These Beef Tips are slow-cooked until tender and served with a rich, savory onion gravy that is full of comforting flavor. Served over mashed potatoes, this hearty dish makes an easy and satisfying dinner the whole family will enjoy.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Beef Tips
Flavor: This is rich and savory, with tender beef, sweet onions, and a deep, comforting gravy.
Skill Level: This recipe is easy to prepare, and the long simmer means minimal effort.
Technique: Slow cooking is a great way to tenderize the beef, and it adds so much flavor.
Serving Suggestions: Serve these tender beef tips over creamy mashed potatoes, fluffy rice, or egg noodles to soak up the rich, savory gravy.
Total Time: 2 Hours Serves: 4 Cooking Method: Stovetop
Ingredient Notes
- Beef Tips: Use steak, stew meat, cubed chuck roast, or beef tips in this recipe. Beef tips are usually the tender parts of the tenderloin top. They can also be sirloin tips that come from a larger roast or tri-tip.
- Beef Broth: Beef broth creates the flavorful base for the gravy. Low-sodium broth works well when using condensed soup, since the soup already adds extra salt.
- Yellow Onion: Yellow onion adds a sweet, savory depth to the gravy as it cooks down. Dice it finely so it softens and blends smoothly into the sauce. Add mushrooms with the onions for a mushroom gravy version.
- Condensed Soup: This canned soup adds deep onion flavor and helps create a rich, savory gravy with minimal prep. Use condensed soup rather than dry onion soup mix for the best texture and consistency.
- Variations: Stir in a splash of cream after thickening for a softer, richer finish.
How To Make Beef Tips
- Season and brown the beef (full recipe below). Cook the onion in the same pot.
- Add the beef back with broth, condensed soup, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf. Simmer.
- Once tender, thicken the gravy with a cornstarch slurry.
Tips for Tender Beef
- Brown in Batches: Browning the beef in small batches sears it instead of steaming.
- Do Not Rush the Simmer: Chuck roast needs time to become tender.
- Cover the Pot: Keep the pot covered while simmering so the beef stays moist and the gravy does not reduce too quickly.
- Cut Beef Evenly: Cut beef into similar-sized cubes for even cooking.
- Make Perfect Gravy: Add the cornstarch slurry a little at a time. Stop when the gravy is as thick as you like it.
- For Extra Gravy: Add a splash more beef broth before thickening.
Leftover Beef Tips
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of broth or water if the gravy has thickened too much.
Cozy Beef Dinners
Did you enjoy the this Beef Tips Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
- Dutch Oven with a lid
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef chuck roast cubed or stew meat
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup or condensed onion soup
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish, optional
To Thicken Gravy:
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- Trim any fat from the beef and toss with salt and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in large pot or Dutch oven. Add the seasoned beef and cook in small batches until browned. Transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the beef, beef broth, condensed onion soup, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 1½ to 2 hours or until beef is fork-tender.
- To thicken the gravy, combine cornstarch with ⅓ cup cold water. Pour into the beef mixture a little at a time while stirring until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Discard bay leaf and serve over mashed potatoes.
Video
Notes
- The onion soup in this recipe is canned condensed soup. It can be found in the soup aisle at your local grocery store.
- Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta noodles.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Beef, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Made this for dinner tonight following the recipe with no changes and my family loved it! Definitely a keeper recipe.
This turned out great! I added about 2 tsps of minced garlic with the onions when I sautéed. I also only had 1.25 lbs of sirloin available, so I added about .75 lb. of ground beef with it. Also, I didn’t have condensed french onion soup, so just used a full packet of soup mix with beef broth. Served on top of egg noodles. :)
Excellent recipe. The only thing I added was a cup of Merlot and served it over egg noodles. Hubby raved about it. Thanks so much for sharing.
You’re welcome Rose! Happy to hear that you both love this beef recipe!
I’m confused now too! I saw beef broth, but now I see it is condensed beef broth. Can I use regular beef broth, as that is what I have on hand. I want it to come out perfect, so should I go get the condensed beef broth before Imake it this week?
Regular beef broth will work in this recipe. The onion soup I purchase is usually condensed. Hope that helps!
Exactly the recipe I’ve been looking for!
This is simmering right now. The smell reminds me of my grandmother’s house when she was cooking dinner!!! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
Very good. I added fresh mushrooms just because I like them, but the flavor was great. Thank you for the recipe.
I like the recipes I have found and love the way I can up the servings and know exactly what I need. Thank you
Most excellent! Best yet!
I used a concentrated by half Lipton Onion Soup mix. Also add a can of Le SUEUR sweet pea juice at the end! Not the peas themselves, serve them later, just the juice. For some reason it intensifies the beefy flavor.
I used a 6 qt Instant Pot. Saute the beef, add the onions then when they are translucent, set pot to HI pressure and 40 min. When done release pressure, whenever can you get to it. Set to saute and reduce liquid by 1/4. Add pea juice, simmer for 10 min, then thicken. Lovely.
Can you convert this to the crockpot instead of the stove
I haven’t tried this recipe in the slow cooker however some readers have had great success. I would suggest browning the beef before adding it and cook about 8 hrs on low or 4-5 hours on high. Please let us know how that turns out for you!
Yes. Also an Instant Pot.
This was so good now will be one of my go 2 meals. I’ve never thought about the onion soup ingredient. But im sure that’s where most the flavor came from which was prefect for me . Thank you
SOOO good! This is a keeper! I am pleasantly surprised the beef was so tender simmering on the stove after a few hours vs hours in a crockpot. Could change my way of cooking! Will add fresh mushrooms next time. Thank you for sharing!
Bland. I would not recommend.
This is a silly question, but are you supposed to stir it while it is simmering?
That’s not a silly question at all! You can stir occasionally and check that it is simmering gently. Enjoy the recipe Erin!
Do you think this recipe would be ok to add a bell pepper? I wasn’t sure if that would change the taste too much. I have one I need to use. :) Thank you!
I haven’t tried it but I think green bell pepper might work.
This is DEEEE-LISH!!!
I followed this recipe AND I added about 1/4 soup can of red wine, and towards the end also added fresh mushrooms. It was amazing! We ate it over creamy polenta. I’m trying an easier twist tonight. I put all the ingredients together in the crock pot (without browning the meat).
My son is coming home and I want our house to smell wonderful.
Fingers crossed it’ll be excellent. I’ll let you know….
So glad you love these beef tips and gravy! I love that homey cooking smell, and hope your son does too!
Making this as we speak. I didn’t see the condensed onion soup so I bought the canned I onion soup. I have a feeling it’s going to be salty.
I haven’t made this yet, but it’s on the list for dinner this Friday. I just wanted to point out that the onion soup part is very confusing. At first I thought you were referring to a packet of onion soup mix, then after reading the comments, I realized that you meant a can of onion soup. I bought condensed cream of onion soup, but then later watched the video (something I don’t normally do) and saw you used a condensed *french* onion soup. I would strongly consider clarifying that in your ingredients list because the “onion soup” is surprisingly vague. I can’t wait to try this!
Thank you for your feedback, I could definitely see how that could be confusing. I have updated the recipe. Let us know how it goes for you!
I agree! I made it last night and it was delish! I used Campbells beef broth and Campbells french onion soup. Later I read comments and it’s supposed to be condensed soups. I’ve never seen condensed broth or onion soup. However it was GREAT everyone loved it!! Hope this helps you friend! Have you made it yet? I also made her roasted sweet potatoes! Also YUMMY!
Hi, I’m pretty sure that Campbell’s ( any canned soup is condensed, that’s why when heating soup you add can of water, when your eating as soup & crackers etc). There are also soups that tell you DO NOT ADD-WATER) they’re ready to eat. You just read the can. Hope this helps some. Sandy
I can’t wait to try this recipe it looks & sounds soooo….. GOOD!
I’m so happy to read this. I thought the same thing. I would have put a package of Onion Soup in. Thank you for catching this.
Made this last night and mmm mmm mmm..so yummy! Can’t wait to try more recipes :)
Am planning to make this tonight but don’t have the canned onion soup. Any substitution suggestions or can it just be eliminated.
You can use extra beef broth (or even another type of broth) or a little bit of onion soup mix combined with water.
I did make this last night after all. Used beef stock instead of broth, added about 2/3 cup ~ of Marsala wine and about 1/2 tsp of dried thyme. Also added 8oz of sliced portobello mushrooms. Cooked for just under 2 hrs on med low. Served with brown and wild rice mix. It was great! Meat was very tender and the gravy was delicious. I thicken it with the three tbs of corn starch in water was you suggested. Delicious! Next time I will add additional mushrooms. I don’t think the onion soup is necessary. Every recipe of yours that I’ve made has been delicious. Would love to see you on HGTV!
Thank you so much for your kind words, I’m so glad you loved it Linda! Thank you for sharing your substitution, it sounds delicious.
Planning to make this!