Homemade Beefaroni
Easy Homemade Beefaroni made with tender ground beef, pasta, and a rich tomato sauce. A comforting, kid-friendly meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights!
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This one pot beefaroni is a hearty and filling meal that's great for feeding a crowd! It features tender pasta and wholesome ground beef for a comfort food classic that's much better than a box or a can!
Why This Recipe Works
On nights when I need something easy but still flavorful, I love cooking convenient one-pan meals like this beefaroni! It combines ground beef and pasta in a classic tomato sauce for an easy meal that's great for the entire family!
You can easily switch up the kind of pasta you use or even add more veggies to make this dish more wholesome. However you serve it, you'll love the one-pot prep and super quick cleanup afterwards.
And for even more amazing one-pot meals, try my Tuscan Shrimp Orzo Skillet or this Creamy Tortellini and Sausage Skillet!
Ingredients Needed
- Ground Beef: I like to choose a leaner ground beef to keep this dish a bit lighter.
- Garlic and Onion
- Seasonings: Salt and black pepper come together with garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning for a great blend of savory flavors.
- Tomato Paste: From a can or tube.
- Spaghetti Sauce: Use your favorite jar sauce or make your own if you prefer!
- Sugar: Balances out all the hearty ingredients with some sweetness.
- Ziti: Any kind of short-cut pasta like rotini or penne will also work, but I like ziti for this recipe.
- Beef Broth
- Heavy Cream: Helps thicken up the sauce.
- Fresh Parsley: For garnish.
How to Make this Homemade Beefaroni
- Step 1: Cook ground beef over medium-high heat with minced garlic and seasonings.
- Step 2: Add the tomato paste and cook another minute.
- Step 3: Mix in the tomato sauce and sugar. Bring to a simmer.
- Step 4: Add the pasta with the beef broth, ensuring the pasta is fully covered in the liquid.
- Step 5: Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
- Step 6: Stir in heavy cream and simmer another 10 minutes or so. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Feel free to substitute another pasta like farfalle, elbow macaroni, penne, rotini, or anything short cut.
- If you have leftover tomato paste, store the rest in a small freezer bag or even an ice cube tray to use later.
- You can use ground chicken or ground turkey in place of the ground beef for a slightly lighter meal.
- For some extra flavor, mix your favorite shredded cheese into the sauce along with the cream.
Recipe FAQ's
This is a combination of the words "beef" and "macaroni," as this dish usually just includes those two ingredients served in a tomato based sauce.
For some extra flavor, Worcestershire sauce is a great way to double down on the savory. You can also mix in some shredded cheese for a cheesy sauce or add red peppe flakes or cayenne pepper for a kick of heat.
More Easy Pasta Recipes
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Homemade Beefaroni
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 24 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 8 ounces ziti
- 2 ½ cups beef broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- Fresh parsley
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet on medium high heat and add the ground beef, and diced onions and cook until browned about 5 minutes. Add in the minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder Italian seasoning salt and pepper and cook another 30 seconds. Discard any extra fat.
- Add in the tomato paste and cook another minute.
- Add in the pasta sauce and sugar, mix and bring to a simmer.
- Add in the dried pasta and beef broth, stir and make sure the pasta is covered with liquid.
- Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat cover and for 12-15 minutes until pasta is tender.
- Stir in the heavy cream and simmer on low 8-10 minutes.
- Add fresh chopped parsley or basil and serve!
Notes
- Any short cut pasta will work.
- If using tomato paste from the can store leftovers in a small freezer bag or ice cube trays to use later.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
I’ll be making an huge batch of this and freezing portions for my sons school lunches!