This oven baked Amish-inspired beef and squash bake is the kind of simple, filling supper that makes a chilly evening feel a little cozier. With just a handful of pantry and fresh ingredients layered right over beef eye of round, it comes together with very little fuss and bakes into a hearty casserole with tender meat, soft squash, and a rich, creamy sauce that tastes like comfort in a dish.
This bake is wonderful with buttered egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or a slice of warm bread to catch every bit of the creamy sauce. For a lighter plate, serve it with green beans, a crisp garden salad, or applesauce on the side for that sweet-savory balance families tend to love.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Amish Beef and Squash Bake
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds beef eye of round, cut into thin slices or bite-size pieces
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 325°F and lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
2. Spread the raw beef eye of round evenly in the prepared casserole dish, then season lightly with salt and black pepper.
3. Scatter the sliced squash and onion evenly over the beef so the vegetables cover most of the surface.
4. Spoon or pour the cream of potato soup over the top, spreading it as evenly as you can to coat the vegetables and meat.
5. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and the squash is soft. Remove the foil for the last 15 minutes if you would like the top a little more browned.
6. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving so the sauce can settle a bit, then spoon onto plates and serve warm.
Variations & Tips
For picky eaters: If your family prefers a smoother texture, slice the squash very thin so it almost melts into the sauce as it bakes. You can also cut the beef into smaller bite-size pieces to make serving easier for kids.
Add more seasoning: This is a very simple country-style bake, so a little garlic powder, dried thyme, or paprika can be added if you want a little more flavor without changing the cozy feel of the dish.
Make it with another squash: Zucchini works well in place of yellow squash, or you can use a mix of both for a little color. Just keep the slices fairly thick so they do not disappear completely during the long bake.
Tender beef tip: Eye of round is lean, so keeping the dish tightly covered during most of the baking time helps it turn out much more tender. If your slices are thicker, give the casserole the full 2 hours.
Make-ahead help: You can assemble the whole dish earlier in the day, cover it, and refrigerate it until dinnertime. When baking straight from the refrigerator, add about 10 to 15 extra minutes to the cooking time.
