Dump frozen mixed vegetables over raw beef chunks, alongside 3 other ingredients, into slow cooker for a cozy dinner that's always a yes in my house

This slow cooker 5-ingredient Amish-style beef pot pie is the kind of cozy, no-fuss supper that fits right into a busy day on the farm or in town. I grew up around church suppers and small-town diners where pot pies were hearty, humble, and meant to stretch a pound or two of beef into a meal that fed a crowd. Here, we keep that spirit but let the slow cooker do the work: you just layer raw beef chunks, dump a bag of frozen mixed vegetables over the top, add three simple pantry ingredients, and walk away. By suppertime, you’ve got tender beef in a rich, creamy gravy, ready to spoon over warm biscuits for a meal that always gets a yes at my table.

I like to serve this Amish-style beef pot pie filling ladled over split buttermilk biscuits or thick slices of buttered white bread, with a simple green salad or sliced tomatoes on the side to freshen things up. If you’re feeding heartier appetites, mashed potatoes make a wonderful bed for the creamy beef and vegetables, and a dish of applesauce or pickled beets on the table gives that old-fashioned Midwestern touch. Finish with something simple, like vanilla pudding or a slice of pie, and you’ve got the kind of stick-to-your-ribs supper our mothers and grandmothers would recognize.

Servings: 6

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch chunks

Lightly grease the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with a little butter or nonstick spray to make cleanup easier.

Place the raw beef stew meat in an even layer on the bottom of the slow cooker, spreading it out so it cooks and tenderizes evenly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup and the beef broth until mostly smooth; this will become your simple pot pie-style gravy.

Pour the soup and broth mixture evenly over the beef in the slow cooker, making sure most of the meat is covered in liquid.

Sprinkle the salt and black pepper over the top, stirring gently just enough to distribute the seasoning without disturbing the beef too much.

Dump the entire bag of frozen mixed vegetables over the seasoned beef and gravy base, spreading them into an even layer but do not stir; leave them sitting right on top.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef is very tender and the vegetables are soft.

Near the end of the cooking time, lift the lid and gently stir from the bottom to combine the beef, gravy, and vegetables into a thick pot pie-style filling. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve the hot beef and vegetable mixture spooned over warm biscuits, pie crust squares, or thick slices of bread, letting the gravy soak in. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

To lean more into that Amish pot pie feeling, you can serve this over homemade drop biscuits or simple egg noodles instead of store-bought biscuits or bread. If you prefer a thicker, stick-to-your-ribs filling, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of instant tapioca or cornstarch mixed with a little cold broth during the last 30 minutes of cooking. For a milder flavor, swap cream of mushroom soup for cream of celery or cream of chicken, which many farmhouse cooks kept on hand. If your family likes potatoes in their pot pie, you can add 2 cups of peeled, diced potatoes on top of the beef before dumping on the frozen vegetables, but you may want to increase the salt slightly. To stretch the meal, serve the filling over rice or buttered noodles, or double the vegetables by adding an extra half bag of frozen mixed veggies. For a Sunday-style finish, transfer the hot filling to a baking dish, top with refrigerated biscuit dough or pie crust, and bake at 400°F until the topping is golden, turning your slow cooker supper into a more traditional baked pot pie without adding any extra fuss to the base recipe.