Ground Beef
$1.71per plate
Prep
10 min
Ground Beef · Beef and Noodles
Beef and Noodles
Beef and noodles is old-fashioned comfort food: browned ground beef simmered in a rich brown gravy and tossed with tender egg noodles. There is no cream and no canned soup here, just beef, broth, and a spoon of flour doing the work, which keeps it cheap and honest at about $1.35 a plate for six. It comes together in one pan and a pot of noodles in about 35 minutes, and it is the kind of sticky, savory dinner that disappears fast.
$1.35per plate
Estimated recipe total
$8.10 · serves 6
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Serves
6
1 How to make it
1
Boil the noodles
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles according to the package. Drain and toss with the butter so they do not stick, and set aside while you build the gravy.
2
Brown the beef
In a large skillet over medium-high, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and the onion is soft, about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat, leaving a little in the pan for flavor.
3
Make the gravy
Sprinkle the flour over the beef and stir for a minute to cook off the raw taste. Slowly pour in the beef broth and the Worcestershire, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer 5 to 6 minutes until the gravy thickens enough to coat a spoon. Season with the salt, pepper, and thyme.
4
Toss it all together
Add the cooked noodles to the pan and toss until they are coated in the gravy and heated through. Add a splash of broth or water if it looks dry, then taste and adjust the salt before serving.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Ground turkey for beef. Turkey works well in the gravy and can be cheaper some weeks. Add a little extra butter or oil since it is leaner than 80/20 beef.
- Any short pasta for egg noodles. Egg noodles are classic, but rotini, penne, or even elbow macaroni work fine if that is what is in the cupboard. Cook to package directions and toss the same way.
- A splash of milk or sour cream. Stirring a couple tablespoons of milk or a spoon of sour cream into the finished gravy makes it creamier, closer to a stroganoff, using what is already in the fridge.
- Add frozen peas or mixed vegetables. A cup of frozen peas or mixed vegetables stirred in with the noodles adds color and stretches the pan across an extra plate for about fifty cents.
3 Budget tips
- A single pound of beef feeds six here because the egg noodles and gravy do most of the work of filling the plate, which is the whole point of a beef and noodles dinner.
- Store-brand egg noodles and broth cost a fraction of the name brands and work exactly the same. A box of bouillon makes the broth even cheaper.
- Double the batch. It reheats well all week and the noodles soak up more of the savory gravy overnight, so leftovers often taste better than the first bowl.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The noodles absorb the gravy as they sit, so add a splash of broth when reheating to loosen it back up.
Freezer
Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months, though the noodles soften a little after thawing. Reheat gently with extra broth to bring the gravy back.
Reheating
Reheat on the stove over medium with a splash of broth or water, stirring until heated through, or microwave in 1 minute bursts. The gravy thickens in the fridge, so a little added liquid brings it back.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
330
Protein
18g
Fat
14g
Carbs
34g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between beef and noodles and beef stroganoff?
Beef and noodles is built on a simple brown gravy of beef, broth, and flour, with no dairy. Stroganoff adds mushrooms and finishes with sour cream for a creamy, tangy sauce. Beef and noodles is the cheaper, plainer comfort-food cousin.
What kind of noodles are best for beef and noodles?
Wide egg noodles are the classic choice because they hold the gravy well, but any short pasta like rotini or elbow macaroni works. Cook them just to al dente, since they soften more once tossed in the hot gravy.
How do I keep the gravy from being lumpy?
Cook the flour into the beef for a full minute before adding any liquid, then pour the broth in slowly while stirring. Adding cold broth all at once to raw flour is what causes lumps.
How is the price per plate figured?
About $8.10 for the whole skillet plus noodles, split across six servings, which is roughly $1.35 each. The pound of beef is most of the cost, so a sale on ground beef brings the number down the most.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
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