February 23, 2021

Beefy Cheesy Noodles

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It’s the middle of winter and you just want pasta. All the time. You definitely want pasta covered in beef and cheese. Swimsuit season is still far off. Let’s just bring on all the pasta. Enter- the beefy cheesy noodles.

I grew up eating Hamburger Helper and it is definitely delicious, but sometimes you want an “elevated” version and this is exactly that. Same level of comfort but with less questionable ingredients.

Definitely not healthy, but your belly will feel happy and satisfied ready for face another cold winter day. Plus, this has pretty minimal ingredients and can be ready pretty quickly. It’s a great one for a weeknight dinner and everyone loves it!

Ingredients

1 pound of ground beef
8 oz elbow or shell shaped pasta
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth
1 (15 oz) can of tomato sauce
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
6-8 oz sharp cheddar cheese

How to make it

Brown the ground beef on medium and when almost cooked, add in your onion. Cook the onion until softened about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and Italian seasoning and cook until fragrant 1-2 minutes.

Add the flour in to coat everything and cook for an additional minute. You’ll want to start your pasta water boiling to cook the elbows or shells according to the package directions.

Then, add in the tomato sauce and beef broth and cook for about 10 minutes or until reduced to a consistency you’re happy with. I tend to like it thicker and less soup-like so I cook it down significantly.

Stir in the butter and milk and cook until incorporated. This should just be a couple minutes.

Around now, your pasta should be done. Drain the water and add the pasta to the sauce/meat. Then add the cheese. Start with 6oz and see how it is looks to you. Add more cheese if you’re feeling cheesy. Serve immediately.

This dish tastes the best the day it is made but leftovers can be saved in the fridge for a few days. I personally have not tried freezing this recipe because it always gets gobbled up!

Print Recipe

Beefy Cheesy Noodles

Course: Main Course

Servings: 8

Author: Grace

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
8 oz elbow pasta
1 onion chopped
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp butter
6-8 oz cheddar cheese

Instructions

Brown the ground beef on medium heat in a large pan. Begin boiling water to cook the elbow pasta according to the package directions.
Add the onion to the beef and cook 3-5 minutes until softened.
Add the Italian seasoning and garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the flour and mix to cover the ingredients in the pan.
Add the beef broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to thicken for a few minutes.
Once thickened, add the milk and butter and stir until the butter has melted. After your pasta is cooked, drain it and add the pasta to the beef mixture and mix to coat the noodles.
Start with 6 oz of cheddar cheese and add more to taste. Mix to fully melt the cheese. Serve immediately.