Ground beef is one of our favorite ingredients to have on hand in the freezer or fridge at all times. It’s so versatile, nutritious, and quick to cook. This ground beef and noodles recipe happens to be one of the dishes we make the most often. It’s loved by all ages and for good reason, it’s comfort food that tastes like it cooked for hours, but guess what? It only takes 30 minutes!
I first learned about this dish from my son’s school, it was one of his favorite cafeteria meals. After talking to the school chef about the ingredients she used in the recipe, I developed my own version that we’ve been making at home for years. If you need other ideas for cooking with ground beef, we’ve got you covered. Our meatballs and gravy as well as slow cooker beef stroganoff are both excellent options.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Comfort food in 30 minutes. So many hearty recipes require hours of cooking on the stove, but not this ground beef and noodles dish. It’s made quickly with just a skillet and a pot with minimal time.
- A family favorite recipe any time of the year. This is a dinner recipe our kids request over and over, it’s great for picky eaters. They love the creamy egg noodles and rich sauce.
- Ingredients you probably have on hand. We don’t like to fuss with lots of ingredients especially for a weeknight meal. We always have the ingredients for this egg noodles with ground beef in the kitchen so we can have a homemade dinner even on a night when that feels impossible.
Tip for Busy Cooks: Buy a lean ground beef for this recipe to avoid making a greasy dish. The lean beef has just enough fat to still flavor the dish without becoming overpowering. You could also use ground turkey, chicken, or pork for a lighter option as well!
Key Ingredient Notes
- Uncooked egg noodles: We love the light texture of egg noodles for this recipe in the creamy sauce.
- Lean ground beef: Be sure to shop for lean beef, this adds just the right amount of fat to the pan for the base of the sauce without becoming greasy.
- Garlic: Using fresh cloves is best to add lots of sweet garlicky flavor into every bite.
- Worcestershire sauce: A little bit goes a long way. Worcestershire adds umami and salty flavor that pairs with the beef perfectly.
- Onion powder: Gives a bit of onion sweetness to the recipe.
- Italian seasoning: Elevates the ground beef with simple herb flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Is responsible for flavoring the base of the sauce.
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the gravy to ensure it’s smooth and creamy.
- Beef broth: The cooking liquid that makes the sauce luscious and bold in flavor.
How to make ground beef and noodles
- Cook the egg noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain.
- In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the ground beef, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt and Italian seasoning.
- Cook the meat over medium-high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the butter into the now-empty skillet.
- Once the butter is melted, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour starts to brown and smells slightly nutty, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the beef broth while whisking continuously.
- Add the beef back and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened to the desired thickness.
- Stir in the noodles and garnish with fresh parsley or green onions.
Expert Tips
- Drain the beef if there is a lot of liquid in the pan. After browning the beef, if there is a lot of liquid in the pan depending on the brand, simply drain the excess liquid and discard. You don’t want this extra liquid as it will change the texture of the sauce.
- If you’re sauce is too thick, don’t worry, simply make a slurry as the solution. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Add this to the skillet and stir to combine. Simmer until the sauce has thickened to the correct consistency.
- Try throwing in some veggies for a fun twist. We fully recommend adding sliced bella mushrooms, chopped bell peppers, fresh spinach, or peas to this ground beef and noodles. It’s a variation that’s full of flavor!
- Add a little bit of heavy cream for an extra decadent sauce. For even more creaminess, add a couple of tablespoons of heavy cream at the end of cooking and stir to combine.
- If you are looking for a a substitute to egg noodles, a regular short noodle pasta also works well. Something like penne or rigatoni mezzi are two other options. Although, we prefer the richer flavor and softer texture of egg noodles in this recipe.
Storing Tips
- Store any leftover ground beef and noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- We recommend reheating this on the stove in a skillet for a couple of minutes until warmed through. Add a splash of beef broth if the sauce is too thick. The microwave also works well for reheating in a pinch, just heat in intervals and stir frequently.
- Avoid freezing ground beef and noodles, once thawed the dish often becomes mushy in texture.
FAQs
We recommend adding onion, garlic, and other aromatics to make a rich sauce. To make the sauce, you’ll need flour, beef broth, and butter.
Slowly add more warm beef stock until your desired consistency.
We love to sometimes garnish with sour cream or Greek yogurt. On the side we like to serve garlic bread, roasted veggies, or a side salad.
Yes! In fact, you can make the ground beef sauce mixture up to a day before and then just cook the noodles when it’s time to serve.
More Delicious Ground Beef Recipes
Ground Beef and Noodles
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked egg noodles
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef broth
Instructions
- Cook the egg noodles until al dente according to package directions. Drain
- In a large (12-inch) skillet, add the ground beef, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt and Italian seasoning.
- Cook the meat over medium-high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
- Add the butter into the now-empty skillet.
- Once the butter is melted, add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour starts to brown and smells slightly nutty, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the beef broth while whisking continuously.
- Add the beef back and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened to the desired thickness.
- Stir in the noodles and garnish with fresh parsley or green onions.
Share your thoughts! If you make this please leave a review letting me know how it was!
Notes
– Store any leftover ground beef and noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
– We recommend reheating on the stove in a skillet for a couple of minutes until warmed through. Add a splash of beef broth if the sauce is too thick. The microwave also works well for reheating in a pinch, just heat in intervals and stir frequently.
– Avoid freezing ground beef and noodles, once the dish is thawed the dish often becomes mushy in texture.
Nutrition
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full nutrition disclosure.
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Reader's Reviews
Doreen Parker says
Made this tonight but used minced onions in the meat, I have a lot of onions! This was so delicious my husband ate his whole portion (he has dementia and eats poorly) I was so happy. Will make again – soon!