Hearty and comforting Cozy Beef Dinners perfect for cold nights and family meals. This collection features classic comfort food recipes like Beef Stew, No-Peek Beef Tips, Hamburger Casserole, The Best Meatloaf, Ultimate Beef Stroganoff, and Crock Pot Beef and Noodles. Easy homemade dinners made with simple ingredients, slow cooker options, and rich, cozy flavors. Perfect for weeknight dinners, Sunday suppers, meal prep, and comfort food lovers.
1. Stovetop Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chuck roast, or your favorite stew meat (cut into bite-size pieces about 1 to 2 inches)
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 onion, chopped (one small onion or half of a large onion)
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite size pieces (1 inch)
- 2 celery stalks, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces
- 3 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup peas
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a shallow dish, mix together the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Coat the beef pieces in the flour.
- In a large stockpot, add the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meat pieces and brown on all sides. The meat will continue cooking in the stew. Once the meat is brown, remove it to a plate and set it aside. Cook in batches to not crowd the pan.
- If you need to add additional butter or olive oil, you can add more to sauté the vegetables. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery into the pot and cook until the vegetables start to caramelize or get slightly soft.
- Add in the beef broth, tomato paste, potatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, and rosemary.
- Add the beef pieces back into the pot.
- Bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 60 to 90 minutes or until the beef is tender.
- Mix the cornstarch and water together and slowly stir into the beef stew to thicken the sauce. Cook for 10 to 15 minutes with the lid off stirring occasionally as it thickens.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Add the peas to the stew the last 5 to 10 minutes while it is thickening and before serving so they don’t get mushy.
Notes
- Cook the beef in batches so it is not too crowded in the pan.
- A good beef stew needs time to simmer and allow all of the flavors to blend together. Make sure you give it time to simmer for at least an hour and preferably longer.
- If the stew is still too watery add more cornstarch, a little at a time to thicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 521kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 869mg | Potassium: 972mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 4927IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 5mg
2. No Peek Beef Tips
Ingredients
- 2 to 2¼ pounds beef stew meat or beef tenderloin tips, I chose stew meat
- 1⅓ cups beef broth
- 10.5 ounces cream of mushroom soup
- 2.2 ounces beefy onion soup mix, i used Lipton
- 0.87 ounce brown gravy mix, i used a store brand
- 1 tablespoon kitchen bouquet, optional
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, I used curly parsley (this is an optional garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300°F.
- Cut the stew meat into 1-inch pieces. Arrange the beef in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- Add the beef broth, cream of mushroom soup, beefy onion soup mix, brown gravy mix, kitchen bouquet, and pepper to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk until the soup mixture is completely combined.
- Pour the soup mixture over the beef. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Do not open the oven door. (No peeking!)
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the beef to rest for 5 minutes before removing the aluminum foil. Serve over mashed potatoes or cooked rice. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- You can save time with your prep work by getting beef stew meat from your butcher counter. This is a tougher cut of beef, like the top round London broil, so it goes great with slow-cooking meals because the meat has time to get tender.
- You can also cook the beef tips in the crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or 3 to 4 hours on high.
- Make sure you don’t peek while the beef is in the oven. This is when the magic happens.
Nutrition
Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 2255mg | Potassium: 1212mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 8mg
3. Easy Recipe for Hamburger Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups dry egg noodles cooked
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup diced onion
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
- 14 ounce can of diced Italian-style tomatoes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ½ cup frozen peas and carrots
- ¼ cup frozen corn
- 2 cups shredded cheddar jack cheese divided in half
Instructions
- Prepare egg noodles according to directions and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until it is almost done, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you go.
- Add the onion and green pepper to the skillet and cook about 4 minutes, then add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook 1 minute more.
- Pour tomato sauce and diced tomatoes into the skillet, add salt and pepper to taste, and cook together for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
- Put the egg noodles in the bottom of the baking dish. Pour the ground beef mixture on top. Add in the peas, carrots, corn, and half of the cheese. Mix everything together thoroughly.
- Top with remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes in the oven, until the cheese is melted and the casserole is heated through.
- Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.
Notes
- This recipe can be assembled ahead of time the night before and popped in the oven when you are ready to bake it.
- Ground beef can be cooked ahead of time in larger batches and frozen until you need it. Add the ground beef where indicated and continue the recipe as written.
- To test your pasta for al dente, take a bite of the pasta a minute or two before the package instructions indicate it should be done. When you bite into it, and your teeth feel some resistance, but the pasta is still tender, your pasta is al dente.
Nutrition
Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 493mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1268IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 260mg | Iron: 3mg
4. The Best Meatloaf Recipe EVER
Ingredients
Meatloaf
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 pounds lean hamburger
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a large loaf pan with nonstick spray.
- Place all of the meatloaf ingredients in a large bowl
- Mix with spoons or hands until fully combined.
- Shape into a loaf and place into a well-greased loaf pan
- Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour half of the sauce over the meatloaf.
- Place pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and add the rest of the sauce. Then return to the oven and bake for another 45 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 160°F.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest a bit before slicing.
Notes
- Sauté the onion before mixing it into the beef mixture. Sautéing will release the onion’s flavors, making your meatloaf even more flavorful.
- While messy, mixing the raw meatloaf mixture with your hands is the best way to make sure all the ingredients are well combined.
- Do not overmix the meatloaf mixture. Overmixing will make the meatloaf dry and dense.
- Letting the meatloaf rest is an important step in this delicious recipe. It makes the meatloaf easier to slice but also allows time to lock in the juices.
Nutrition
Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 150mg | Sodium: 937mg | Potassium: 791mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 264IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 5mg
5. Ultimate Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces egg noodles, cooked
- 1 pound top sirloin, cut into thin strips
- salt and pepper, for seasoning the steak
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¾ pound mushrooms, sliced thick
- ⅓ cup onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
Instructions
- Cook the pasta per package directions, drain and keep warm.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium/high heat. Once the oil is heated, add the strips of steak seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook for less than a minute on each side just to get a quick sear. Do this in batches to not crowd the skillet.
- Remove the meat to a platter and keep it warm (cover with foil). Reduce the heat in the skillet to medium.
- Add the butter to the skillet then saute the onions, mushrooms, and garlic until tender.
- Sprinkle the flour over the pan and cook for one minute stirring constantly.
- Gradually add the beef broth.
- Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and sour cream until blended. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 5 to 7 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Return the beef to the skillet along with all the juices on the plate and simmer for one minute. Remove from heat and serve over egg noodles.
Notes
- Searing the beef first helps to lock in moisture and flavor giving you tender, juicy meat for your dish.
- If you find your sauce is too thick, you can add a splash of water to thin it out a little bit.
- Store your stroganoff sauce and noodles separately to help preserve their texture and flavor.
Nutrition
Calories: 459kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 372mg | Potassium: 684mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 274IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 3mg
6. Crock Pot Beef and Noodles
Ingredients
- 2 pound chuck roast
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cups beef stock divided
- 4 cups approximately 8 ounces wide egg noodles
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a 4-5 quart crockpot slow cooker, add the chuck roast, diced yellow onion, minced garlic, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and
- 1 cup beef stock. Cover with the lid and cook on LOW for a total of 8 hours.
- At the 7 ½ hour mark of the cooking time for the beef, remove the beef from the crockpot and place it onto a plate. Using 2 forks gently shred the beef, being sure to pull out and discard any fatty pieces from the beef. Cover the plate of shredded beef with a piece of aluminum foil to keep it warm while the noodles cook.
- Turn the heat to the crockpot to HIGH, add the remaining 2 cups of beef stock and wide egg noodles. Stir the egg noodles into the beef stock, being sure to push the noodles down into the liquid so that they are mostly covered. Return the lid to the crockpot and cook for an additional 35-40 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
- Once the noodles are tender, stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. Add the shredded beef back to the crockpot and stir to incorporate without breaking up the beef too much.
- Garnish with the chopped fresh parsley and serve.
Notes
- If you want a little thicker sauce for your crockpot beef and noodles, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked with 1 tablespoon water) to the crockpot when the noodles and additional beef stock is added. Stir the slurry into the hot liquids well before adding the lid and cooking the egg noodles.
- We prefer to use the bagged dried wide egg noodles for this recipe as they tend to not get as thick and “mushy” as the frozen brands of fresh egg noodles that can be found in the freezer section of your grocery store. The frozen, or fresh egg noodles tend to give off more starches when cooked directly in the crockpot so they will yield a thicker sauce and absorb the liquids a little more than the bagged dry noodles will. Depending on the brand of egg noodles you are using, the cooking time may vary so keep an eye on them so that they do not over cook. You will want to check them for doneness at the 20 minute mark.
- Chuck roast is also known, or labeled as, “pot roast” at your local grocery store. You can substitute a tri-tip roast, top round or bottom round roast for the chuck roast in this recipe. They all do well with being slow cooked to become tender for this recipe.
- If using low sodium beef stock, or beef broth, for this recipe, you may need to taste for seasoning before serving and add an additional ¼ – ½ teaspoon salt if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 699kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 216mg | Sodium: 920mg | Potassium: 1021mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 823IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 5mg
