This oven baked 4-ingredient beef pendleton is the kind of old-school supper recipe that sticks around for a reason: it is simple, budget-friendly, and somehow turns a short ingredient list into something deeply comforting. It feels like the sort of casserole passed from one church kitchen to another on a handwritten scrap of paper, and it is especially handy on a busy weeknight when you want a hearty meal in the oven with very little fuss.
Serve this savory beef dish with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or steamed rice so none of that rich brown gravy goes to waste. For a late summer supper, I like to add green beans, sweet corn, or a simple sliced tomato plate on the side, plus warm rolls if there are hungry people at the table.
Oven Baked 4-Ingredient Beef Pendleton
Servings: 6
Ingredients
2 pounds beef stew meat or cubed chuck roast
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch glass casserole dish.
2. Spread the beef evenly in the prepared casserole dish.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together the dry onion soup mix, condensed cream of mushroom soup, and beef broth until smooth.
4. Pour the soup mixture over the beef, making sure all the pieces are coated.
5. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Remove the foil for the last 20 minutes if you want a little more browning around the edges.
6. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving, then spoon it over mashed potatoes, noodles, or rice.
Variations & Tips
For deeper flavor: Brown the beef in a skillet with a little oil before adding it to the casserole dish. It adds an extra layer of savory flavor, especially if you have a few more minutes after work.
For a mushroomier version: Add 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms to the dish before baking. They cook down into the gravy and make the whole casserole feel even heartier.
For make-ahead ease: Assemble everything in the baking dish up to a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before baking so the dish heats more evenly.
For a thinner or thicker gravy: If you want more sauce, add an extra 1/2 cup broth. If the gravy seems too thin at the end, uncover the dish and bake a little longer so it can reduce.
For the best cut of beef: Chuck roast gives the most tender result after a long bake. If your stew meat pieces are large, cut them into even bite-size chunks so they cook at the same rate.
