Slow Cooker Beef Tips & Gravy

This slow cooker beef tips & gravy recipe is one of those meals that tastes like it took hours of effort, but really you just toss everything in and let the slow cooker do the work.

The beef comes out incredibly tender, and the gravy is rich, thick, and full of flavor. It’s the kind of comfort food that works any night of the week.

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this. Nothing fancy or hard to find – just good, straightforward stuff you can grab at any grocery store.

Serve it over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice and you’ve got a complete dinner the whole family will enjoy.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Incredibly Tender Beef – Those long hours in the slow cooker break down the sirloin tips until they are melt-in-your-mouth tender.

The Gravy Is Unreal – The combo of cream of mushroom soup and onion soup mix creates a rich savory gravy that tastes like it simmered all day.

Almost Zero Hands-On Work – You just dump everything in the slow cooker and walk away for hours while it does all the work.

Layers of Savory Flavor – Worcestershire sauce and garlic and real mushrooms build a deep beefy flavor you usually only get at restaurants.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Beef Sirloin Tips, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 (10.5 oz) can Cream of Mushroom Soup
• 1 (1 oz) packet Onion Soup Mix
• 1 cup Beef Broth
• 8 oz Cremini Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium Onion, diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 2 tbsp Cold Water
• Fresh Parsley, chopped for garnish

Directions

Step 1

Place the beef sirloin tips in the slow cooker. Add the diced onion, sliced mushrooms, and minced garlic on top of and around the beef.

Step 2

In a bowl, whisk together the cream of mushroom soup, onion soup mix, beef broth, worcestershire sauce, and black pepper until combined. Pour the mixture over the beef and vegetables.

Step 3

Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 5 hours, until the beef tips are extremely tender.

Step 4

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and cold water together until smooth. Stir this slurry into the slow cooker.

Step 5

Turn the heat to high if not already, and let the gravy thicken for about 15 to 20 minutes with the lid slightly cracked, stirring once halfway through.

Step 6

Taste the gravy and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. The gravy should be rich, glossy, and perfectly thick.

Step 7

Serve the beef tips and gravy over egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or rice. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Pro Tips

Sear the Beef Before It Goes In

The recipe doesn’t call for it, but quickly searing the beef tips in a hot skillet with a little oil before adding them to the slow cooker makes a huge difference. You get a brown crust on the outside that adds a deeper, richer flavor to the gravy.

Get your skillet really hot, pat the beef dry with paper towels, and sear in small batches for about 1 minute per side. Don’t crowd the pan or the beef will steam instead of browning.

It only takes about 10 extra minutes and the final flavor is noticeably better. The beef won’t be cooked through at this point, it’ll finish in the slow cooker.

Pat the Beef Dry

Whether you sear the beef first or not, pat the pieces dry with paper towels before anything else. Wet beef releases extra liquid into the slow cooker, and that thins out the gravy.

This is especially important if your beef was sitting in packaging juices. That extra moisture will make the final gravy watery and harder to thicken, even with the cornstarch slurry at the end.

Use Low and Slow for the Best Texture

If you have the time, always go with the low setting for 7 to 8 hours instead of high. The beef tips come out way more tender and practically fall apart because the connective tissue has more time to break down slowly.

On high, the beef can sometimes get a little chewy or tighten up before it has a chance to get tender. Low and slow is the move for this recipe.

Related Recipes

• Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
• Slow Cooker Classic Pot Roast
• Slow Cooker Swedish Meatballs
• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Mississippi Pot Roast

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different cut of beef instead of sirloin tips?

Yes, you can use chuck roast cut into 1-inch pieces and it actually works really well. Chuck has more marbling, so it gets super tender after slow cooking and the gravy ends up even richer.

Stew meat from the store also works in a pinch, but sirloin tips and chuck are your best bets for that melt-in-your-mouth texture. Avoid lean cuts like eye of round – they tend to dry out even in a slow cooker.