This was one of the first main dish recipes I learned to make when I was about 10 years old. It’s easy, uses simple ingredients you probably have on hand, and it is cooked in one pot. I have seen very similar recipes called “Hamburger Skillet”, “Homemade Hamburger Helper”, “American Goulash”, etc. I’ll give you the original recipe (as close as I can remember) then give you some variations I use depending on flavor preference and/or mood. Served with a tossed salad and toasted garlic bread, you have a complete meal.
Hamburger and Macaroni with Tomatoes Serves 6
1 pound ground beef (not too lean, you will need some drippings)
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 small onion, diced (about 1 cup)
1 med. green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 14.5 oz can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef broth
Salt and Pepper to taste
Place beef in a large, tall sided sauté pan or Dutch oven (at least 3 qt.) and cook till no longer pink, crumbling as it cooks.
Using a slotted spoon, remove beef to a bowl and set aside. Drain grease from pan reserving 2 Tbsp. Return grease to pan, add macaroni and brown over medium heat till just turning golden brown. Add onion and bell pepper, cook till onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds till fragrant.
Add tomatoes, sauce, Worcestershire, beef broth and beef to pan. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes till macaroni is cooked, stirring occasionally. You may need to add a little water if the dish seems too dry.
Variations:
Italian – add sliced mushrooms, sliced black olives, Italian seasonings (basil, oregano, a touch of thyme), and extra garlic. You can also substitute Italian sausage for the ground beef.
Southwest – add black beans, corn, and taco seasonings. I use fire roasted diced tomatoes or a can of diced tomatoes with green chiles (like Rotel). Or I pull some roasted green chiles out of the freezer that I put up last chile season. (See our “Chile Blog Review”) All depends on how spicy you like it.
This recipe is very versatile, you can switch it up to satisfy any flavor preferences you may have.
Notes:
Lightly browning the macaroni help it to maintain its shape and not get mushy.
I have made this recipe using penne pasta, rotini (spirals), and farfalle (bow ties) but I always come back to elbows.
The stir / serve spoons linked below have become my favorite and they’re dishwasher safe too! The knife link looks like a quality knife for the price.
Equipment Needed:
Slotted Spoons and Stir/Serve Spoon
I look forward to any feedback you may have. Please share your own variations, twists and/or tweaks.
Patty
Delicious! Reminds me of a dish my sister used to make when we were kids. And it reminded me of the old “brown the noodles” trick to keep them firm even as leftovers. (I love leftovers.) Thanks for the variation ideas, too!