April Showers Supper: Only 4 simple ingredients. Perfect for those busy days when I need a warm meal ready with zero fuss

Add the beef to the slow cooker: Place the beef stew meat in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, spreading it into an even layer so it cooks and browns evenly along the edges.

Build the savory base: Pour the condensed French onion soup over the beef. Sprinkle the dry onion soup mix evenly on top. Do not add extra water; the condensed soup and the moisture from the meat will create a rich, concentrated sauce.
Slow cook until deeply savory: Cover 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 sauce is dark, glossy, and highly caramelized around the edges. The mixture should look like a thick, savory gravy clinging to the meat.

Cook the ribbon pasta: About 20 minutes before serving, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the wide ribbon pasta and cook according to package directions until just al dente. Drain well, reserving about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water in case you want to thin the sauce slightly.
Combine pasta and sauce: Add the hot, drained ribbon pasta directly into the slow cooker with the beef and onion gravy. Use tongs to gently toss until every strand is coated and the sauce blankets the noodles. If the mixture seems too thick, splash in a little of the reserved pasta water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, just until it looks silky and glistening.

Rest and serve: Turn the slow cooker to WARM, cover, and let the noodles sit for 5 minutes so they can absorb some of the flavorful sauce. Uncover, give everything a final toss, and serve the noodles and beef straight from the slow cooker while piping hot and steamy.
Variations & Tips