My uncle made this 4-ingredient classic for the long weekend and blew everyone away.

Brown the beef: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, until fully browned and no pink remains, 7–10 minutes. If there is a lot of rendered fat, spoon off most of it, leaving just a thin coating for flavor.

Layer in the slow cooker: Transfer the browned ground beef to a large slow cooker (5–6 quarts). Spread it in an even layer so the meat is loosely crumbled rather than packed down; this helps the gravy surround every piece.
Build the gravy base: In a bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth and condensed cream of mushroom soup until mostly smooth. It doesn’t need to be perfectly lump-free; the heat of the slow cooker will finish the job. Pour this mixture evenly over the ground beef in the slow cooker.

Slow cook the beef and gravy: Cover and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, or on HIGH for 2–2 1/2 hours, until the mixture is bubbling gently and the flavors have melded. The gravy should look glossy and slightly thickened around the crumbled beef.
Add the dry macaroni: Stir the beef and gravy well, then pour the dry elbow macaroni directly into the slow cooker. Stir again, making sure all of the pasta is submerged in the liquid and tucked down into the gravy so it cooks evenly and doesn’t dry out on top.

Finish cooking until tender: Cover and cook on HIGH for 25–40 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the macaroni is just tender but not mushy. Slow cookers vary, so begin checking around the 20-minute mark. The end result should be elbow pasta that is plump and coated in a rich, savory brown gravy with crumbled beef in every bite.
Rest and serve: Turn the slow cooker to WARM and let the macaroni rest for 5–10 minutes; this short rest allows the sauce to thicken slightly and cling to the pasta. Give everything a final stir, then spoon into serving dishes or transfer to foil trays. Serve hot, making sure each spoonful includes plenty of beef, macaroni, and glossy gravy.
Variations & Tips