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

To keep this firmly in 4-ingredient territory, any tweaks should replace, not add to, what’s already here. For a creamier, lighter flavor, you can swap one can of cream of mushroom soup for cream of chicken soup while keeping the rest of the recipe the same. If you prefer a slightly less intense beef flavor, use 3 cups beef broth and 1 cup water; this will still give you a rich gravy but with a softer profile. For a leaner version, choose 90–93% lean ground beef and drain thoroughly after browning; you may find you prefer the cleaner flavor, especially if you’re serving this at midday.

If you like a bit more chew to your pasta, check the macaroni a few minutes earlier and serve as soon as it’s just tender, since it will continue to soften slightly on WARM. You can also make this ahead: cook fully, cool quickly, and refrigerate in foil trays, then reheat in a low oven with a splash of extra broth to loosen the sauce.

Food safety tips: Always brown the ground beef completely before it goes into the slow cooker; slow cookers are not designed to bring raw ground meat up to a safe temperature quickly. The beef should reach 160°F internally. Keep the dish out of the temperature danger zone (40°F–140°F) by refrigerating leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, and reheat leftovers to at least 165°F before serving. Store leftovers in shallow containers for faster cooling, and consume within 3–4 days or freeze for up to 2–3 months.