Beefy Macaroni
Ground beef, elbow macaroni, and canned tomatoes cooked together in one pot — a from-scratch version of boxed hamburger helper.
Ingredients
- 350 g medium ground beef $6.65
- 300 g dry elbow macaroni $0.66
- 1 can (796 mL) diced tomatoes $2.00
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced $1.23
- 3 cloves garlic, minced $0.24
- 500 mL beef broth $0.83
- 1 tbsp tomato paste $0.10
- 1 tsp chili powder $0.05
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika $0.03
- 0.5 tsp ground cumin $0.03
- 0.5 tsp salt $0.02
- 0.5 tsp black pepper $0.02
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil $0.06
- Recipe total$11.92
Instructions
- 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.
Nutrition per Serving
Estimated values per serving.
540
Calories
28g
Protein
65g
Carbs
16g
Fat
4g
Fiber
580mg
Sodium
~22% DV Iron~6% DV Calcium~12% DV Vitamin C
Gluten-Free
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.
Budget Notes
- 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.