My father raised us on this incredibly satisfying dinner. Barely takes 3 ingredients to make a savory rich bite everyone asks for.

This slow cooker 3-ingredient rice and gravy is the kind of humble, filling supper my dad used to lean on when money and time were both tight. He’d toss everything in before work, and by the time we were home, the house smelled like pure comfort. It’s barely more than three ingredients, but it turns into a rich, savory beef gravy that soaks into every grain of fluffy white rice. This is the kind of meal you make when you need something satisfying, budget-friendly, and kid-approved, without fussing over a long ingredient list.

Serve the rice and gravy piled high on warm dinner plates, with extra gravy spooned over the top so it can pool around the edges. A simple green side like steamed broccoli, green beans, or a tossed salad balances the richness nicely. Buttered bread, biscuits, or dinner rolls are wonderful for mopping up any leftover sauce. If you want to stretch the meal a bit further, add a side of applesauce or sliced fresh fruit to keep things light and family-friendly.

Servings: 4

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into bite-size pieces

Add the beef and gravy to the slow cooker: Place the beef stew meat into the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the condensed beef gravy over the top, making sure the meat is mostly covered. If you’re using very thick condensed gravy, you can stir in 1/4 cup water to loosen it slightly, but keep it thick so you end up with a rich sauce.

Stir and cover: Gently stir the beef and gravy together so everything is coated. Put the lid on the slow cooker.

Cook until the beef is tender: Cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the beef is very tender and the gravy is thick, glossy, and bubbling. If the gravy seems too thin near the end, remove the lid for the last 20 to 30 minutes on HIGH to let some liquid evaporate and concentrate the flavor.

Prepare the rice near the end of cook time: About 25 to 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, cook the rice on the stovetop. Rinse the uncooked white rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. In a medium saucepan, bring the 4 cups of water and salt (if using) to a boil over medium-high heat.

Cook the rice until fluffy: Stir the rinsed rice into the boiling water, reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork so it’s light and steamy.

Assemble the plates: Spoon a generous bed of hot, fluffy white rice onto each plate. Ladle the slow-cooked beef and plenty of thick, dark brown gravy over the rice, letting the sauce completely smother the grains and pool around the edges.

Serve hot: Serve immediately while everything is piping hot and steamy. Make sure each plate gets a good amount of gravy—around here, that’s the part everyone asks for seconds of.

If you need to keep this as close to three ingredients as possible, think of it as just beef, gravy, and rice—the water and salt are pantry basics. You can swap beef stew meat for chuck roast cut into chunks, or even use meatballs for a kid-friendlier twist. If your family prefers a lighter flavor, you can use condensed mushroom gravy or a mix of beef and mushroom gravies. For extra richness without adding a true fourth ingredient, stir in a splash of milk or cream from the fridge at the very end to mellow the flavor. To bulk it up a bit, you can toss in a handful of sliced mushrooms or onions with the beef before cooking, though my kids usually like it plain. If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can bake the beef and gravy, covered, in a 300°F oven for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours until tender, then serve over stovetop rice. Leftovers reheat beautifully—add a spoonful of water before microwaving to loosen the gravy, and serve over fresh or leftover rice for an easy next-day lunch.