Beefy Macaroni
Ground beef, elbow macaroni, and canned tomatoes cooked together in one pot — a from-scratch version of boxed hamburger helper.
Heat oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned — about 8 minutes. Drain fat.
Add onion. Cook 3 minutes until softened.
Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, and cumin. Stir and cook 1 minute.
Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
Add the diced tomatoes and broth. Stir well to scrape up any browned bits.
Bring to a boil. Add the dry macaroni. Stir, then reduce heat to medium.
Cook uncovered 12–14 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until pasta is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
Taste and adjust seasoning. The dish should be saucy, not dry. Add a splash of water if it looks too thick.
The broth is only 500 mL — half a carton. Use the other half for a soup later in the week.
- Chili powder here is mild. If cooking for very young kids, reduce to half a teaspoon or skip it.
- No cheese is budgeted in this recipe. A handful of shredded cheddar stirred in at the end is good if you have it.
Estimated values per serving.
This recipe can be made gluten-free with substitutions.
- Replace elbow macaroni with gluten-free elbow pasta (same weight) (Adds roughly $2–3 to the total; still possible under budget.)
Confirm broth is gluten-free. All other ingredients are naturally GF.