driving home for.

It takes patience more than skill, and most of that time is spent simply letting the beef do its thing while the kitchen fills with a smell that makes the wait feel worthwhile.

How to Make It Right

Choosing the right cut matters more than any other decision in this recipe. A tough, well-marbled cut like chuck roast is exactly what you want here, since the long simmer is what breaks down its connective tissue into soft, fork-tender meat and rich, gelatinous gravy. A leaner, more tender cut will actually turn out drier after the same amount of cooking time, so resist the urge to reach for a pricier piece of beef.

Brown the beef well before it ever touches liquid. Those dark, crusty bits left in the bottom of the pot are the base of the whole gravy’s flavor, so give the beef a real sear on all sides rather than rushing straight to the simmer. Once the beef is tender and shredding easily, thicken the braising liquid slowly, a little flour or cornstarch slurry at a time, so the gravy ends up silky rather than pasty. Cook the egg noodles separately and fold them into the gravy just before serving, so they keep their bite instead of turning mushy from sitting in the pot.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Inexpensive chuck roast becomes meltingly tender with a long, slow simmer.
  • The gravy does double duty, flavoring both the noodles and the potatoes underneath.
  • It is a make-ahead dream, since the beef only improves after a day in the refrigerator.
  • A single pot handles the beef and gravy from start to finish.
  • It stretches to feed a crowd without anyone noticing it was budget-friendly.

Tips and Variations

  • Stir a splash of Worcestershire sauce or a spoonful of tomato paste into the gravy for a little extra depth.
  • Swap in wide egg noodles or even egg dumplings if that’s what’s in the pantry — the texture changes slightly, but the dish holds up either way.
  • Skip the potatoes and serve the beef and noodles over rice for a different but equally comforting variation.
  • A slow cooker works well for the beef portion — cook it on low for 7 to 8 hours instead of simmering on the stovetop.

Storage

Store the beef and noodles separately from the mashed potatoes in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth to loosen the gravy, and freeze the beef and noodle portion alone for up to 3 months.

Some meals are built to impress. This one is built to fill you up and send you back for seconds, and after one bowl of beef and noodles over mashed potatoes, it is easy to understand why it has stayed on family tables for generations.

Beef and Noodles over Mashed Potatoes

  • Servings6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chuck roast, cut into large chunks
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups beef broth
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • 12 oz wide egg noodles
  • 2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled, cubed, and mashed with butter and milk

Instructions

  1. Season beef chunks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and sear beef on all sides until deeply browned, working in batches if needed.
  2. Add onion and garlic to the pot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
  3. Return beef to the pot; add beef broth, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and thyme.
  4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.
  5. Remove bay leaf and shred the beef with two forks.
  6. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 2-3 minutes until the gravy thickens.
  7. Cook egg noodles separately according to package directions; drain and fold into the beef and gravy.
  8. Serve the beef and noodles ladled over a bed of mashed potatoes.

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