Valentine’s Dinner: Just 4 ingredients. I make this when I want a tender, restaurant-quality meal waiting for us, but I want to spend the evening relaxing, not cooking.

This 4-ingredient slow cooker beef tips and potatoes recipe is my low-effort answer to a restaurant-style Valentine’s dinner at home. You get meltingly tender beef, big rustic chunks of russet potatoes, and a glossy brown gravy that tastes like it simmered on the stove all day, but the slow cooker quietly does the work while you relax. Beef tips with gravy are a classic Midwestern comfort dish, usually made with a longer ingredient list; here I’ve pared it down to just the essentials so you can put everything in the slow cooker, walk away, and come back to a special-occasion meal that feels far more elaborate than it is.

Serve these beef tips and potatoes straight from the slow cooker into warm shallow bowls, making sure to spoon plenty of the rich gravy over the top. A simple green side—steamed green beans, roasted asparagus, or a crisp salad with a tangy vinaigrette—adds freshness and color. A loaf of crusty bread or warm dinner rolls is perfect for mopping up the extra sauce. For a Valentine’s touch, pour a medium-bodied red wine such as Merlot or Cabernet, or keep it cozy with sparkling water and lemon in real glasses to make the evening feel restaurant-worthy with almost no cooking time at the table.

2 pounds beef stew meat or beef tips, cut into large chunks
2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into big 1½- to 2-inch chunks
2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed beefy mushroom or golden mushroom soup
1 (1-ounce) packet dry brown gravy mix