This 6-ingredient homemade beefaroni recipe is a one-dish meal that is ready in just 20 minutes! It’s a simple recipe for busy school nights or as a freezer meal. Leftovers can also be taken for lunch the next day.
Beefaroni is a classic recipe that is so easy to make that it has become my go-to recipe that the whole family enjoys. I’m able to brown the meat, add everything to the pot, and walk away for 20 minutes.
This is one of those fast dinner ideas that are great when trying to get everything else done!
Serve it with a Simple Pear Salad With Pomegranate And Walnuts or Honey Glazed Carrots for a full meal!
What Is Another Name For Beefaroni?
Another name for beefaroni is American Goulash. American Goulash is very similar but it often has more tomato sauce, and more vegetables and usually includes beef broth to give it a soupier consistency.
With this homemade beefaroni recipe, we add the uncooked noodles to the ground beef mixture and let it cook in the sauce. With goulash, you typically add already cooked elbow noodles to the dish.
Easy Beefaroni Recipe
Beefaroni is a dish that the entire family will enjoy! This homemade version is so much healthier than the canned stuff that we all loved as kids, but it is still quick and easy to make.
The best part about this dish (aside from the fact that the kids will eat it) is that you can make it as simple or as fancy as you desire. Add some chili powder and dairy-free shredded cheese to really dress it up. Here are some other ideas that you can try to make this beefaroni recipe your own!
- Switch up the protein – Try ground beef, ground turkey, or even ground bison
- Add some dairy free cheddar cheese – You can sprinkle some df shredded cheese over the top of macaroni noodles and cover it until the cheddar cheese is melted
- Try a different pasta – From chickpea pasta to gluten-free pasta, any type of pasta will work in this dish
- Use a variety of noodle shapes – The noodle should be able to hold a sauce. Some good options are elbow macaroni noodles, cavatappi, spirals and gemelli.
- Add Spices and Herbs – Garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, chili powder, oregano, basil or even thyme. Fresh garlic would be good as well.
- Use any vegetables you have on hand – zucchini, bell pepper, onions, shredded carrots or even
- Add Fresh Garlic – Saute the garlic with the onions
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR HOMEMADE BEEFARONI
- Ground Beef – lean ground beef is preferred
- Plain Tomato Sauce – I use the Costco cans. If you can’t find 15-ounce cans, you can substitute 2 – 8oz cans. Crushed tomatoes or canned tomatoes will also work but the sauce may not be as thick.
- Shredded Zucchini – This is a good way to use up all that zucchini!
- Water
- Chickpea noodles – or noodles of your choice
- Worcestershire – I won’t admit how many times it took to spell that correctly! This is optional but highly recommended.
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Homemade Beefaroni
Tips and Tricks
- As the noodles are cooking, stir occasionally to ensure the bottom isn’t burning. If needed, add more water while cooking.
- Tomato sauce has more salt that tomato paste or canned tomatoes. If you choose to substitue the tomato sauce, we sure to taste the dish before serving. You may need to add more salt that expected.
- If you have leftover meat sauce from a previous dinner, you can add a can of tomato sauce and then add the noodles. Cook per the instructions int his recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions About Homemade Beefaroni
Yes you can! Let it cool completely before freezing and store it in an air tight container. When you are ready to eat it, defrost it in the fridge or microwave and heat it up until warm.
This recipe is best done on the stovetop since it will save you time and will cut back on dishes. If you want to serve it to a crowd, you can place the cooked beefaroni in a casserole dish and top it with dairy free shredded cheddar cheese. Then put it in the oven under the broiler, just until the cheese is melted. Yum!
They sure will! This is a comfort food that everyone in the family will enjoy – kids included.
They are a great alternative to wheat pasta since they have more fiber and protein. I like that even a small bowl will fill you up alot more than regular pasta will.
More Easy Dinner Recipes You Might Enjoy:
- Chicken and Green Beans
- Honey Garlic Chicken Wings
- Homemade Chicken Nuggets
- Curry Chicken and Rice casserole
- Kabocha Squash Soup
- Oven Baked Ribs
- Instant Pot Vegetarian Pumpkin Chili
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Honey Glazed Carrots
Easy Homemade Beefaroni
This 6-ingredient homemade beefaroni recipe is a one-dish meal that is ready in just 20 minutes! It’s perfect for busy school nights or prepping as a freezer meal for another day! Leftovers can also be taken for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Ground Beef
- 8 Ounces Chickpea Noodles, uncooked
- 15 Ounce can Tomato Sauce
- 1 Cup Shredded Zucchini
- 1 Cup Water
- 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Brown ground beef in a medium pot or large skillet
- Add the Worcestershire sauce and mix well
- Add the tomato sauce, shredded zucchini, and water and mix well
- Pour in the uncooked noodles and mix well.
- Cover the pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- If needed, add a little more water as it is cooking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 331Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 570mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 26g
Nutritional information was calculated automatically. Please verify accuracy
Love this healthier version of beefaroni. The flavor and addition of shredded zucchini is perfect.
You can’t even tell the zucchini is in there! 🙂
Great bowl of comfort food, and so quick to make! Thanks for sharing!
This was super easy and tasty – my kids loved it. Thank you!
Kids loving it is a huge complement! 🙂
Wow, I had never heard of beefaroni before but it’s going to become a regular now, it was delicious!
I only knew about the canned version which is why I had to make this one! I’m glad you enjoyed it!